Obama’s healthcare program: Some love it, some hate it, and many don’t understand the details of the program. OMB, the federal Office of Management and Budget, actually estimates it will lower the cost of health insurance. Some Republicans say it will cost so much that it will literally break the federal government.
Who knows? More than likely no one knows for sure. The situation is it is the law of the land. The very conservative/Tea Party type Republicans will keep on trying to kill the law notwithstanding the fact that they have tried 42 times and failed 42 times. And please remember the United States Supreme Court has validated the law. So, really guys and gals, it is the law of the land.
Now from the point of killing Obamacare, is it worth stopping the federal government from functioning? Is it worth making the federal government, you and me, look like a deadbeat that can’t pay its bills? Is it worth giving the federal government the equivalent of a credit score in the low 500s because it doesn’t want to pay its bills? Why, if that was you or I, we wouldn’t be able to buy a car or a TV set on credit.
The worst part is the Republican fight to end Obamacare is making their party look like an uncaring political party — not a good way to win future elections. A small group of elected officials are more concerned with making the fringe portion of the Republican Party happy than respecting the wishes of mainstream Republicans and Americans as a whole.
What a dilemma for Sen. Ted Cruz (RTexas) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) having to kowtow to the small fringe of the Republican Party knowing full well that they are killing their potential presidential appeal to the majority of voters, Republicans, Democrats and Independents who more than likely make up 80 percent of the voting public of America.
Now the latest thing as of this date of writing: Republicans in the House of Representatives are offering bills that will fund the federal government one department, one function, at a time. The idea behind the plan is to approve funding everything except Obamacare. Then they can say “see, we opened the federal parks for you; you can now climb the Washington Monument. The 800,000 now unemployed federal government employees that were sent home without pay can now go back to work.
“Oh, by the way, we didn’t fund Obamacare. Sorry, America, those of you with illnesses that prevented you from buying health insurance. Sorry for killing the possibility of insuring your kids in college. Sorry for prohibiting you from buying health coverage at a lower cost than in the past.
“And, by the way, don’t think that the government is saving money not having to pay salaries to the 800,000 federal employees. They are eligible for unemployment compensation. And, one last ‘oh, by the way.’ We members of Congress are still receiving our full pay even as the bulk of the government workers, 800,000 of them that we sent home are without a federal paycheck. Unfortunately unemployment checks don’t match what they received at their regular salaries.
To quote the Wall Street Journal: “We opposed Obamacare from the start, but the GOP’s only real way to repeal the law is to win elections. And you don’t win elections by throwing foolish tantrums [Ted Cruz for 21 hours at taxpayer expense] that alienate voters.”
I am all for strong Republican and Democrat parties. It is a big part of the checks and balances within the Congress. Pity that a small fringe group of the Republican Party can diminish the public image of the GOP. Know what GOP stands for? GOP stands for the Grand Old Party. I just hate to see it lose its long-term historical contribution to America by the clamoring of a few within the Republican Party.
We appreciate your opinions on this column whether in agreement or disagreement. Please send your comments to (fax number) 305-662-6980 or email to letters@communitynewspapers.com. The opinions expressed in this column are not necessarily those of this newspaper, its editors or publisher.
Comments are closed.