24 hours later after the Supreme Court ruling and I was asked this morning by a co-worker what my thoughts were about Obamacare and how does it play into the writing on the blog. So, here goes:
I will answer the question about the ruling in two parts. The first part is simple, I think that Chief Justice’s ruling that the mandate was constitutional was wrong. Let’s be honest, when one of the most liberal Justices, Justice Kennedy is against a ruling like this, you know that something isn’t right. But, let’s look at the mandate in a broad spectrum, the Justice’s ruled that the US government has the authority to make private citizens purchase a product or good. Has a new precedent been established by the courts? Will they now make the government to require that everyone buy car insurance, whether they need it or want it or not? Whether they drive or not? Will the government now require that all citizens must own a cell phone? Do I think that those two things will ever happen, no, but I also didn’t think that they would make this ruling either.
The second answer that I have to this first question, is that Justice Robert did in fact give Mitt Romney a gift. He ruled that the mandate was in fact constitutional, but that it was a TAX. That is right, a tax. And not just any tax, the largest tax increase that has ever been handed down to the American public. Here are just a few articles that touch on this subject:
The polls were pretty clear that the majority of the American people did not want the mandate included. That being said, there were good merits to this bill. The elimination of pre-existing conditions, affordable health care, etc. But let’s look at it from another point of view, for all of the small businesses that are out there, is it cheaper to provide healthcare or pay the tax? If it is cheaper to pay the tax, guess what they are going to do? PAY THE TAX! Which means, that their employees have to go out on their own and pick up their own private insurance policy, which might be more than what they were paying before the bill took effect.
So, why do I write about politics in a blog about raising my boys, well, 1) It is my blog, 2) These bills that are being passed today, will have an affect on my boys, both now and in the future and 3) I just love politics. The game of the election just changed. Obamacare became the new focus of the election, the question is, can Mitt Romney deliver the message to the American people in a way that it resonates with them?
So tonight, I type. I think ahead for the next several months, I wonder if Obamacare stays at the for front of everyone’s mind or do jobs float back to the top? I wonder how the elections will be? I wonder if the turnout will be like it was 4 years ago or two years ago ?I wonder if the Independents step up and vote for Romney instead of Obama. I wonder, would I feel the same way about this bill had Chief Justice Roberts ruled differently?
Regardless, for today, Obamacare stands and all American’s will be afforded the right to healthcare. However, I wonder what will happen in a few months, a few years? I wonder if this healthcare bill will be a good or bad thing? Will parts stand out that helped others, will the new taxes that will be asset destroy small businesses and individuals?
I wonder.