How Do We Cure Our Health Care Party Hangover?
Let's remember that when the Democrats controlled Congress and the White House, they used much the same hyper-partisan tactics we just saw from Republicans to pass the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which the Republicans derisively nicknamed ObamaCare. The Republicans had to do something in opposition because President Obama's plan was copied from the successful program then-Governor Mitt Romney a Republican, passed in Massachusetts, called RomneyCare. (Branding matters in dealing with low-information, partisan voters.)
Due to the capitalistic basis of our healthcare system, and the lack of focus on preventive care, costs in the US are significantly higher than every other country, so there's not much that is affordable about it for anybody. Given that these structural market factors are unlikely to change, pretty much the only way we can make health care more affordable for millions is to have as many people contributing their money into a shared pool to subsidize others. Hence, mandates. A source of conflict for many, including me.
As a person who has always been conservative with my body - I eat healthful foods, avoid unhealthful foods, regularly engage in sufficient exercise to maintain a strong, flexible body and a healthy weight, avoid unhealthful habits that degrade my body, etc. - I have sometimes resented that my pooled money goes to subisidize others who do not take the most basic personal responsibility for their own health. I remind myself that I would only be acting contrary to my own and everyone's best interest if I allowed that belief to dictate my politics, so I accept that my pooled money subsidizes others who are free to make personal life choices that cost everyone more and that I would not make.
Anyway, the Republicans named their latest unwritten bill the Health Care Freedom Act (HCFA) the freedom in this case being that no one would be forced to have health insurance coverage, so no one would be forced to help subsidize others' health care. Although I dislike knowing my money subsidizes health costs for many peoole who I think make consistently poor choices that result in entirely preventable disorders and diseases that monopolize our shared healthcare system, I know that if I did not do that, we would all be the worse for it. I'm selfish; I want to live in a country where everyone is as healthy as possible, as I think this is the surest basis (alongside excellent education for all) for a healthy and strong nation.
If you share my dislike of the current unhealthy hyper-bi-partisan legislative system that brought us not-optimal AHA and almost brought us mystery-awful-even-to-Republicans HCFA, I encourage you to re-examine your commitment to supporting that system by considering leaving whichever of the two parties to which you are registered. The fastest-growing political affiliation is each state's version of "decline to state" or "independent," so many people are already paving the way to our exodus from hyper-partisan gridlock. Until The People vote with their political registrations, the two major parties will continue to play their party-first, country-last politcial team games and we will all lose in the melée.
Remember what Albert Einstein said was the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. We've just witnessed the same thing twice, from both teams, on this and many other critical issues. If you expect them to put aside their need for party wins to prioritize wins for all The People, well, there may not be affordable health care to properly diagnose and treat your condition.
