Do You Think Barack Obama Represents â??Changeâ?�?

[daihashi]

I want to reply to the opinion you stated about the Obama plan:



I think the flaw in what you are stating here is the assumption that a small percentage of people will be buying healthcare for the whole country. Your example is that 10.7 percent of the population would have to buy healthcare for the remaining 89.3 percent. I know you say the numbers are only your own estimates for sake of example, so I will not fault the exact numbers. But the idea is wrong. Obama's plan does not propose that we have EVERYONE in a national plan paid for through taxes. Right now a large percentage of people already have health care provided through their employers (60% maybe?). So those people would not need any tax money to continue their coverage the way they already are. There are a percentage of people who have jobs with employers who do not provide coverage. Those companies would face a payroll tax that you mentioned. Those employees would be able to buy the national plan, presumably at least partially paid for by the payroll taxes you mentioned --- so possibly no new income tax on "the rich" to provide that. And then there are a percentage of people who could afford to buy their own plan if they met eligibility requirements, but they have pre-existing conditions so the cost is exhorbitant. Obama's plan eliminates eligibility requirements, so those people would be able to buy their own plan --- no new taxes to support them. And then there is the remaining people who have no inusrance and who cannot pay for it themselves, even with no eligibility requirements. Had you said something like 20% are confirmed uninsured? So the people who meet the income requirements for subsidised healthcare would presumabley be some percentage of that 20%. I think if we all pull together, the remaining 80% could probably afford to subsidise health insurance for some portion of the 20% uninsured without ruining the lives of the "rich" and the "super rich," especially since were are probably already paying for much of it anyway in other forms.

You know I actually would not mind this plan and paying the increased taxes if he plans to eliminate medicaid, medicare and other government forms of government provided healthcare. The question is whether Obama would eliminate these programs or do what any other politician would probably do and move these funds to other programs instead of giving it back to the citizens. Which by judging by some of the wording it appears that this will not be the case.

Naturally there are going to be businesses that are not considered small business but also are not a large corporation. These companies will again; have to pay more than they were previously paying and it will result in lay offs. Actually I can't say it will; but in my opinion it will most likely lead to lay offs.

I'm sure you already have but look back on Bigweed's post where he posted the proposed information from Barack Obama's plan.

He plans to give healthcare to everyone.. mandatory requirement to all children (which I am stoked about but this costs alot of money), Sounds like he plans to overlap stateplans, which if you pay state taxes it means that you'll probably end up being pseudo double taxed for the same benefits, reimburse employer healthplans for catastrophic costs incurred, fight aids world wide, etc etc.. and alot of these practices are already in place so some of it is not anything new.

Other parts of it I don't see where he's going to feasibly get the money for it unless it's through heavy taxation. In which case if you're saying Employer based healthcare will remain then it seems as though you're punishing the majority for a minority. People like me will never be able to participate in this program so now I'm partly paying for my own healthcare.. the medicaid/medicare program is still going on, and now I'm getting taxed even more for this new healthcare program.

There are some nice things about his plan and I can't take that away from him.

My whole problem with this is that I don't see this working fiscally, and I still seeing this having a detrimental impact on Americans if it is passed. It just doesn't seem feasible to me. Whether you are getting it from the entire US population or from the Rich/corporations. Either way I don't see being able to generate the amount of revenue needed to give health care to the confirmed 20% of uninsured.. and the remaining 21% unaccounted for.

Lastly I'd like to note that his universal healthcare program isn't so universal at all.

Thanks for the post. This is what I wanted. Through discussion like this I feel we can broaden each others point of views. You've already helped me see things I did not see before. My stance still remains though. Really my stance remains on both candidates should simply fix the current system instead of designing a new one.

daihashi Reviewed by daihashi on 06-17-2008. Do You Think Barack Obama Represents â??Changeâ?�? In an election where a vast majority of people think the country is on the wrong track, itâ??s to be expected that politicians will try to present themselves as representing â??change.â?� Barack Obama has presented himself as representing â??change you can believe in.â?� The change message is popular with Obamaâ??s supporters and they almost always cite the need for change when they talk about him. Some think he will end the Iraq war and get the economy on the right track. Some think he Rating: 5