Healthcare: Finally the Law

Situation: President Obama signed the much debated Senate Healthcare bill into law this morning.

Why it Matters:

Health insurance reform is quite possibly this president's greatest legislative achievement to date and although it did not, in the end, take the precise form that the president initially wished, it represents a gargantuan stepping stone in the fight to shore up our nation's healthcare system. I would like to take a few moments to explain some of the short-term effects of this legislation to address concerns that the common consumer may have, and also to discuss the political ramifications of the legislation.

Much of the legislation that was passed will not go into effect until much later, with the Exchanges beginning as late as 2014, but there are a great deal of effects that will be felt immediately, especially to those who have previously been denied coverage or whose income hovers somewhere around the poverty line. The website Crooks and Liars has a list of 10 instant effects of reform, which can be found here http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/what-you-get-when-hcr-passes. To summarize, there will be more care available to more people, and it will be delivered in a more transparent and accountable way. I highly suggest that everyone read this list because it will affect you, sooner or later.

In terms of domestic politics, the passage of H.R. 3590 and its reconciliation sidecar changes the dynamic of this year's midterm elections. While Republicans were initially hoping to use a successful defeat of healthcare reform as one of their principal talking points in the upcoming election cycle, they have now been forced to focus on efforts to repeal the bill, which, in the end, will likely prove unsuccessful. Meanwhile, Democrats, who at one time looked as if they would be unable to deliver on one of the most important points of their agenda, now have a huge legislative victory. Historically, major healthcare reform is unpopular during the legislative process, but becomes overwhelmingly popular once the reforms are implemented, and I can't see any reason why this legislation would be different. Because of the timeline of the bill, the most controversial parts of the legislation will not even be implemented until much later, while the more popular elements will be introduced immediately. It is smart legislation in terms of policy as well as politics.

One one hand, it brings the United States into a large group of developed and developing countries who view access to healthcare as right, rather than a privilege. On the other hand, it expands the role of government in our daily lives, simply because, as we have learned in our current system, our insurance providers are incapable of policing themselves and taking the moral high ground. This is why it matters. I understand the argument for keeping the influence of government to a minimum in our daily lives, and I fully support it. However, when an entire industry refuses to operate fairly and continually abuses customers who are dependent on it for survival, I'll take government intervention over inaction every time. Let me offer an analogy to illustrate my point. Imagine a child that is suffering physical abuse at the hand of a parent. As the child, would you rather continue to suffer the abuse, as you are dependent on the parent for survival, or would you allow law enforcement or child protective services to help mend the relationship and make the parent accountable for their actions? If you were a law enforcement official, wouldn't you feel the responsibility to protect the child in this situation? I believe that the government has a responsibility to protect its citizens, even if it means making difficult decisions to do so.

Thank you President Obama, Spkr. Pelosi, and Sen. Reid and everyone else in Washington and elsewhere for making these difficult decisions. The American people thank you.

One final thought. Please note that when I speak of industries abusing their customers, I was not reserving my language solely for the health insurance industry. This sort of industry-wide consumer abuse and neglect happens in many other industries as well, the most influential of which being the financial sector. I look forward to discussing why that matters in separate post.

/theGHenius

Healthcare: Reform is within our reach

Situation:
The House of Representatives and the Senate HELP (Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions) committe have finally released thier versions of healthcare reform bills. However, the Senate Finance committe, chaired by Sen. Max Baucus, has yet to weigh in on the matter.

Why it matters:

To begin, it is important to note that healthcare reform has been in the works for quite some time, and although a vast majority of Americans believe that it is necessary, our legislators have faced seemingly insurmountable obstacles in making true reform a reality. These obstacles are largely policy-related, but have huge political and economic implications. Now, the members the House of Representatives and the Senate HELP committee have released healthcare reform bills, effectively ending the policy debate by formalizing policy objectives. For instance, both versions include a public healthcare option similar to Medicare, in which Americans will be allowed to choose between their current employer-based health insurance and a government-run public plan. Other provisions include mandates for heath coverage, as well as subsidies for families making up to four times the federal poverty rate.

Earlier I mentioned the fact that we have yet to hear from the Senate Finance Committe, which is a key committe in deciding whether or not these plans will ever become reality, since they are charged with finding a way to pay for the estimated $1 trillion in reforms. This should matter to you, as an American citizen and tax-payer, because the financing of these proposals could affect your paycheck, job, or medical coverage. Much of the pricetag will be whethered by cuts in wasteful spending, modernization of medical records, emphasis on prevention and wellness, and increased competition and accountability from hospitals, doctors, and most importantly, insurance companies. To pay for the remainder, legislators have proposed taxing employer-based healthcare benefits, taxing the most wealthy Americans up to 5.4%, or simply removing key components (like the public option) from the proposed bills.

I think we can all agree that healthcare in this country is outrageous. We are arguably the most powerful nation in the world, yet we are decades behind other countries, like France and Canada, when it comes to our healthcare system. Our current healthcare system is not only unsustainable, but it potentially endangers the lives of the millions of uninsured and underinsured Americans. It's time to bring accountability to the healthcare industry by encouraging competition and ensuring coverage. Remember "LIFE, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?" These are your inalienable rights, and our legislators and elected officials have been charged with protecting them. The only way to bring accountability to the healthcare industry is to insist that our elected officials are fighting for the best interest of their constituents, namely those without inc. following their names (Thanks Rachel Maddow!). Every American is important, and deserves affordable healthcare.

And that's why it matters.

/theGHenius

Time to refocus

Hello all,

First and foremost, I apologize for letting my blog fall by the wayside for a few months. Nonetheless, now that I have graduated from college, I have more time to bring the issues to you. I have decided to restructure Why It Matters, so look for some changes in format coming soon. Right now, I'm working on dividing my blog into five sections: foreign policy, energy, healthcare, justice, and domestic politics. I think that the new format will make my posts more easy to read, so please let me know what you think as I begin to make new posts. Thanks for reading, and I promise that I will continue to tell you Why It Matters.

/theGHenius

The Consequences of the Congressional Response to AIG's bonus fiasco

Situation:
In the last few weeks our country has expressed increasing anger over the disbursement of over 160 million dollars in bonuses to employees of ailing insurance giant AIG. Today, the House of Representatives passed HR 1586, which taxes the bonuses of employees of institutions receiving more than $5 billion in TARP funds at a rate of 90%. This resolution only applies to employees who make more than $250,000 annually, and will be effective retroactively from January 1, 2009. All of this sounds great to the angry American populous who frown on such frivolous spending of taxpayer dollars, but have the legislators overstepped their Constitutional boundaries in order to appease the people? This taxation may be interpreted as a bill of attainder, which is a legislative act that singles out an individual or group for punishment without trial. Our Constitution prohibits such actions in order to maintain the balance of power between the legislative and judicial branches of government.

Why it matters:
I think most people agree that the AIG bonuses are undeserved and should be repaid. Americans are outraged and are therefore pressuring legislators to act quickly to resolve the situation. In demanding immediate reconciliation, we may be encouraging rash action rather than reasoned responsiveness to the situation. We cannot, as Americans, allow populist rage to override Constitutional legality. Although the taxation of the AIG bonuses justly reappropriates the taxpayer dollars, the consequences of such actions may set precedents that could undermine the integrity of the Department of Justice in the future.

I do not believe that Americans should be any less passionate in expressing their disgust over the AIG bonuses, but perhaps we could refocus our efforts. It is the duty of the Justice Department to handle contract disputes and punish parties in violation of said contracts. Why not take a legal avenue to recover the money, as suggested in Lawrence Cunningham's op-ed in yesterday's NY Times? It is encouraging to see that so many Americans are becoming more and more actively involved in the politics that influence our nation. However, we must be sure that we are responsible in our involvement, not only voicing our concerns, but also allowing our elected officials time to adequately devise the most effective and ethical plan of action.

And that is why it matters.

/theGHenius

Unrest in Pakistan

Event:
The New York Times reports today that protests are mounting in opposition to the recently-elected Pakistani President Asif Ali Zadari. Protests of similar size and influence greatly contributed to the demise of General Musharraf's regime in 2007.

Why it matters:
From what we know about the foreign policy of the Obama Administration, the war in Afghanistan is being approached not as a unilateral conflict within the country of Afghanistan, but as a conflict existing both in Pakistan and in Afghanistan. In reality, the majority of the conflict occurs on the border shared between the two countries. The Obama administration refuses to deny the role that Pakistan plays in the war because of its potential to cause harm to Americans. As evidenced by the recent protests, the Pakistani government, although generally well-intentioned, is relatively unstable. In the hands of this unstable government are nuclear weapons capable of wreaking havoc on cities all over the world. If protesters were able to overthrow the fragile government, it would leave a country with nuclear weapons and a very stong Al-Qaeda presence without a democratic organizing force. The region would be ruled by whichever force proves to be the most quickly mobilizing and influential, which could be Al-Qaeda, leaving America, Europe, and other places of interest in potentially compromising situations. Your safety and the safety of people all over the world are influenced by these events. Also, if the government were to collapse, NATO and many of its members would be pressured into deploying additional military and diplomatic forces to stabilize the situation.

Ant that is why it matters.

/theGHenius

Michael Steele... Almost Done?

Event:
Yesterday GQ published an interview with the RNC's newly elected chairman, Rep. Michael Steele. The interview highlighted his shaky position on abortion, indicating a lack of certainty in his self-proclaimed pro-life ideology. Also in the interview, Steele separated himself from a number of his conservative colleagues by stating his belief that homosexuality is not a choice.

Why it Matters:
At first, this event appears to be relatively unimportant, but in the grand scheme of things, this event, coupled with Steele's other mishaps over the last few weeks, could indicate a shift in politics as we know it. Although Rep. Steele is the titular head of the Republican Party, it is clear that the party is undergoing a serious identity crisis. The conservative base of the party, now led by Rush Limbaugh, has always been constructed on essentially invariable ideologies, like their hard-line stances against abortion and gay marriage. Rep. Steele, however inadvertently, has suggested that such ideologies keep the party in the past and do not allow it to adapt to the changing landscape of America. It is clear that Rep. Steele does not completely agree with the conservative agenda, but in an effort to establish leadership in the party, tries to follow the talking points provided to him by his colleagues. His deference to Rush Limbaugh and his lack of certainty on big issues make him an easy target for opposition. As the Republican party continues its struggle to find leadership and meaning in the minority, the party's relevance in today's society decreases. As long as the party remains in its current state, it will become increasingly easy for Pres. Obama to ignore them and push forward his impressive agenda, making healthcare available to millions, providing better educational opportunities for our children, and revolutionizing out energy portfolio.

And that is why it matters.

/theGHenius

First Posting

Hello everyone,

For a while now I have been posting one-liners on Twitter to alert my friends and colleagues of daily news events that are (or should be) of some importance to them. Upon some nudging, I have decided to start publishing this blog. A lot of the daily events in Washington and elsewhere in the world greatly impact the American public, but such events are rarely articulated well enough for the public to understand their relevance beyond Washington. The purpose of this blog is to turn politics into dinner-table conversation by explaining political events as clearly and concisely as possible in a manner with which the public can relate. I'm always open to input, so if you have an idea for a posting, or have a question or comment about one of mine, please feel free to express yourself here. Thanks for stopping by, and I am very excited about this new venture.

/theGHenius