Happy Birthday Obamacare

Why does the current US administration want to amend Obamacare?

They don't want to amend it. They want to repeal it.Obamacare (The ACA) is far from perfect. It has problems, such as rising premiums, that need to be addressed. However, it has succeeded in covering many of the previously uninsured. About 11% of Americans are currently uninsured, as opposed to the 18% that were not covered before the ACA took effect.Current Republican legislation would undo this progress. According to a non-partisan Congressional Budget Office report, 14 million Americans would lose coverage within the first year of this law’s implementation.Why would the GOP consider something so destructive? The passage of Obamacare was something Republicans could never get over. First of all, it contrasts with their view of government intervention and social welfare programs on the whole.More importantly, however, this opposition dates back to GOP attempts to obstruct President Obama’s entire agenda. On the day of President Obama’s inauguration in 2008, Republican lawmakers met to outline a strategy for uncompromising obstruction. The ACA only passed through congress because the Democrats held a filibuster proof majority in the senate.When the ACA passed through congress along party lines, it became the subject of Republican ire. Even before the bill took full effect, Republicans promised to “repeal and replace”. It became President Obama’s signature legislation, and his triumph over GOP obstructionism.From their undying contempt for President Obama came the AHCA, a regressive and harmful bill that will cost 24 million Americans their coverage over the next 10 years. Many conservative Republicans argue that the bill does not go far enough in rolling back Obamacare.So, after 7 years of complaining about Obamacare, Republicans are about to vote on a bill that many members of their own party disapprove of.

If people don't really remember Charles Curtis as the first non-white Vice President, how well known will Barack Obama be in 100 years?

He isn’t well known because he was Vice President for 4 years for Herbert Hoover, who got crushed in the 1932 election. He then faded from public life. He made no (lasting) impact as Vice President and had no public impact after his Vice Presidency.Vice Presidents find their way into the popular culture if they do something stupid and have to resign (Spiro Agnew), are a particularly important part of the administration (Dick Cheney), or if they become President themselves.A President will be remembered just for being the President - and that’s the minimum for an inconsequential one like James Garfield or Calvin Coolidge.But the first black President who had an era defining piece of legislation named after him? Rest assured he will be remembered in 100 years.Simply put, your premise is a bit flawed. This is really like asking if everyone remembers Lou Gehrig, how come no one remembers his teammate Joe Dugan, the 3rd baseman on the ’27 Yankees?People that matter are, and people that don’t, aren’t

What phrase can you make out of 'Happy Halloween'?

I made a few, accompanied by some commentary. Caution: A few are R-Rated.A Whale Help Pony An odd couple!A Hale Hewn Polyp What some surgeons look for. (Or how some Republicans describe Obamacare?)A Penal Hype Howl Heard in the courtroom after sentencing.A Playpen He Howl Someone wasn’t happy about the White House being described as “adult day care.”A Wall Phone Hype What’s a wall phone?Aha Pen Yowl Help What some unhappy pens do.Why A Lapel Phone Why not? Actually, not a bad idea.Why Anal Hole Pep I’m not touching that one!Hoe Ply Anal Phew Another one not suitable for the kids.Why Ale Panel Hop A good tasting beer.Poll Anew Ha Hype Those polls are just fake news. Hype. Poll again.Poll A Nay Eh Phew Those negative polls really stink.Play Lap Whee Hon Grab them by the p***y?Play Lap When Hoe Sometimes you have to pay to play.Halal Phony Weep What our fearless leader thought about the Khans at the Democratic Convention.

Would you act differently if you knew for sure that nobody cared about you? If so, how?

With an anxiety disorder, I constantly feel that people are taking advantage of my kindness and don’t actually care. The way out of this is the fact that I’m well aware that either people absolutely love me, or they cannot stand me whatsoever. It’s great knowing that you’re either making a friend happy, and that they deserve it, or you’re punishing a parasite, and they deserve it. If I somehow knew that everyone didn’t care, I’d act the exact same way, as I’d absolutely be ruining their day, and that they’d deserve it.

In the USA, since it has no socialized medicine, what happens to people 65+ that have no savings or health insurance?

Stupid question. America has Socialized Medicine but only for people over 65, veterans and certain folks who meet certain requirements. Many of the rest of us get government subsidized employer paid health insurance. Under Obamacare, some people have health insurance that is also government subsidized. The rest of us are theoretically “ on our own”. That means they either die for lack of adequate health care ( which some people find reassuring) or they show up at emergency hospitals where the law mandates that they be treated, then allows the hospitals to pass on the costs of caring for these “ uninsured” to those customers who are paying (ie have Insurance). Since this process totally bypasses government or taxpayer obligation, Conservative like it and see it and a “ free market alternative to government programs”. Cynics see it as a tax on those who have insurance.Whatever way you want to look at it, Government-Taxpays pay as much per person for health care as the so called “Socialized Medicine” countries of the rest of the world. We also pay a massive amount of non-government private insurance costs. But, this should make everyone happy who wants to claim there is no Socialized Medicinei in the US.

What problems are most likely to arise from government regulation of Obamacare?

As with most government programs, there is a problem with underprojecting costs. Part of this is a natural result of unexpected problems. Part of this is not looking at outcomes (but looking at votes) that are not believed to be possible. Part of this is a continuous overzealousness of those in favor of a program and accepting biased outcomes as realities.Take SocialSecurity.gov:Underfunded and poorly designed, largely due to what is happening to ACA— Demographic changes. Projected by statisticians, not believed by politicians.Take (AMTRAK): http://m.amtrak.com/mt/www.amtra... The public switched to cars and planes as their choice for travel. The government supported and created the interstate highway system (http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/intersta...). Vehicle traffic increased and rail traffic declined. The government created AMTRAK and funded it. AMTRAK continues to lose money.Take the USPS.com:The need for packages and overnight deliveries created a demand for FEDEX, UPS, DHL, etc. the Internet has largely been responsible for a decline in first class mail, government checks and advertising mail. Most people would not miss the USPS if if went away. Many people do their bill paying and banking on line. They communicate via social media. The government continues to fund mail delivery. They even pay FEDEX to deliver overnight express USPS mail (inter-post office). The post office only delivers the last leg.Take the healthcare.gov (ACA):This program probably doesn't have the risk pool needed to keep insurance rates low. We don't know, the government doesn't know. The insurers indicate there will be 200% to 300% increases in policies in 2014. http://m.thenewamerican.com/?url...http://touch.latimes.com/#sectio...ACA is very expensive, and will require changes to its funding:This is why ACA is expensive. by Tom Byron on Byron's BlogCOPPER PLAN ANNOUNCEDACA exemptions, problem or solution? by Tom Byron on Byron's BlogHappy Birthday to Patient Protection and Affordsble Care Act by Tom Byron on Byron's Blog