Pack up the kids, quit your job and sell the house. We’re moving where they don’t have health insurance
From a New York Daily News editorial by Albor Ruiz:
“What the court did not do on its last day in session (repeal the ACA), I will do on my first day if elected president of the United States,” a clearly frustrated Mitt Romney said in a Washington press conference.
But it was Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fl.) – a potential Romney choice for the vice presidency – who, in trying to defend his prospective boss, made a statement many people thought was a joke. It was reported by the Daily Kos on June 28.
Asked about Romney’s support for the individual healthcare mandate in Massachusetts while opposing it as a Presidential contender Rubio said: ‘But what a big difference. He supported it on the state level. Which means if you didn’t like it in Massachusetts, you could move to another state.’
The Daily Kos reponse is priceless: “Well, sure. Honey, pack up the kids, quit your job and sell the house. We’re moving where they don’t have health insurance.”
To the 32 million uninsured Americans, Romney’s threat reveals once more how out of touch the GOP flag-bearer is with their daily reality.
For those 32 million uninsured, the Supreme Court decision, far from “strangling” their freedom, finally gives them a fundamental one that should have always been theirs: The freedom to get quality healthcare.
“In passing the Affordable Care Act the Supreme Court have reaffirmed a fundamental principle that here in America – in the wealthiest nation on Earth – no illness or accident should lead to any family’s financial ruin,” Obama said.
No, it shouldn’t, especially when right now more than 60% of bankruptcies in the country are caused by runaway medical bills.
Think about it this way: Among other things, pre-existing conditions can no longer be used by insurance companies as an excuse to deny coverage; young people up to 26 years of age can be covered under their parents’ insurance, prescriptions will become more affordable for older Americans, and millions of uninsured people will have the chance to get the coverage they deserve.
No, it is not a perfect law, but ACA is a giant step towards recognizing something Romney, Rubio and others like them fail to understand: Affordable, quality health care is not a privilege but a fundamental human right.
Coming from the UK, which has an exceptionally good National Health Service, which is by and large free at the point of use, funded through general taxation, I’m always amazed at the opposition in the USA to improving the health care system there. For the richest country in the world not to provide adequate health care for all its people seems bizarre to me. And so many people seem to oppose any reform of the existing system – even people who would directly benefit from it.
It’s bizarre to me as well. There is an incredible amount if confusion out there. You even see protesters with placards reading, “Keep the government off my Medicare” completely missing the point that Medicare is a government run health plan!
doug