Update on Affordable Care Act (OBAMACARE) More Success

UPDATE
Time is working for providing Health Care to yet more millions of Americans.  States led by Republican Governors and Legislatures are feeling the heat for turning down expansion in their states of Federal Funding offered by the Affordable Care Act through Medicaid.

Millions of citizens in progressive states have been able to join state programs for health care at NO COST to them or their state governments.  Tax dollars returned in the form of federal payments for individual Medicaid health programs.

Millions of people eligible for health care still not covered.  Low income people in some states are signed up for health care using the tax dollars of their neighbors across the nation in states not accepting the Medicare expansion offered under the Affordable Care Act.

The elections in many states in November may switch power to adovates of expanded health care providing even more millions of people covered by some form of health insurance.  With the election and many candidates pledging to expand Medicaid in their states another rush of new enrollments looks highly likely.

Massive numbers of people will find additional programs and more health care options when the program opens for a new enrollment year this fall.

In a sign of the growing potential under the federal health care law, several insurers (Insurance Companies) that have been sitting on the sidelines say they will sell policies on the new exchanges in the coming year, and others plan to expand their offerings to more states.

“Insurers continue to see this as a good business opportunity,” said Larry Levitt, a health policy expert at the Kaiser Family Foundation. “They see it as an attractive market, with enrollment expected to ramp up in the second year.” 

Eight million people have signed up for coverage in 2014, and estimates put next year’s enrollment around 13 million.  With more options, more health insurer competition and broader competition in insurance exchanges the growing acceptance of "Obamacare" continues to march forward.

The Affordable Care Act did deliver to seniors giving them solid benefits not commonly recognized.
National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare outlines benefits made available to seniors.
Read More-Click Here

Call it by it's real name, "Earned Benefits Program"

Social Security and Medicare are earned benefits, paid for with our payroll taxes.  We paid for them at the same time we got our pay checks.  Don't be mislead or felt to think it is welfare or some kind of government giveaway.  

This constant push to "privatize" or "voucher" the system and change benefit ages, do away with cost of living adjustments or otherwise pull off some way to restrict corporate contributions just doesn't wash.  Of course big money donations from secret contributors to the GOP are looking for ways to make more money, fatten their "bottom line".  One of those would be making changes to Social Security and Medicare employer payroll taxes.

A wedge is attempting to be built pitting older generations against younger ones and trying to convince our grand kids to settle for less than what they deserve, which is a secure retirement that they earn through their work.

Every effort to curtail the onward existence of Social Security comes with the pitch to younger people, "it won't be there when you are ready to retire".   AND they are absolutely right if the Republicans in Congress have their way with their proposed changes.  The Republicans have been at it so long very few working people believe them.  Just ask any person on wages, when was the last time the GOP proposed enhancements to Social Security or Medicare?  When was the last time Republicans voted to increase the minimum wage?

The question, if so many people recognize and understand that by not increasing the minimum wage (most propose to $10.10 an hour) it is draining state and federal poverty programs keeping full time workers incomes so low they can't even support themselves let alone a child or a family, why is the Republican opposition so furious?  Do the Republicans really want people on "the dole" instead of working for wages not receiving government assistance?

The key, the GOP money backers don't like the matching payroll taxes associated with higher wages. 

Originally "the dole" was considered a government program for the unemployed, today the Republicans think any government program directed to combat poverty levels and help feed poor people such as food stamps or school free lunch programs are being wasted on people lacking initiative and just plain lazy "folk".

Of course government corporate assistance, special tax breaks, government subsidies, farm programs for corporate farms are not the dole!  Money directed to private businesses and corporate, even foreign corporations, represented by millions of dollars paid to unregulated lobbyists and front groups is not government welfare.

So what does the minimum wage have to do with Social Security and the Republican opposition?  The GOP dependence on the financial favors of a few huge campaign money machines and shadow "unconnected not for profit advocate groups" may have a little bit to do with their opposition.  How many elections would the GOP win without the dark money blasting and distorting Democrat policies and values? 

Time after time every poll and expression of public opinion supports and favors Democrat ideals and positions of issues.  Yet the confusion, and constant negative rhetoric has taken a toll on election results as in Statehouses, State Legislatures and the Halls of Congress itself. 

Changes advocated for Social Security, Medicare and opposition to lifting the minimum was all have to do with profits, the amount of money the fat cats get to keep.  Payroll taxes in the percentage of paid wages are lower with lower minimum wages, increase the minimum wage more taxes would be collected for the Social Security Trust Fund for Medicare, and maybe extending the life of the Trust Funds. 

It's the payroll taxes!  Think about it, higher pay, less people on the government dole, cut spending on government assistance programs, more chance to balance the federal budget, bring down the deficit, more money for the expanding Medicare rolls,  and protecting the earned benefits of Social Security.

Voucher out Medicare, or adopt snake oil solutions for future Social Security benefits and maintaining high corporate profits all the while pointing, yes, giving the finger to the working poor!  No solution to immigration without allowing low wage guest workers, no path to citizenship for millions living under the cover of darkness, and absolutely blocking every effort to empower people's right to vote.

All of those ideas might increase the Democrats numbers in Congress to hold back the Republican Budget offers that would revamp our Earned Benefits.

OPEN LETTER to my fellow Arizona Progressives and Liberals

Originally Published in March--Worth Repeating Again

What are you doing getting ready to throw another Democrat under the bus, found a Democrat not pure enough?   Can we afford the luxury tossing away a Congressional seat so we can demonstrate the power we exercise in the Democrat party?  Do you really think acting like the obstructionist Tea Party members of the GOP is the way to go?

Let's stop taking Congressman Barber to the woodshed every time we don't agree with him 100%.  The most powerful way to build or tear something apart is word of mouth.  You like something, tell your neighbors, your recommendation has meaning.  

When you are unhappy, even just a little bit and you go around with stinging questions and making qualified statements of support, your words will be ringing bells long after you come back into the fold.  Careful all of a sudden what you have is better than the alternative, how do you undo the damage?   Can you put your words back in the bottle?

I hear some of my friends words and they hurt deep down just as much as GOP rocker Ted Nugent calling our President Obama a "subhuman mongrel".  Words can hurt and to the casual non political observer stick in their mind.   Coming from you, your words have more meaning after all you are the main stay of the Democratic party to your friends and family.  You are sowing seeds creating destroying results that you never intended.

Talk is cheap, but to put something behind it, you need to walk the walk too. Take the Republican National Committee and their big talk about diversity, inclusion, reasonable and mainstream forms of gun regulation, sensible immigration reform. What spin, what nonsense.  Republicans have learned talk a good line, sell a bill of goods after all snake oil salesmen got away with it, why not them?

I am worried that we are failing ourselves and have become a Presidential year party.  Every four years we wake up with the political itch, fight a good fight maybe even make a few worthy gains then go into hiding not to wake up for another four years.  Our voters only see the importance of voting in Presidential years, too often they ignore the bottom of the ballot and concede many elections.  Know what, it is not enough just to win the top of the ticket.

All we have to do to see the errors in that is follow the Koch brothers around the country as they buy one election after another.  We might win the Presidential election, but who is enacting the laws, who is winning one legislative battle after another?  Don't just look at Congress, the action is taking place in state legislatures, city halls, school boards all across the country.  

The Kochs are spreading their money around in places giving them the most results for their dollars.  Look at another Congressional race in Arizona.  The talk is $963,000 against Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick in District 1.  Step back a minute, almost one million dollars in one Congressional race and the primary for the Republican nomination is months off.  That's planting a lot of crops before the neighbors even started plowing.

While lots of big money flows into Presidential campaigns, the Koch brothers are counting on making money talk in local and district races all around the country.  Governorships, Legislatures, County Commissions that's where Presidents come from.  Building up their triple AAA farm clubs, the Koch's are going to own the President's office when the likes of Governor Scott Walker move to the White House.

Progressives the question, who are we warming up in the bull pen?  You can't do it with the once every four year attitude and appearance.  

Face it the big political money is looking at the nettlesome regulations, control over state legislatures, having favors from county supervisors that are the targets of their money. Progressives we are letting them win by neglect and our involvement with pet causes losing sight of the real control and power.

Progressives we need political minor leagues, training ground for fresh new candidates, we need more action in the bull pens.  Let's work on preparations of candidates holding solid progressive values and build up for future elections.  Go a bit slower, build up more and tear down less.