I was going to do a book write-up today about a book that I just
finished. I’m not in much of a mood to do that right now, even though
it was a very good book! I’ll probably write the review tomorrow. The
reason that I’m not in a mood to write it right now is that I am
recovering from something. This morning, I ventured into territory that
I have not ventured into for a long time: I entered into a political
discussion.
The topic was the recent Supreme Court decision about Hobby Lobby.
Then it got into Obamacare. There are some anti-Obamacare arguments
with which I sympathize. Who am I to argue against people’s
experiences—-people who say that their hours are getting cut, or that
they have to pay higher premiums, or that their insurance is not as good
now as it was before? Obamacare looks great on paper: the government
forbids health insurance companies from turning away people with
pre-existing conditions, has a health insurance mandate to bring money
into the health insurance system (preventing premiums from shyrocketing
due to the people with pre-existing conditions) and to keep people from
using the emergency room without health insurance (which drives up
costs), and provides subsidies based on income. Some of that is working
out. Other parts aren’t. One guy was telling me about loopholes to
the whole pre-existing condition part. Another was saying that people
without insurance still use emergency rooms. Another was saying that
some people aren’t getting health insurance.
What can I say? I hope it works out? Something had to be done. I
hope that Obamacare works out. I cannot ask people to share my optimism
or faith, though, since they concern a reality not yet seen.
I can sympathize with these arguments, but the arguments against an
entitlement mentality or the government doing anything at all get on my
nerves. Some conservatives seem not to grasp that there are
economically vulnerable people out there: that not everyone can change
jobs when dissatisfied, or afford certain forms of health care. I
wonder what exactly their reality is. Some of them complain about
becoming poorer and poorer due to rising health care premiums and
copays, so they obviously experience the harsh realities of real life.
They are not multimillionaires in some air-conditioned mansion,
oblivious to the struggles of the working class.
Political discussions. I sometimes feel like I have to say something. Then I find that I am a bit over my head. Yet, that something still needed to be said!