The Obama Disappointment

[FBM]

I don't know enough of the details about what Obama has been doing to give him an overall ranking, but I'm not disappointed by very much of what I've heard/read about him. Obamacare is way cool and I hear the Republicans have been blocking him from shutting down Guantanamo. At the very least, he made it a point to include atheists several times in this speech:

[pErvinalia]

He's full of empty rhetoric, eff. I take everything he says with a large grain of salt.

And just to be clear, Obamacare wasn't way cool. It was a handout to the insurance industry. It's certainly going to help a lot of people, but was WAY short of what he could have and should have done. The bill was largely written by the insurance industry, if I'm not mistaken.

[Ian]

I think you may be giving the US Congress too much credit for what Obama COULD have done with that bill.

[pErvinalia]

The problem was he started negations at the half way point, not at the opposite point to the republicans.

[FBM]

He's full of empty rhetoric, eff. I take everything he says with a large grain of salt.

And just to be clear, Obamacare wasn't way cool. It was a handout to the insurance industry. It's certainly going to help a lot of people, but was WAY short of what he could have and should have done. The bill was largely written by the insurance industry, if I'm not mistaken.

I don't know the details, all I know is that I could now be insured in the US, whereas I couldn't before, no matter how willing I was to pay the premiums.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

The problem was he started negations at the half way point, not at the opposite point to the republicans.

If he seeks to compromise, he's bad Prez.
If he doesn't seek to compromise, he's bad Prez.
EIther way, a win for the Republicans. And a loss for the country. Not that they care, they're rather like Seeth, "if I survive the rest of the country can go straight to Hell."

[Coito ergo sum]

Libertarian explains Obamacare

I think the poor people who cant afford to buy the overpriced obamacare programs end up in jail, thanks to IRS as the judge and the executioner where they get 'free' government healthcare anyway....

Poor people received free healthcare before, with Medicaid and related programs,

Obamacare was never for the poor, and this fact seems never to be accepted by its proponents. It's proponents for some reason think "the poor" were uninsured in the US. They were not.

About 1 in 5 of the uninsured had incomes of $75,000 per year and above. That's almost 50,000 pounds per year. And, that's 2.5 times the median household income.

Another 15% made in comes of $50,000 to $75,000. Still nicely above average.

Another 20% were noncitizens - illegal and legal immigrants, which very few countries extend their national health program to. Obamacare doesn't cover illegal immigrants anyway.

Other than these 3 groups, there were 16 million uninsured. Only 5% of the population of the United States. Many of these 16 million people were already eligible for public insurance, chiefly Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program. They just hadn't signed up.

That's the reality, and yet the solution was Obamacare. Does anyone really think we couldn't have created a program to cover the 5%? And does anyone really think we need a program to force people who make plenty of money to afford insurance but choose not to buy it?

That's all academic, since we are now down the Obamacare road -- but, heck, it's a rousing success. It's increased the costs of health insurance by at least 10% and up to 20% depending on the estimates one looks to, and it still leaves 30 million people uninsured according to the Congressional Budget Office. Thrilling.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

"depending on the estimates one looks to"

[Tero]

About 1 in 5 of the uninsured had incomes of $75,000 per year and above. That's almost 50,000 pounds per year. And, that's 2.5 times the median household income.

Another 15% made in comes of $50,000 to $75,000. Still nicely above average.

Another 20% were noncitizens - illegal and legal immigrants, which very few countries extend their national health program to. Obamacare doesn't cover illegal immigrants anyway.

Other than these 3 groups, there were 16 million uninsured. Only 5% of the population of the United States. Many of these 16 million people were already eligible for public insurance, chiefly Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program. They just hadn't signed up.

That's the reality, and yet the solution was Obamacare. Does anyone really think we couldn't have created a program to cover the 5%? And does anyone really think we need a program to force people who make plenty of money to afford insurance but choose not to buy it?

That's all academic, since we are now down the Obamacare road -- but, heck, it's a rousing success. It's increased the costs of health insurance by at least 10% and up to 20% depending on the estimates one looks to, and it still leaves 30 million people uninsured according to the Congressional Budget Office. Thrilling.

And you have experience in not getting healthcare? My parents were 60 and could not afford it. My dad finally was declared disabled at a month before he died. My mom never did get insurance past 61. She died at 63. In Finland. Where she was covered. She had a green card 30 years, it got her nothing. Oh it did give her 220 dollars a month survivor benefits.

[Coito ergo sum]

"depending on the estimates one looks to"

Yeah, I did not wish to simply go with the most pessimistic outlook, but since you can't refrain from being a dick,

Ohio Dept. Of Insurance: Obamacare To Increase Individual-Market Health Premiums By 88 Percent http://www.forbes.com/sites/theapotheca ... 8-percent/

Even In Over-Regulated Washington State, Obamacare Will Increase Individual Health Insurance Premiums By 34-80% http://www.forbes.com/sites/theapotheca ... 0-percent/

Rate Shock: In California, Obamacare To Increase Individual Health Insurance Premiums By 64-146% http://www.forbes.com/sites/theapotheca ... by-64-146/

So, I was being rather conservative in my stated estimates. If the above is considered "Affordable" then I guess the "Affordable Care Act" is not a misnomer to you...

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Easy being a dick when you're dealing with a cunt.

[Coito ergo sum]

And you have experience in not getting healthcare? My parents were 60 and could not afford it. My dad finally was declared disabled at a month before he died. My mom never did get insurance past 61. She died at 63. In Finland. Where she was covered. She had a green card 30 years, it got her nothing. Oh it did give her 220 dollars a month survivor benefits.

How much did they make per year, when they were working? Did they retire or stop working before being "declared disabled?"

If they weren't working, therefore having no income, then why did not qualify for Medicaid?

If you are on social security disability,you're eligible for Medicare before the age of 65.

You realize, that if your parents were not eligible for Medicaid, and not covered through an employer, what Obamacare would "give" them is the legal obligation to buy insurance on the open market. They would get some bit of assistance if they made less than around $35,000 per year, but the insurance rates are skyrocketing, so they'd still be paying hefty premiums, which they couldn't afford to do before. What makes you think they'd be able to afford the premiums now?

[Coito ergo sum]

73% of US casualties in Afghanistan occurred under Obama's watch. http://cnsnews.com/news/article/dennis- ... amas-watch

[Tero]

What, you expected congress and America to go along with a black dude? There are about 45% of Americans that will do whatever it takes for him to look bad. Cause he is a gay loving librul and black.

[Coito ergo sum]

What, you expected congress and America to go along with a black dude? There are about 45% of Americans that will do whatever it takes for him to look bad. Cause he is a gay loving librul and black.

Why wouldn't Congress go along with him? There were more Democrats in Congress, both Houses, until January, 2011. So, he had a good run there of no opposition. And, now he still has half of Congress. And, he has been getting sympathy and support through most of his presidency. He's been hardly criticized in the mainstream media, and no scandal seems to stick to him.