Congressional Republicans are waging a full-scale war against the health of poor and working-class Americans. Their battle plan is quite simple:
- Do away with the federal funding of Medicaid.
- Force states to either raise taxes to fund Medicaid or drastically cut services.
- Enrich the medical industry by ignoring the runway cost of healthcare, wrongly suggesting the market forces with correct the current excesses.
- Raise insurance premiums for the sick and elderly.
- Do away with Obamacare regulations that forced insurance companies to cover preëxisting conditions and provide basic preventative healthcare.
- Give businesses huge tax cuts.
- Give the wealthy huge text cuts.
The Republicans who oppose the current Senate healthcare bill do not object because they want Americans to have better healthcare. What they want is a complete dismantling of the federal government, including any laws and regulations that govern healthcare. These Ayn Rand-loving Libertarians don’t care one whit about whether Americans live or die or whether any of us has affordable insurance. Left to their own devices, these Republicans will destroy the social progress of the past sixty years, remolding America into a fiefdom where the rich and major corporations rule the land. The difference between people such as I and these Republicans is that we actually care about the welfare of the American people and these Republicans don’t. Their concern begins and ends with their wallets. Ironically, most of these Republican are Christians, people who supposedly follow Jesus and keep his commandments. Evidently, these human-hating Republicans have never read Jesus’ words about riches and how those of means should treat the poor.
The solution, of course, is to raise taxes, and provide single-payer health insurance for all Americans — rich, poor, and working class. It is time we take the profit out of healthcare. People should not have to look at their bank balances before deciding to seek medical treatment. As it stands now, even those of us who have healthcare are facing astronomical rises in insurance premiums, deductibles, and drug costs. The only sure way to make certain that all Americans have comprehensive, affordable healthcare is to burn to the ground the current system. This means, first, voting out of office any Republican or Democrat who continues to suckle at the teat of the healthcare industry. These “leaders” of ours cannot, as Jesus said, serve two masters. You will love the one and hate the other. And as it hands now, it sure looks like the ruling class hates poor and working-class people.
Amen. I have employer insurance, but it doesn’t mean much when the care and contributions to your HSA increase yearly and cut into your low raises. In addition, you will see premium increases for employees and restoration of lifetime care caps if this legislative abomination gets enacted. You also should have access to care instead of having to scrimp and save for needed care. The real object of American faith is the worship of the almighty dollar and the golden calf of wealth.
Oh, wow. A business colleague was investigating these Christian-based health “insurance” pools, and sent me links to them so I could check them out. (I am self-employed.) Basically those pools are just like the cartoon. Whether your treatment gets funded depends in the answers to prayers of people in the group. And there are sooooo many restrictions. Um, no.
Isn’t calling people haters or saying somebody hates the poor a ridiculous statement? Obviously you don’t find it ridiculous, but I do. sorry.
I used the exact word I intended to use. When a political party wants to materially and physically harm (kill) entire classes of people, what better word is there than hate. Ridiculous is people who continue to support and defend congressional Republicans and the Trump administration. Since I am unable to reasonably and rationally defend such support, what I am left with as explanations is ignorance, callousness, utter disregard for poor and working class Americans, or hate. Having heard Paul Ryan and other Republicans chortle with glee over destroying Medicaid, hate is an apt word. The healthcare debate is good for America in one sense — it has revealed the anti-human, anti-environment pro-corporate/wealthy greed that lies at the heart of Republican ideology.
You might want to stop reading for awhile, Lynn. I plan to do a lot more writing on the Republican/Trump dismantling of virtually every good aspect of government.Government can and should be reformed, but that’s not what is going on. Republican office holders at every governmental level are giving the keys to the kingdom to corporations and the rich.
Okay, Bruce, I’ll quit reading. At this point, it’s a mild diversion to distract me from other problems, but I’ve finally concluded that nothing good ever comes from arguing politics. It tends to do only harm to relationships. I’ve decided at this late date that the truly wise go about their business, keep their opinions to themselves, cast their vote in private. They save themselves a lot of stress. To any reading this that want to call me a hater, snowflake, racist, islamaphobe, bigot, homophone, can’t think the other standards, have at it. Or ignore me. Whatever.
Homophone-lol I think I was going for homophobic. Oh yeah I forgot sexist and misogynist.
Yes, Lynne, I agree. People are apparently afraid to look at the side they identify with and make objective statements or acknowledge the deficits of their own political party. Not every person in either party directly follows the divisive narratives set forth. As of last year, I found myself paying a huge monthly premium for family and had a huge deductible on top – don’t think it can get worse with the so called haters (republicans). So, with insurance, instead of paying $185+ for basic office visit, I only paid $165 – what a deal – Not! The rest of my family and friends weren’t any better off. Anyway, I won’t keep rambling on, I just wanted to say I agree and send blessings!
You must be referring to someone other than me, because I routinely criticized President Obama and the Democrats, and I am a Sanders supporter. Anytime any of us identify with a group, we bear the burden of what that group does, especially if we refuse to speak out when our group is acting in ways that are harmful to others.
You view my words as inflammatory, I view them as factual. How else should I describe Donald Trump and the Republican Party? I have yet to hear one Republican admit what they have done to America by voting Trump into office. Why, if Obama had behaved as Trump does and said the things he did, he would already have been impeached. Republicans choose to ignore the behavior of most unqualified man to ever be president, and for what? Extra money in their paychecks? Making America great again?
There was a time when Trump had my support on some of his trade policies. But now that I know his interests start and stop with improving his bottom line and that of his rich cronies, I loathe the man and intend to do everything I can to make his term in office as short as possible. I am astounded by the fact that the poor and working-class people who voted him into office can’t or refuse to see that they have been conned. Trump has no interest in helping anyone. And then there is his continued misogynistic, sexist (and by all means, convince me that these words do NOT accurately describe his behavior) attacks on women. I don’t understand how any woman can continue to support him. Say what you will about President Obama, he was a man of honor, a man who respected others. Trump is neither.
Thank You! I grew up in NJ and personally know a contractor who was totally screwed over by that asshole. YES, we in NJ/NY metro area tried to warn you all what a con man this guy was! I am so beyond this now. Since he was an adult (70’s on forward) he has shown his true colors. I just cannot believe the rest of the country was taken in by this asshat.
Homophone-lol I think I was going for homophobic. Oh yeah I forgot sexist and misogynist. And the above-ignorant and callous. Oh and deplorable.
I don’t think anyone has specifically called YOU these things. Your party? Your president? Sure, but not you specifically. Perhaps if you spent less time objecting every time I use these words, and instead voiced your disapproval of Trump’s behavior and your party’s complicity in that behavior, I might then think you really want what is best for America. As it stands now, all you do is object to my word choices. How about a honest, open discussion about Trump and policies instead of being the grammar police? I remain your friend, but you and I are light years apart when it comes to politics.
Lynne, I think lots of things said on the internet can rub us up the wrong way. For what it’s worth I think I tend to agree with you that politicians as described by Bruce don’t ‘hate’ working people etc as such, I think it’s that they just don’t have any feelings for them at all. On the other hand, start referring to ‘liberals’ and, oh boy, does venomous hate show itself. Then there’s use of the word ‘liar’ as in ‘liars for Jesus’. Very often it’s directed at apologists using one of their obscure, usually absurd, arguments. Now, although I disagree with the apologists most of the time, I’ll at least give them the benefit of accepting that they are genuine, albeit mistaken.
Personally I find Bruce’s blog quite a relaxing diversion, as you say, and the occasional comment is an opportunity for me to help understand my own take on subjects I’ve never had to consider before. Sometimes I don’t even know my opinion until I’ve written it, and often surprise myself!
I don’t always find it relaxing, but it always makes me think, which is actually a good thing for humans to do, in spite of some preachers’ wishes to the contrary. And like you, formulating my own comments often leads me to discover my opinion of things have changed. Perhaps I was more fortunate than I know that I was raised in a church that believed in thinking and science during my formative years. It gave me a faith that has been flexible enough to withstand my own increasing understanding of our world without being required to abandon it all together, though it looks little like it did 40+ years ago and almost nothing like the Calvinist fundamentalism that Bruce knows and writes about so well, and that has overtaken many once-liberal churches and the Republican Party and now threatens the very foundations of our democracy.
I remember the day prior to the ACA! Even tho I was and still am employed by a major defense contractor, me and my daughter’s benefits were severly restricted because of a genetic condition! It still pisses me off to no end 13 years later. The ACA was a “god” send and even helped with one of my children’s counseling, which would have never been covered before. Ok, I’ll say out loud and proud “SINGLE PAYER FOR ALL”
The MONETARILY SOVEREIGN federal government can afford Medicare for All, with zero additional taxes. All “medical price inflation” will do is cause the government to pump more stimulus dollars into the economy.
In that sense, medical price inflation will help grow America. (GDP= federal spending + non-federal spending + net exports)
It being 2020, how I wish Bernie Sanders was still a candidate. I’m not happy with Biden, but he’s better than tRump. Any Rand, who railed against social safety nets at one point, actually got on Social Security in her later years. Maybe that’s not widely known. I remember Paul Ryan saying that when social services were cut, there would be civil unrest, and martial law declared. This was on 2012. How did he know this would happen ? He made it sound like it was something he wanted. Anyone recall this incident ? And don’t the politicians in DC have free health care for themselves ? I heard about the perks they have back there that average Americans can’t access. But, a lot of conservative Christians aren’t curious, so they won’t be aware of it. America has high taxes,which mostly goes to the politicians and the military, police,etc. At least in the Scandinavian countries, the high taxes pay for infrastructure and social benefits. Americans get very little back from the taxes paid. Small wonder other countries have surpassed us in living standards and happiness ! We are in DEEP TROUBLE. I read years ago, that through Operation Paperclip, Nazis infiltrated our government and intelligence agencies. They want to establish a 4th Reich. They never approved of democracy. And they infiltrated the Republican Party big time. The Democrats sold out the working and middle-classes,letting our manufacturing base go overseas. 40 years of this crap, we are now on the ropes. I see this played out in my state,California daily. The legislature just shelved Bill’s for housing and homeless prevention. We have a Democratic legislature. We need the JFK type Democtats to step up, if there are any left !! By the way, there is a strong Jesuit/Opus Dei connection to the deaths of the Kennedy brothers and MLK. And an L.A. connection also, I’m sad to say. Look all this up. I heard certain kinds of Christian’s say that for Jezus to come back, America must be destroyed, so they voted for the Bushes and Reagan. Otherwise, the Anti-Christ won’t arrive,stopping Armageddon, something they absolutely oppose. Just Google David Jetemiah, Robert Jeffress,and Jack Hibbs, to name a few. Hete in CA, it’s politically correct to abuse homeless people. Open class warfare is obvious these days. The hard Right launched it. They love the “gig/rigged economy. They say the ruined economy will force people who relied on government income to flock to the churches for food and other things.
As a social democrat in politics, I believe that one’s health should not depend on one’s wealth. Hence, I believe that there should be government funded healthcare for those who cannot afford it. Those who can afford it should contribute towards their own health care.
Social, economic and political relationships are human relationships. Shouldn’t governments be caring and provide a social safety net for all who are willing and able to work and for those that are too ill to work or who, through no fault of their own, are our of work. Parties in government who don’t care a hoot about the poor, the powerless and the marginalised need to rejected by voters.
So Bruce, keep up the good work of supporting the poor and the sick. Many thanks for this post!