Thoughts on health care reform

Congratulations to the Democrats for working very hard to pass this bill, and to those who stood on principal and voted for it.  I also applaud the Republicans who worked just as hard against this bill based on their principals.  And a pox on Democrats who simply rubber stamped it and Republicans who were obstructionist.  I hope all the voters do the homework required to determine in which camp their representatives stand so they can vote accordingly. 

I am against this bill; no surprise there.  Apart from the fundamentals of the bill, other characteristics of it are very concerning. 

First, the CBO estimate is pretty worthless.  The CBO is non-partisan, but is really very limited in role.  All it can really do is project future state based on the legislation they are given.  They are not allowed to pass judgement on the assumptions included in the legislation.  So again, the voters need to do their homework and determine for themselves if the assumptions make sense.  Let's look a little at the two of the biggest ones: decrease in Medicare and the tax on "cadillac" health plans.  Retired voters are a large, growing, and very vocal voting block.  Does anyone really think that Congress will actually act to reduce this program?  Heck, the Republicans were skewered when they proposed DECREASING THE RATE OF INCREASE in social security.  What are the chances of actually decreasing an entitlement?  Less than the Cubs winning the World Series.  Now, I really have to hand it to Obama, Pelosi and Reid on the tax on cadillac health plans: doesn't go into effect until, what, 2018?  They will be long gone when Congress actually has to attempt to implement this and face the voters.  What do you think is the chance of that measure passing?  Less than the Blackhawks winning the Stanley Cup.  (I can't use the Saints thing anymore, darn it.)  If it was such a good idea, implement it NOW.

This legislation is supposed to be a "victory for all", right?  It is a fundamental change in a HUGE part of the American economy.  Anything that big should be at least minimally bi-partisan.  How can any party push such monumental legislation whey they can neither gain the support of the majority of the population nor pick off even 1% of the opposition party while at the same time losing almost 15% of their own party?  Regardless of how obstructionist you believe the Republicans may have been, if the legislation was so good they should have been able to gain JUST A FEW Republican votes.  I would have been mimimally satisfied that this at least passed the bi-partisan sniff test if just 2% of the Republicans would have been won over - just 5 votes.  That's all I wanted.

For the life of me, I can't figure out any reason why Student Loans were lumped into this bill.  Actually, I can and it is ugly.  But I can devise no other logic to explain it.  This is a naked political move.  If the government
now frees up a gazillion dollars for kids to go to college, who do you think those beneficiaries will vote for in future elections?  Again, I have to hand it to Obama, Pelosi, and Reid for their political genius.  I think someone ought to really scour the legislation to make sure there isn't something in there giving immediate legal status to all illegal immigrants above 18 - the age at which you can vote.

Time will tell, as it always does.  As for me, I'm going short on the US dollar.