Friday, June 29, 2012

Obama-care and You

Obama-care and You

Well, it looks like Obamacare, which I figured would stay "a tax", is kept alive and you fuckers can't bitch about it till you actually pay the tax in 2015. Oddly enough, I fall on a strange spot on this issue. I mean, as much as I love trolling the fuck out of republicans, I really can't say I look forward to liberals bragging about the victory of being allowed to continue to pay for the privilege of staying alive.

This is, on the other hand, a major victory for Obama and has probably nailed him down the win in November. If Obama lost this, he would have never been re-elected as he would be seen as a weak and ineffectual president. Romney would have blasted him non stop on this lose. And while I hate the word Obamacare (because he really doesn't), this win is an "accomplishment" no matter how much people on the internet complain about it.

Not to mention that if Romney keeps poking at this and trying to fight with Obama on the issue, Obama can easily go, "But I based the thing on what YOU did in Massachusetts" and shut him up damn quick. It'll make Romney look even more impotent than usual.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm really only enjoying the schadenfreude this is generating, but make no mistake, this is bad stuff regardless. Though I am a bit conflicted. I mean, Obamacare is probably the most liberalism shit of all, but like, from where many people stand with healthcare in our country today, I'm sure there's a lot of people happy with this victory and for good reason.

It means that a lot of people who currently have the "Cross your fingers you don't get into an accident" health insurance now don't have to die because of a pre-existing condition denied them coverage for an insurance company.

Obamacare is without question, a shitty bandaid and on a abysmal, broken system that needs to be fucking thrown out, but it's a bandaid that for the moment will save the lives of thousands of people who have cancer. So I guess there's that.

The ruling also automatically got a reaction from many in looking for someplace to run to. Some were shooting to move to Canada because of it. But to be fair, Canada's universal healthcare is much more sane than Obamacare.

Then again, I guess they think the U.S. is socialist and Canada isn't. So eh. I mean, in reading the ruling, the only things that happened here are;

1. Yes, the healthcare punishment thing is indeed a Tax. Literally nothing changes in it.

2. The feds aren't allowed to strip medicaid funding from states who refuse to join in the medicaid expansion. The medicaid expansion continues to exist as an opt-in thing for extra cash.

And not a whole lot else. It seems that the republicans only response is that "they lied to us! They said it wasn't a tax, but that's what the supreme court used to justify it! America was deceived and now the biggest tax put upon the American people in the past 40 years is a-okay to go on"

Yup, that seems to cover it just fine. And hey, now that this passed, you may as well donate to Obama, especially if you have a friend with a wedding coming up...

Is your wedding, birthday, or anniversary coming up? President Barack Obama has the perfect gift registry for you. Skip Bed Bath & Beyond, he suggests, and have your guests donate straight to his re-election campaign. To make this process easier, the Obama reelection campaign has started an event registry to let supporters request donations from their family and friends instead of gifts on their big day. They make setting up and sharing your registry with everyone you know as easy as can be.

“Got a birthday, anniversary, or wedding coming up? Let your friends know how important this election is to you — register with Obama 2012, and ask for a donation in lieu of a gift,” reads the Obama Event Registry website. ” It’s a great way to support the President on your big day. Plus, it’s a gift that we can all appreciate — and goes a lot further than a gravy bowl.”

Supporters are asked to set a monetary goal for donations. The campaign also supplies them with suggested language when asking guests to make campaign contributions:

“For my big day, I’d like to show my support for a cause I believe in — re-electing President Obama,” the site says. “That’s why I’m asking my friends and family to donate to the Obama campaign. Thanks for chipping in!”
I have a friend who just recently got married and they got seven crockpots from wedding guest. One being from me, and yet here is someone coming up with an even more irritating gift. Thanks Obama. You're something else! I guess it's something you have to do. I mean, if you give a gift to Obama from your wedding, maybe Obama will bless your sacred day by not having drones fly in on it.

So what exactly happens if you don't comply with it? Well, they made the punishment pretty much a slap on the wrist.
"For individuals who choose to not comply with the individual insurance mandate, Congress deliberately chose to make the penalty fairly weak: only $95 for 2014; $325 for 2015; and $695 in 2016. After 2016, that $695 amount is indexed to the consumer price index."
Seems pretty alright to me. Though make no mistake about it, these taxes will not lead to a public option.

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