The Republicans have seized on fees and taxes in the Affordable Care Act and are using outright lies to scare the American public. The truth is, the penalty for not buying health insurance will only apply to those who can afford healthcare coverage but refuse to buy it -- an estimated 1% of the population. Ed recounts the lies. Watch it.
It's the end of the world as we know it, it's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine! like the song says.
When FDR was elected, the country faced a deep depression. People were starving in the richest country in the world, yes we were even then. FDR says "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself!" and people had hope. There was our wheelchair bound president, born into wealth "welcoming" the hatred of others in his class who wanted everything for themselves. When the rich whined about taxes and threatened to take their millions and leave America, FDR said "I will miss them!"
The republicons spread fear.. fox news spreads fear. The right wing eats, breathes and lives in fear. Irrational, stupid, fear. The sky is falling, Obama will repeal the second amendment, the government will decide if we live or die and blah, blah, blah.
TAX THE RICH, the ACA finally brings some much need regulation to the health insurance industry who, for too long, really did decide who lived and who died.
Linda S Houston
7/1/2012 2:15:57 PM
Basically Rob the two things they like to do most are raise money and wage war. Governing??? What's that? Remember when they said all they needed was a "hand stamp" with a Republican name on it? Sadly pathetic. It's not even about governing and leadership anymore. It's about lying, cheating, fixing elections, bullying the opponent, harrassing minority voters, delegitimizing any and all Democratic Presidents, lawmakers or laws, putting women in their place, getting in bed with any and every billionaire they can find, and pretending they are "more American" than anyone else.
Rob, Oregon
7/1/2012 1:59:19 PM
To quote from a few posts back:
1993 - Bill Clinton's Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993. They referred to it as the largest tax increase in American history.
2007 - Just criticizing the budget, Republicans insisted it was going to be the largest tax hike in American history.
2010 - Campaigning to prevent the sunset of the Bush tax cuts, Republicans accused President Obama of pushing the largest tax increase in American history (as if allowing a law to sunset, as designed, amounts to a tax increase)
2012 - Following the Supreme Court's affirmation of the Affordable Care Act, Republicans immediately started lambasting it as the largest tax hike in American history. It isn't. Not even close. It amounts to $695 per year for the average family affected by the mandate. And the Payroll Tax Cut which the Republicans blocked earlier this year would have been about $1500 for the average family.
They lie, over and over and over. This will be the new Roe V. Wade issue for the pubs. Another wedge issue for which they tend to live for. The party of do nothing recycles these issues adinfinitum, even when they are law. It keeps them from actually having to govern, and we all know they hate to do that.
donnajoy
7/1/2012 12:48:13 PM
Hypocrisy in action is the fact that the Affordable Health Care law is based on the model that Mitt, himself, used to reform healthcare in Mass. while he was Gov. Now most of the people of Mass. (93-98%) have health insurance coverage. Mr. Romney said that the tax was for the "freeloaders" who chose not to buy the coverage. The only difference here is that it has been enacted by President Obama. Do only Democrats have pre-existing conditions? I do not think so. No matter how the GOP spins it, they will come up on the wrong side of history. These conservatives without consciences will continue to trip themselves up with all the lies and distortions they continue to spin because eventually the truth will prevail. The public is not as stupid as the GOP thinks they are. Covering 30-40 million more Americans is the right and just thing to do. Yes, we have to do more but at least this is a great start in the right direction because if we do not stop the escalating costs, our democracy and economy will be at further risk. Too many people have had to file for bankruptcy due to medical costs. Contrary to the GOP, we are our brothers and sisters keepers. In my mind, it is a win for the Americans, win for the Democrats, many of those who voted for this bill in spite of the prospects of losing their seat due to expensive lying ads from the right, and the insurance companies who will have more customers. The only losers will be the GOP House under Boehner and Cantor who plan on a vote to repeal this law in spite of the fact that the US Supreme Court, which is under conservative control, voted to uphold the ACA. ,
Linda S Houston
7/1/2012 12:25:00 PM
Many on the right would still oppose this law no matter how many people it helped. No matter if it was a tax or a fine. If it has the name Obama attached to it, they are against it, no matter what it is.
The fact is, Democratic presidents since FDR have been trying to get a healthcare initiative through Congress and not one of them has been able to do it, not even Clinton as popular as he was. Obama did it. And the right cannot stand that. Every victory he has, no matter how big or small is a thorn in their side.
On a side note, what is up with Sarah Palin?? Did anyone see her interview on this? She's gone goth, black hair and all. She looked and acted positively creepy to me. More melodrama about the end of America. Apparently the Bible thumpers are not reading their Bibles very carefully. It says in no uncertain terms that the end times (apocalypse) will take place in the Middle East where the world's major religions converge, Christianity, Islam, Jewish.
blueb
7/1/2012 11:37:41 AM
I'm at a point where i carry a notebook with me when i hear someone phrase something in a "sound bite" manner like the republic use...
here goes....
It's not a tax increase its a TRADING TAXES. It makes the 1% who can afford to buy insurance and choose not to, relying on ER to treat if necessary, pay. The hospital then has to eat the cost, raises our insurance BUT also what the ER can't recovery from insurance they write off as bad debt on their taxes---and every one pays anyway. Its not raising taxes its TRADING TAXES....
And another one...
ACA was never intended to CUT health care costs it was intended to BEND health care cost curve, slow the uncontrolled increase in healthcare costs that have been going on in the broken healthcare system we had...never intended to cut healthcare costs it's intent is to bend healthcare cost curve.
On a good note, i was listening to sunday morning news shows. ONE analyst said something i liked...The country is so heavily polarized almost a 50% 50% split. There is only a very small sliver of undecided, that both sides are competing for---and they really do not understand what all is in the law.?..they don't support it for that reason.... but they are unwilling to give it up for the same reason.. Until they can understand what they would be giving up...and this ACA fight is like a foot raise now, the dems trying to keep it intact until fully implemented so people can understand the benefits, and the repubs trying to dismantle it before people understand it & are unwilling to give benefits up.
ron mariposa
7/1/2012 11:13:54 AM
It isnt about taxes and the teabaggers=gop know it. It is about portecting the insurance companies, drug companies, and the medical suppliers. I think I should have thrown in the hospitals who are for profit. When the scotus said the mandate was ok it wasnt saying it is a tax, but it was covered under the congress right to collect taxes and fees. If these guys want personal respondability then they shoud say ok you dont have to have insurance fine, but you must have a million dollar or more bond to cover you health care if you have a major illness. None of us think about becoming ill, but most forget that we can get hurt. A fall and broken leg my wife some how broke her ankle yesterday we didnt plan for that, a car or motorcycle wreck, getting hurt some way or the other isnt something we think of. This is what I would come back on the people like romney or even I would cheer(not really) when after a doctor sees you teabagger=gop in the ER to say if you dont have the money to pay or insurance go somewhere else. If one of these nuts say I am cruel I would answer this is what you are saying personal respondability and no insurance or no way to pay then we dont play. Why should I pay for you tea baggers who dont have insurance or the money? These people cry personal respondability, states rights, get big government out of our lives, and so on and so forth, but do they ever look at the laws that have been passed. These clowns are gutting womens rights, our voices in politics (citizens united), our voting rights (id laws) and on voting rights they say yes we need IDs, but dont look at the way you must get it and what the states are asking you to have. The teabaggers=gop never look at what is going on around them in government as they are to busy hating a black man(who is half white) being president, and the fact they are not the majority race in this country and around the world. I have been told by some of these radical nuts that if it wasnt for the white race we would all be living in mud huts. This is how they feel and I told one of them I gave the white supremist their do as they are honest about why the hate this president and that is because he is black and that the damn teabaggers=gop hate him for the same reason, but are cowards to say so. I was told I was too harsh and should say such a thing. Then I said why do you dislike him what policies that were agreed to by both sides are now become a socialist plot by this president, and they I just walk away as they cant answer.
just my humble views
PS if rubio doesnt like obamacare why doesnt he move the man is an idiot to think a person can pick up and move because he or she doesnt like the laws that are passed.What an idiot and he is he on the short list???
Linda S Houston
7/1/2012 11:08:17 AM
McConnell--President of the shriveled up old white men's society.
Rob, Oregon
7/1/2012 10:52:32 AM
I got about a third of the way through it Ed. I just can't listen to these fear mongering fools for any length of time. They would prefer millions of people without coverage at all. Any program that benefits the masses, the repubs don't want. Any perk for the wealthy, they are all for. That is their history, that is who they are. I'm sick to death of the whining on the right for universal health care. They are like spoiled rotton rich kids, screaming until mommy gives in. Pathetic.
