Healthcare, Government Shutdown, Winning?

CNN

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and was unable to directly answer why it was big businesses were given the opportunity to delay their compliance with the new affordable health care act, while individuals were not being afforded the same option.

After pressing her further on the issue to no avail, a somewhat exasperated Stewart finally smiled and asked, “Am I a stupid man?”

Jon also pointed out that there were problems with people being able to get online and sign up for coverage.

As the secretary sat down to begin the segment, Stewart opened a laptop on his desk. “I’m going to attempt to download every movie ever made, and you’re going to try to sign up for Obamacare, and we’ll see which happens first.” 

Sebelius admitted the website rollout “started a little rockier than we’d like,” but said the administration had been working to make improvements. “It’s better today than it was yesterday, and it will keep getting better.” 

The sign-up websites were offline for part of the weekend as efforts were made to fix multiple glitches that caused delays for many who attempted to use the program in the first few days.

Sebelius also stated that according to economists people are not losing their full time jobs. Apparently part time jobs are not increasing and that those who suggest this are only offering anecdotal evidence.

Later, while addressing the issue of businesses cutting back hours for employees to avoid having to provide health care under the new regulations, Sebelius held firm. “Economists, not anecdotal folks, but economists, say there is absolutely no evidence that part-time work is going up. In fact, it’s going down,” she said. The secretary also said that for the first time ever, part-time employees in the United Sates would now have the option to purchase health insurance under the new law.

Well, I'm sure that those who have had their hours cut in half to part-time hours will be glad to know that economists disagree.

So let me get this straight...we have to have coverage of some kind or we will be fined. Check. There are people whose premiums will double or triple if they chose to keep their current plan. Check. People who do get their hours cut will now only have the option of signing up through exchanges where they will be paying for insurance but at the same time getting paid less. Check. Did it ever occur to any of these folks pushing this law that people will just opt out altogether because they will not be able to afford the coverage? Well of course they did. Don't be foolish.

This has always been a Trojan horse bill to bring in a single-payer system.

 Toward the end, Stewart argued that a market-based strategy toward health care is a flawed concept in itself and that a single payer system would have been a more simple approach. But Sebelius jumped in, saying, “if we could have perhaps figured out a pathway, that may have been a reasonable solution.” 

“So this is jerry-rigged to deal with the crazy people?” Stewart asked. 

“I think the president did not want to dismantle the health care that 85% of the country had," Sebelius responded.
 

As I see it, the left is looking to bring in dissatisfaction from the American people and unfortunately for the rest of us, there is a growing number of dissatisfaction yet, the Republicans do not seem to be offering any solutions other than asking for delays.

Who on earth is winning here? Absolutely nobody. So far most people are either confused and/or just plain ill-informed but how can any of us be truly informed if we are being told so many different things by so many different people? Who can anyone really trust at this point?

I know for a fact that many people have already received notices of increases in their premiums. I also know of a person who is currently being fully covered because of a disability but will now have to pay. Anecdotal? Yes, technically those would be anecdotal situations. Those of us who are concerned, are we just being paranoid? Perhaps there is a bit of paranoia involved; I will admit this but the paranoia is coming from both the concern of increased costs, even more people not being covered, and the fact that those arguing against this bill are not being clear either nor are they offering viable solutions. Scaring people is hardly an effective tactic.

I understand that Republicans want to fight this on principle but is the battle worth winning over the war? Will their actions only guarantee that they will lose the House? Is anyone listening or have people just given up entirely? While Washington fights, I'm afraid we all lose.