Yes, you read that headline correctly. There are (gasp) a whopping four primary talking points, er,?reasons that Republicans hate Obamacare.
Jonathan Chait of the Daily Intelligencer compiled this insightful list that answers the question: precisely WHY do Republicans REALLY hate Obamacare? Besides the whole “follow-the-money-Republicans-in-bed-with-the-insurance-industry” thing, I mean.
Stupid Reason #1: Obamacare is mostly just signing up customers who already had insurance.
Wrong.
A Kaiser Family Foundation survey shows that 57 percent of enrollees didn’t have insurance prior to Obamacare.
Stupid Reason?#2: Obamacare isn’t significantly reducing the ranks of the uninsured.
Wrong.
From Daily Intelligencer:
Gallup?has showed the uninsured rate dropping by about a quarter. A?report?finds the uninsured rate in Minnesota has fallen by 40 percent. A?study?of numerous cities by the Robert Woods Johnson foundation projections projects declines of about 60 percent by 2016 in municipalities whose states expanded Medicaid, and half that in states where Republicans have maintained the party’s boycott of Obamacare.
Stupid Reason?#3:?Insurance will be so expensive that few people will want to buy it.
hahaha! Wrong.
The average plan that can be purchased on the exchanges costs about $82 per month. I personally pay just a little over $100 for one of the best of the plans offered on the exchange. I paid $700 to insure my entire family when I was paying for insurance through an employer. I couldn’t even be insured prior to Obamacare (pre-existing conditions), but even had I been?completely free of pre-existing conditions, I would have paid hundreds if not thousands of dollars for privately purchased insurance.
Stupid Reason?#4: But premiums will shoot up next year!
Wait for it….wrong!
As it turns out, not only will rates NOT go up next year, but insurers are suddenly in love with the marketplace and as they jump in, the prices go down. Premium increases are likely to go up only as much as they always have historically. Mine went up every year, by LOTS, when I had insurance that was offered by my employers.
So all of that says this: conservatives are going to find reasons to be negative regardless. As pointed out by Jonathan Chait, Republican rejections are now evolving in the way that their arguments always do: from the practical to the philosophical.
But at least conservatives are now representing their true bedrock position on Obamacare. It is largely a transfer program benefitting people who either don’t have enough money, or pose too high a health risk, to bear the cost of their own medical care. Conservatives don’t like transfer programs because they require helping the less fortunate with other peoples? money.
This was the Cliff Notes version. To go in-depth, check out the Daily Intelligencer article. Let us know your thoughts at the Liberal America Facebook page.
Tiffany Willis is the founder and editor-in-chief of Liberal America. An unapologetic member of the Christian Left, she has spent most of her career actively working with ?the least of these? and disadvantaged and oppressed populations. She’s passionate about their struggles. To stay on top of topics she discusses,?like her?Facebook page,?follow her on Twitter, or?connect with her via LinkedIn. She also has?a?grossly neglected personal blog?and a?literary quotes blog that is a labor of love. Find her somewhere and join the discussion.
