I'm very glad to see this conversation happening on the GR forums. The more people talk about the pros and cons of this bill the more they are going to realize how huge an accomplishment it is. And I'd definitely say the poor won with this passage of this bill. It was absolutely created with them in mind.
For the past 8 months I've worked on the healthcare reform campaign primarily with the groups HCAN and Organizing for America, so you can imagine I'm pretty thrilled that this first step is almost wrapped up. I know the bill freaks alot of people out because of the individual mandate for insurance and the sheer size of the legislation so often shrieked about by the GOP. But, as goes with science, when you analyze something you need to do it without emotionally reasoning. The individual mandate for insurance does indeed have exemptions, specifically if you are a dependent or too poverty-stricken, among other stipulations. As for the size of the bill, it's legislation that affects millions of people regarding a corporate system that has had its own special anti-trust exemption since 1945. Why the surprise if it's the size of a couple Tolstoy novels? There's alot to manage and fix here.
And to the users "tedwolff" and "eyebrowsbv31" I say this: try your best to calm down. I'm with you guys in one sense: I think this legislation could have been alot better. However, that's because I don't think it goes far enough. A public option or a single-payer system would have been spectacular, and may every well be crafted in later, (
http://huff.to/cTOrtG) but for now I'm pretty happy with the highly generous subsidies that will be offered to make insurance more affordable to people that couldn't buy it before this was enacted. Again, this was a bill for the poor. It just got diluted on the way there.
The other thing I'll say is that you're getting something in the way of a bonus if you're a college student when this bill's reconciliation measure passes.
http://nyti.ms/cvgtjU I like the strategy with how this broadens the measure's appeal, and especially since it helps to balance out the usual inattention to help out college students that are so badly abused by the loan system we have now. This is probably one of the best ideas since FAFSA, in my opinion. So put down the Natty LIght, and start paying more attention to this bill's effects. You won't regret it. Or, you know what, read it while you're drunk, since that's what most of the Republicans must have done. I know, I know, below the belt. But true?
If you're furious and fuming about the bill then my post just now will probably do little for you beyond give you an aneurysm. However, the cost of doing nothing would have been disastrous, and that's what reps like John Boehner in my state would have had us do. Make no mistake, there's a ton of work to yet be done regarding the updating of our coverage system. But we're off to a hell of start.
Thanks for making this conversation happen, Stalfros. This is good times.
