Obamacare is a Republican concept - who knew?

[amberdreams]

I've been having the usual debates with my predominantly (and in some cases it has to be said, rabidly) Republican friends on Facebook as a result of them posting various rants about the current situation with the Government Shutdown.  Why won't Obama negotiate, they cry.  Why won't the President back down and talk about a solution, because the republicans are offering solutions left right and centre, aren't they?  Or should that be right, right and even farther right?

Anyway, after one of them posted an quite frankly incredible rant about Obama prohibiting Catholisism!!!!!! I discovered this article which shows that the concept underpinning Obamacare is in fact a Republican idea. I don't think I will show this to my FB friends as I fear they are a lost cause.

But here's a summary for the record.

A brief timeline of Republicans and the individual mandate:

1960s: President Kennedy subtly hints at universal healthcare for America. Republicans don’t know how to react.
1970s: Republican President Nixon offers market based solution and employer mandate.
1980s: Republican think tank comes up with individual mandate.
1990s: Democrats offer ‘HillaryCare’ a step on the path to universal healthcare.
1990s: Republicans respond by sponsoring market-based Acts with individual mandate attached.
1990s: Republicans propose individual mandate, to prevent government-run healthcare.
2000s: Republicans create individual mandate system in Massachusetts.
2010s: Democrats throw out universal healthcare goal, adopt Republican individual mandate idea.
2010s: Republicans forget that it was their idea for decades, and decide it’s actually Marxist.

And in conclusion, all I can say is - what a damn shame the Democrats backed down from trying to get you Yanks universal health care.  Surely you, the richest nation in the world, could have come up with a scheme that could have taken the best aspects of the various public health care systems around the world and made something wonderful for your nation.

Comments

[cassiopeia7.livejournal.com]

In my humble opinion, if Obama said the sun was coming up tomorrow, Republicans would debate him on it. :(

[amber1960.livejournal.com]

These guys do - I honestly don't understand why they hate him so much. It's bizarre.

[jennytork.livejournal.com]

I denied it for years -- but I really am starting to believe those who are saying it's because he's not white.

[amber1960.livejournal.com]

Well that would have been my first thought but one of my friends is not white either, she's Chinese. But then again, I used to have a friend who was Indian, who had a black boyfriend and her family were horrified. I just don't understand people.

[cassiopeia7.livejournal.com]

Gotta agree with jennytork. I didn't WANT to believe it, and stayed in denial for years, because I didn't want to believe that people could be so ignorant. But all the blatant disrespect that's shown to the President of the United States? Clinton and other Dem presidents received Republican hate, sure, but they never received the level of disrespect that Obama gets.

And hey, guess the big difference between Clinton and Obama?

*sometimes despises my fellow Americans*

[amber1960.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's just Americans, to be honest. Prejudice (sadly) crosses all boundaries - here I think it would be less accepted and probably more openly challenged everywhere, but it would no doubt still be festering in many people's hearts. I'd like to think it would only be the older generations who still embarrassingly talk about wogs and darkies but I think it would be wider than that.

[jennytork.livejournal.com]

THANK YOU!!!!

I have been trying to put this into words for weeks!!!

[amber1960.livejournal.com]

I thought it was wonderfully useful!

[dizzojay.livejournal.com]

I may be looking at this very simplistically but I just can't see what their objection is to giving people healthcare that they can afford.

I guess we've been spoilt growing up with the National Health Service!

[amber1960.livejournal.com]

I suppose so, I just don't get it either.

[tifaching.livejournal.com]

I've got to agree with cassiopeia7. If he came out in favor of breathing they'd want to outlaw oxygen. It's do damned discouraging that even within the Republican Party its just a small number of nutjobs that are keeping this country shut down. And they've got the nerve to blame it on the Democrats. Now I know neither party is perfect, but one is clearly at fault here and I can't understand why they can't just bring the damned thing to a vote. Because if the Speaker of the House allows it to be voted on, it will pass. IDEK about these people.

[mdfawn.livejournal.com]

Actually Jim Beaver posted something on this FB the other night and it surprised me that Obamacare (The Affordable Care Act) was based on a Republican proposal. o.O It just proves to me that no matter what this President does, say, thinks the Teabaggers (who are frankly destroying the Republican Party) would vote the opposite.

It is closeted racism and the hatred of him has been cultivated by the likes of FoxNews and pundits like Limbaugh and Coulter. The have demonized him and FoxNews tells absolutely lies on a daily basis.

I work in an office of 5 other women, two of which are
"Birthers". It is absolutely sickening listening to the stuff they say about the President. It's like they are just vomiting out what is said on Fox. It's basically brainwashing of people that are too lazy to go verify what they're being told.

[amber1960.livejournal.com]

That article my friend posted about Obama 'banning' catholisism was incredible - I really hope that she doesn't really beiieve it but I fear that she does. And to be perfectly honest, is it completely batshit crazy. My respect for her intelligence has plummeted.

[dreamweaver37.livejournal.com]

Actually, Democrats aren't giving up on healthcare. The Government is shut down right now because idiot Republicans refused to compromise and work with the President. But we have universal care now. Th Affordable Care Act is LAW, whether those asshats want to admit it or not. The treasonous little Republican bastards can fight all they want, but this is not going to be a battle they win.

[amber1960.livejournal.com]

My comment wasn't intended to imply giving up - just this package that has been put in place was already a compromise on the concept of universal healthcare - which is not based on insurance (at least not insurance in the conventional sense).
I really hope that now this has been enshrined in law it is something that can be built on and improved rather than torn to shreds.

[mangacat201.livejournal.com]

I don't even know. Coming out after reading the Catholic-article, I have to agree with one of the commenters, I feel like my IQ dropped 30 pts reading that. Seriously, they can't actually think that's a valid argument and the truth. And there can't be THAT many people who buy into this shit. I mean, really. REALLY?!??

[kreespa.livejournal.com]

Part of it is absolutely race related. If the president's grandfather were Irish, would people be frothing at the mouth and yelling for him to go back to Ireland? I don't think so.

Some people do have legitimate arguments with his policies, due to their own political beliefs, and I'm not talking about those people, but rather the ones who find fault with every single thing.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/01/jimmy-kimmel-obamacare-prank_n_4022424.html is a good example of how labeling anything with "obama" will pull the crazies out and set them on a rabid rant.

If you've never seen The Daily Show, you should look up a few recent episodes and watch. :)

[amber1960.livejournal.com]

Thanks Krista, I'll check that out! I'm alternatively depressed and bemused by your political system...