THE REALITY SHOW # 51

AUSTERITY, INSTABILITY AND CONFLICT
You don’t have to go to Greece to find this combination of circumstances, it’s right here in our own backyard. Fortunately, at a lower level, but at hand, nevertheless. Many of Obama’s supporters think he’s a “shoo-in” for a second term. That attitude promotes indifference. Romney has money, which can make a big difference. A key issue appears to be the Affordable Care Act, often called Obamacare. The president, a constitutional lawyer, signed the bill, meaning, he considered it in compliance with our constitution. The GOP has challenged the “Mandate,” part of the bill, which requires all citizens to obtain insurance or face a fine. The GOP move indicates a conflict since the conservative Heritage Foundation first proposed the idea and Romney, as governor of Massachusetts, who used the concept in promoting the health plan in effect in that state. Obama originally preferred the “Single Payer” option, but adopted the GOP “Mandate” proposal as a way to get it through congress. A basic aim of the Affordable Care Act was considered an austerity measure as a way to bring down sky rocketing health care costs. Now the House Republicans have moved to repeal the independent board, a major part of the Act designed to control costs. Trying to understand why the GOP is against the “Mandate” when it was their idea in the first place, only promotes instability. It has been suggested that the GOP has but one goal, namely, to discredit our president, a venture that bodes serious consequences for the millions covered under the Affordable Care Act.