Elections have consequences and I fear these will be reverberating for generations to come. I don’t have much to add to what has already been said (heh, do I ever?), but some things do stand out to me from my vantage point far away.
First, it will be the young and healthy who carry the biggest burden. Perhaps that is as it should be. But I do find it amusing that the biggest winners appear to be the demonized insurance providers. I mean, let’s force the millions of people who don’t have insurance to buy insurance–that will teach those profit mongers!
And the Democrats told the overwhelming majority of Americans who opposed Obamacare to go to hell. I expect that will have consequences come November. As the Washington Examiner puts it:
Never before in American history has a measure of such importance been imposed on the country by the majority party over the unanimous opposition of the minority. Democrats have continually sought to create a halo effect for Obamacare by associating it with Social Security and Medicare. But the reality is that both of those landmark programs were approved with strong bipartisan support in both the Senate and House. The Senate vote on Social Security in 1935 was 77-6, with 64 Democrats being joined by 14 Republicans. In the House, the 373 votes for Social Security included 77 Republicans. When Medicare passed in 1965, the 68-21 Senate vote included 13 Republicans, while 65 Republicans were among the 313 affirmative House votes. Such bipartisan consensus was what the Founders sought with the Constitution. But Democrats made a mockery of bipartisanship by shoving Obamacare down the throats of Republican lawmakers and snubbing the popular majority that opposed it. The Democrats have undercut the credibility of the law they created.
I think you should also see what The Atlantic’s Megan McArdle has to say along these lines.
Is there a bigger fool than Congressman Stupak? Of course, no one believes he was stupid enough to sell out his “pro-life” principles for an empty Executive Order. Was he? Because of course, the law (as contained in the Senate bill and unchanged by today’s reconciliation vote) trumps an XO. No, I think the Dems think the American people are that stupid. I’m betting they were wrong about that.
And for those looking for a silver lining, you might find comfort in this post at PowerLine.
Me, I just feel sad for my country today. And glad to be living far enough away that I can ignore it for the most part. Sure, like everyone else, I will pay more for my insurance and have my taxes go up. But for those living in the states and relying on American health care providers, well, higher costs are the least of your worries.
God Bless America. She’s gonna need it.
It is a historic day. Whether or not the health care bill provides the fix it promises or destroys the American Way of life as you believe,what is truly amazing is that so many Congressmen and the President put aside political ambition and opted to act as leaders! You are right of course that this bill is not popular with a large segment of society and that will likely reflect in the election polls. It takes guts to go agaisnt the tide, to do something because you think it is right not because you think it will get you elected. Too much in our country goes undone because it is safer not to act if you want to be reelected.
Actually, the Founders established a system of checks and balances to prevent just this sort of aberration. Never in our history has such a boondoggle been foisted on the people by the controlling party. The only thing bipartisan about this was the opposition. Truly historic.
You go read the link in my post “fuzzy math” and tell me this is a good thing for America…
I don’t know if the bill that just passed will prove to be too expensive or if it will give American businesses what they need to be competitive in a global enconmy. I do know that Douglas Holtz-Eakin is in favor of health care reform even though the article you cited questions the math behind the cost projections behind the bill.
I am curious about your statement that the Founders established a system of checks and balances to prevent just this sort of aberation. The checks and balances that I am aware of was the creation of a legislative branch, judicial branch and executive branch. The founding Fathers did not create a two party system. In fact I believe they warned against it. How far sighted.
I think the effect of this bill, both good and bad, is being greatly exaggerated. After seeing so many try and fail and ANY kind of reform, you have to hand it to Obama for getting SOMETHING done. Like all presidents, history will judge if it was good or bad.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/what-health-bill-means-for-you/
See, way back then a Congressional “Representative” was envisioned to you know, “represent” the interest of his constituents. Quaint idea, I know, but true….
Well when you are a representative and some of your constitutients feel one way about a subject and some of them feel another way, there is no way you can cast a vote that will appease all of them.
Yeah, it’s tough when 59% of the voters oppose what you are ramming down their throat…
Did you conduct that poll? The Gallup poll I saw had a majority of the people supporting the bill.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/126929/Slim-Margin-Americans-Support-Healthcare-Bill-Passage.aspx
You shouldn’t put so much stock in polls.
Yeah, Kevin I did. Did you? Because the poll does not show majority support. Try reading it again:
http://hotair.com/archives/2010/03/24/cbs-poll-bump-still-shows-obamacare-opposed-by-plurality-after-passage/
And while you are it, here’s another poll:
http://hotair.com/archives/2010/03/24/cbs-poll-bump-still-shows-obamacare-opposed-by-plurality-after-passage/
You might be better off following Fortuneate’s advice and just pretending the unpopularity of this bill doesn’t matter…
I guess your two links (which are from the same place) trump mine.
I didn’t conduct the Gallup poll, I just linked it and it clearly states a slim majority of people support the bill. It is about 50-50 in every poll I’ve seen.
Obama is the president and the Dems are in power. It’s their job the pass their agenda. If you don’t like it, tough. vote him out in 2012. He has his legacy now, and time will tell if it is good or bad. Period. You have to give him credit for getting it passed when so many others have tried and failed in the past.
Oh, and on a side note, still no successful terrorist attacks on U.S. soil under Obama.
Stumbled across this poll this morning and thought I would add it to our poll contest: (link deleted, causing format issues)
Truer words have not been spoken. Well done.