Politics

[phgreek]

HhSolved nothing?

Medicare savings have lowered health cost 10 year deficit is lowered by hundreds of billions of dollars. Paul Ryan's budget doesn't balance without them.

Solved everthing? No didn't

But there are these things:

Insurance exchanges will allow for competition/comparisons on the individual market. You can say "premiums on the exchanges are 125-250 percent higher" but that is only compare them with premiums with crappy coverage, high deductibles and out of pocket costs, and plans with screening questions that eliminated customers with predisposition to certain health risk. Exchange plans had to cover certain provisions.

Subsidies for individuals under 400 percent of poverty line can get quality coverage for 8 percent of their income or less.

Emphasis on preventive care

Coverage for preexisting conditions

Employer premiums can't be 8.5 percent of employees income

Tax credit for small business purchasing health insurance

Insurance companies depending on regional cost must spend at least 80-85 percent of premiums directly on health care. Not CEO salaries and administrative costs.

The mandate is a messy issue. It is for me as well. I understand it necessity in some respects but am bothered by the principle. I think we can fix the problems with the law and keep the positives.

"nothing" is hyperbole...shouldn't have said it that way. Although I don't think we needed ACA to achieve many of the things you cite. Mark my words...costs, when someone bothers to do a responsible accounting will be staggering...and it cracks me up people think this kind of legislation is easy to fix as you go...too polarized for anyone to do anything...and that wasn't unknown going in...blame doesn't help.

 

[DSully1995]

Heard on BBC radio that there is a new international science study/report that, either just came out or is about to come out that, proves the climate change impact and forecasts have been greatly exaggerated. Wondering if anyone heard about this or if they saw the report.

Ive heard about this from very prominent and smart people (although they were conservative thinkers just fyi), that the temperature change came before the CO2 or something

 

[Ndaccountant]

For the younger crowd, interesting website to browse is copied in below. Many interesting topics, but one post caught my eye.

" 5 Ways Young Americans' Futures Are Being Swindled"

1.The true size of the nation’s debt problem is $200 trillion when you take into account all the future promises government has made but has not funded. That's the full tab we are going to inherit.


2.The longer our country waits to address its long-term budget imbalance, the greater the burden will be on young people –– in part because of compounding interest payments.


3.Millennials and future Americans have a higher net tax burden than any other generation. Unlike older Americans who will collect more in benefits than they've paid in taxes over the course of their lifetime, we will be stuck with a giant bill.


4.Changes in government spending have resulted in a shift from investment in the future to consumption in the present. Seniors' share of the pie is growing, while our share is shrinking.


5.Millennials cannot bear the burden being handed to them due to the economic challenges we are already facing, including: unemployment, underemployment, falling wages, and massive student loans.


Also, it reports that the average 65 year old person today will collect $327K more in entitlements than what they paid for. Meanwhile, the average young worker today will receive $420k less than what they paid in.

Now, the absolutes of those numbers are not the key point as much as the fact that without changes TODAY, there is a large debt being transferred to young people that they simply cannot afford.




5 Ways Young Americans' Futures Are Being Swindled

great report, well worth the read. Start on page 19 if you want to see how the young are being negatively impacted.

http://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.ne.../Swindled_Report_(Edits_Final).pdf?1379300523

 

[chicago51]

It was written by corporations, for corporations. That's all one needs to know.

Will some people be helped out? You betcha. Will the majority? Well, if the Farm Bill, Stimulus Bill, DoD spending bills, No Child Left Behind, TARP, and a whollleeee ****ing myriad of other spending and bailout bills and general recent history of the federal government are any indication...

no.

This I do agree with as the companies on the state exchanges essentially are getting government granted oligarchies of over that state's customer base. Some states will probably offer alot of plans, others not so much. If one wants subsidies that have to buy from their state exchanges.

I do embrace the conservative idea of being able to buy insurance accross state lines. It would probably help bring price down through more competition.

 

[BobD]

I don't doubt that republicans would do something similarly irresponsible...

which totally justifies doing ACA...I see it now...makes perfect sense...it is a legitimate program because Republicans would do it and the Tea Party is dumb

I just don't think it would be possible for anyone to come up with an anywhere near foolproof plan that a majority agreed on. That's why I say we need to agree in principle, then work with what we have and adjust as we go. The longer we wait, the more impossible it will seem.

 

[MJ12666]

My experience with Obamacare is as follows:

1. The year before Obamacare kicked in I had a physical with blood work and my out of pocket cost was -0-.
2. Last year I had a physical with blood work (both the physical procedures completed by my doctor and the blood work were identical to the pre-Obamacare physical). My out of pocket cost was $200.

Now there was technically no change to my insurance plan. When I asked the insurance company why my out of pocket cost was $200 even though the policy covered an annual physical 100%, their reply was that only "certain" procedures and blood work are covered as defined under the annual physical provisions of Obamacare and I was responsible for the procedures and blood work that Obamacare deems "unnecessary".

I obviously believe that the Obamacare is a piece of garbage and should be repealed. Unfortunately this is not going to happen.

 

[potownhero]

I just don't think it would be possible for anyone to come up with an anywhere near foolproof plan that a majority agreed on. That's why I say we need to agree in principle, then work with what we have and adjust as we go. The longer we wait, the more impossible it will seem.

Hey Bob.

What were your concerns with the republican alternatives?

 

[Ultimate Penn St. Hater]

Heard on BBC radio that there is a new international science study/report that, either just came out or is about to come out that, proves the climate change impact and forecasts have been greatly exaggerated. Wondering if anyone heard about this or if they saw the report.

There's no way we humans could've done anything to mess up our planet right?

 

[BobD]

Hey Bob.

What were your concerns with the republican alternatives?

Most concerning would be that they were never passed into law.

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

I think it's very sad that something designed in the spirit of helping people has been demonized so much. We can do anything we put our minds to here in the US. The people trying to tear it apart aren't doing so because it's a bad program, they're doing it in spite.

We crazy conservatives judge programs/ projects based on their results, not their intentions. Those of us opposed aren't opposed because it was shoved down our throats by Democrats, or because the president is half black, or because we hate poor people.

We oppose it because it's ALREADY increasing costs, it's going to hurt businesses, quality of care will decrease, and doctor shortages will increase in the next 10-15 years drastically.

It's also immoral in that it's rooted in redistribution. And everyone in Congress and the White House loves the bill so much they excluded themselves from it. Glorious isn't it?

 

[BobD]

We crazy conservatives judge programs/ projects based on their results, not their intentions. Those of us opposed aren't opposed because it was shoved down our throats by Democrats, or because the president is half black, or because we hate poor people.

We oppose it because it's ALREADY increasing costs, it's going to hurt businesses, quality of care will decrease, and doctor shortages will increase in the next 10-15 years drastically.

It's also immoral in that it's rooted in redistribution. And everyone in Congress and the White House loves the bill so much they excluded themselves from it. Glorious isn't it?

So why don't the crazy conservatives get over the fact that they lost, that their power base is shrinking, accept it and move on with trying to make it work? They really are speeding up their own demise.

Neither side has any solid numbers yet, so don't waste your time with that argument.

Immoral? Lol

Congress excluded themselves because the majority are dirtbags.

 

[DSully1995]

BobD, please, please try to look at the mechanisms legislation creates instead of the intentions. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and so was our financial collapse.

Legislators willing to "roll the dice" and force bank lending standards to make sure everyone in america owned a home. It's not surprising people didn't own homes before, homes are a huge investment that cant be payed for with entry level skills.

 

[phgreek]

I just don't think it would be possible for anyone to come up with an anywhere near foolproof plan that a majority agreed on. That's why I say we need to agree in principle, then work with what we have and adjust as we go. The longer we wait, the more impossible it will seem.

I don't think anyone asked for foolproof. How about some simple, honest means testing based in fvcking reality instead of manipulated numbers massaged so that folks could get their way...How about a "program" with a real fvcking plan, with real people who UNDERSTAND the issues to implement the programs.

This discussion is fruitless because the simple fact of the matter is, your mentality is ways and means in a balanced approach aren't the issue, the immediate constitution of a "solution"...ANY "solution" satisfies your sensibilities, and that's all that matters.

and by the way...I have come over time on this board to understand you more, and I have a lot of respect for you...if I sound dismissive, I apologize. I am frustrated with the nearly constant failure of real leadership in DC, and we will always disagree on the "when" is the right time to do things, and how much study we need.

 

[BobD]

BobD, please, please try to look at the mechanisms legislation creates instead of the intentions. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and so was our financial collapse.

Legislators willing to "roll the dice" and force bank lending standards to make sure everyone in america owned a home. It's not surprising people didn't own homes before, homes are a huge investment that cant be payed for with entry level skills.

This one program won't make or break us and we aren't going to use it as an example to fix our entire system. It shouldn't be easier to fund weapons to kill people than it is to help get people medical care. Other smaller countries do it, we can too.

 

[BobD]

I don't think anyone asked for foolproof. How about some simple, honest means testing based in fvcking reality instead of manipulated numbers massaged so that folks could get their way...How about a "program" with a real fvcking plan, with real people who UNDERSTAND the issues to implement the programs.

This discussion is fruitless because the simple fact of the matter is, your mentality is ways and means in a balanced approach aren't the issue, the immediate constitution of a "solution"...ANY "solution" satisfies your sensibilities, and that's all that matters.

and by the way...I have come over time on this board to understand you more, and I have a lot of respect for you...if I sound dismissive, I apologize. I am frustrated with the nearly constant failure of real leadership in DC, and we will always disagree on the "when" is the right time to do things, and how much study we need.

The honest and scary truth is: Nobody has a firm grip on our economy, only how to manipulate it. It's like a giant planet spinning out of control and we can't stop it, only speed it up, slow it down or alter its course slightly. Anybody that tells you different is a fkn liar.

I like and respect you too sir. We are all frustrated.

 

[pkt77242]

We crazy conservatives judge programs/ projects based on their results, not their intentions. Those of us opposed aren't opposed because it was shoved down our throats by Democrats, or because the president is half black, or because we hate poor people.

We oppose it because it's ALREADY increasing costs, it's going to hurt businesses, quality of care will decrease, and doctor shortages will increase in the next 10-15 years drastically.

It's also immoral in that it's rooted in redistribution. And everyone in Congress and the White House loves the bill so much they excluded themselves from it. Glorious isn't it?

Immoral? Isn't it immoral that poor people didn't have healthcare and were dying everyday because of it? Or a family that was just scraping by loses everything because of one illness when they couldn't afford insurance? Sorry that is immoral.

Having said that, what would you do to fix it? I am tired of people bitching about healthcare law and having zero ideas on how to fix it. Many of the ideas in the law are needed and wanted (keeping children on insurance longer, not bein able to deny preexisting conditions, etc). So what are you going to do to fix our broken (has been for a long time) healthcare system?

 

[Irish Houstonian]

My experience with Obamacare is as follows:

1. The year before Obamacare kicked in I had a physical with blood work and my out of pocket cost was -0-.
2. Last year I had a physical with blood work (both the physical procedures completed by my doctor and the blood work were identical to the pre-Obamacare physical). My out of pocket cost was $200.

Now there was technically no change to my insurance plan. When I asked the insurance company why my out of pocket cost was $200 even though the policy covered an annual physical 100%, their reply was that only "certain" procedures and blood work are covered as defined under the annual physical provisions of Obamacare and I was responsible for the procedures and blood work that Obamacare deems "unnecessary".

I obviously believe that the Obamacare is a piece of garbage and should be repealed. Unfortunately this is not going to happen.

Being in the industry, we've known for a while that (a) everyone's plans will increase in cost about 30%, ballpark average, (b) the young/healthy will increase a lot more than that, (c) the old, the overweight, the smokers, and those with pre-existing conditions will have their costs subsidized by the rest, and (d) people who didn't want health insurance before are now 'required' to buy it.

What people didn't plan on is how many peoples' hours are going to be cut because of the Employer Mandate. (Which was legislated to take effect 1/1/2014, but was delayed by the Administration until 1/1/2015 to make it past the 2014 election.)

The Employer Mandate basically says that if a person is "scheduled" to work 30 hours or more a week, their employer is required to offer them a "qualified plan" (i.e., a plan that meets Obamacare coverage standards, and which is pretty expensive). So what are employers all over the country doing? Why cutting everyones' hours of course!

So in the end, many workers' lives are going to get a lot worse, just so the feds can mandate that other workers have a certain level of coverage. (A lot of whom would have already gotten it in the first place.)

And as more and more part-time and low-level hourly workers make up our economy, this problem couldn't come at a worse time.

 

[GoldenDomer87]

The principal issue is what people think is a right and a privilege. I don't think anyone has a right to health care. So the 8-10 years and hundreds of thousands of dollars it costs to go through med school should be thrown out the window because you "have a right" to their services. You're either a socialist here or in favor of a republic and capitalism. No middle ground at all. If I'm entitled to the healthcare that you provide then where does it stop?

For me, the government is so bloated it can't tell it's right hand from its left. Why would want them anywhere near your healthcare. Nevertheless, why the hell are they in charge of your retirement. Look how much they already ****ed that up.

 

[Black Irish]

Being in the industry, we've known for a while that (a) everyone's plans will increase in cost about 30%, ballpark average, (b) the young/healthy will increase a lot more than that, (c) the old, the overweight, the smokers, and those with pre-existing conditions will have their costs subsidized by the rest, and (d) people who didn't want health insurance before are now 'required' to buy it.

What people didn't plan on is how many peoples' hours are going to be cut because of the Employer Mandate. (Which was legislated to take effect 1/1/2014, but was delayed by the Administration until 1/1/2015 to make it past the 2014 election.)

The Employer Mandate basically says that if a person is "scheduled" to work 30 hours or more a week, their employer is required to offer them a "qualified plan" (i.e., a plan that meets Obamacare coverage standards, and which is pretty expensive). So what are employers all over the country doing? Why cutting everyones' hours of course!

So in the end, many workers' lives are going to get a lot worse, just so the feds can mandate that other workers have a certain level of coverage. (A lot of whom would have already gotten it in the first place.)

And as more and more part-time and low-level hourly workers make up our economy, this problem couldn't come at a worse time.

I was in a meeting yesterday and my boss said that our company is looking to do exactly that (see bolded part above). My company's compliance costs are going to shoot up and we'll have to trim back people's hours because of Obamacare. And the company I work for is not run by a bunch of heartless money-grubbers. We're trying hard to keep our head above water and along comes this mandate that's going to ladle a bunch of new costs and red tape on without doing a thing to improve our business.

 

[phgreek]

Immoral? Isn't it immoral that poor people didn't have healthcare and were dying everyday because of it? Or a family that was just scraping by loses everything because of one illness when they couldn't afford insurance? Sorry that is immoral.

Having said that, what would you do to fix it? I am tired of people bitching about healthcare law and having zero ideas on how to fix it. Many of the ideas in the law are needed and wanted (keeping children on insurance longer, not bein able to deny preexisting conditions, etc). So what are you going to do to fix our broken (has been for a long time) healthcare system?

I never made it beyond the issue of rather we needed government to DO anything.

So now you want me to offer solutions to a bus with two tires over the cliff...and you are indignant about it as if I lack some emotional or intellectual investment. YEA...

How bout ya just own the fact that the sentiment was right...but...ACAs passage had more to do with timing and opportunity than good planning...and that planning/implementation doesn't matter to you...

Reality is, a number of concepts in the law are good...but did we need ACA to achieve the good stuff...I mean most of the sh!t worth doing is in place...NOW....isn't it?

what you are about to see is EXACTLY why our government should not be invited into implementation of much of anything beyond defense. The unintended consequences are always so out of line it is comical/criminal (depending on my mood), and borders insanity.

 

[BobD]

Being in the industry, we've known for a while that (a) everyone's plans will increase in cost about 30%, ballpark average, (b) the young/healthy will increase a lot more than that, (c) the old, the overweight, the smokers, and those with pre-existing conditions will have their costs subsidized by the rest, and (d) people who didn't want health insurance before are now 'required' to buy it.

What people didn't plan on is how many peoples' hours are going to be cut because of the Employer Mandate. (Which was legislated to take effect 1/1/2014, but was delayed by the Administration until 1/1/2015 to make it past the 2014 election.)

The Employer Mandate basically says that if a person is "scheduled" to work 30 hours or more a week, their employer is required to offer them a "qualified plan" (i.e., a plan that meets Obamacare coverage standards, and which is pretty expensive). So what are employers all over the country doing? Why cutting everyones' hours of course!

So in the end, many workers' lives are going to get a lot worse, just so the feds can mandate that other workers have a certain level of coverage. (A lot of whom would have already gotten it in the first place.)

And as more and more part-time and low-level hourly workers make up our economy, this problem couldn't come at a worse time.

Being in the industry, how much have rates risen in the last 5 years without Obama care.?

 

[GoIrish41]

Immoral? Isn't it immoral that poor people didn't have healthcare and were dying everyday because of it? Or a family that was just scraping by loses everything because of one illness when they couldn't afford insurance? Sorry that is immoral.

Having said that, what would you do to fix it? I am tired of people bitching about healthcare law and having zero ideas on how to fix it. Many of the ideas in the law are needed and wanted (keeping children on insurance longer, not bein able to deny preexisting conditions, etc). So what are you going to do to fix our broken (has been for a long time) healthcare system?

Exactly. Billions of dollars have been spent to try to discredit the ACA (which could have provided healthcare for lots of people) but I have yet to hear a single alternative idea from anyone. Obamacare is not perfect, but I want to hear a credible idea from detracactors that would provide affordable healthcare to at least as many as the ACA does. Anything else is a massive step backward for our society. That would be immoral.

 

[potownhero]

Immoral? Isn't it immoral that poor people didn't have healthcare and were dying everyday because of it? Or a family that was just scraping by loses everything because of one illness when they couldn't afford insurance? Sorry that is immoral.

Having said that, what would you do to fix it? I am tired of people bitching about healthcare law and having zero ideas on how to fix it. Many of the ideas in the law are needed and wanted (keeping children on insurance longer, not bein able to deny preexisting conditions, etc). So what are you going to do to fix our broken (has been for a long time) healthcare system?

You are obviously not very well informed. There were plenty of alternative ideas put out there on how to fix the situations you described.

The question is why do you not know this?

Is it laziness?
Lack of intelligence?
Ignorance?
Some other reason?

Why do you not know about the alternatives suggested?

 

[Irish Houstonian]

Being in the industry, how much have rates risen in the last 5 years without Obama care.?

It depends -- for family coverage in the private sector I'd say it's averaged maybe 4-8% a year. And the same is going to go for this year, and then Obamacare takes their 30% dump all over the country.

So you make a good point: plan costs are already out of control, and Obamacare takes a huge problem and makes it worse.

 

[potownhero]

This one program won't make or break us and we aren't going to use it as an example to fix our entire system. It shouldn't be easier to fund weapons to kill people than it is to help get people medical care. Other smaller countries do it, we can too.

Exactly; it won't break us, it'll just kill jobs and make our healthcare system worse.

The ACA doesn't even do what it was said to do. They estimate that 31 million will remain uninsured.
Left behind: Stories from Obamacare’s 31 million uninsured

And how do you think it'll lower costs? What government programs run at a higher efficiency than private programs??? Answers: none - and costs will be cut by cutting services. Welcome to Obamacare!! Awesome!

 

[Kanye West]

Health Care is a right in my opinion and that's why the supply and demand nature of Hospitals don't work. You're going to always have a high demand at whatever price. They need to get rid of bloated charges, rather than having the government pay for the bloated charges.

 

[phgreek]

Health Care is a right in my opinion and that's why the supply and demand nature of Hospitals don't work. You're going to always have a high demand at whatever price. They need to get rid of bloated charges, rather than having the government pay for the bloated charges.

...I never thought healthcare a "right"...

But I agree, the delivery systems have been manipulated by greed, and are bloated. But it isn't as simple as just greed. For example, the administrative costs associated with hospitals are artificially inflated. But not by as much as you think. The amount of regulatory BS is frightening, which drives up costs due to the sheer number of people it takes to maintain/oversee government compliance in all corners from EPA, OSHA, to all manner of legal/medical insanity.

Hospitals, though, as a general rule, feel pretty entitled to your money, and feel no guilt for the chicanery they engage in to get it. I know it has been going on since before I was born...my dad tells the story of the bill he got after I was born...the hospital charged him for a private room for both my mother and I, and a phone, and phone calls specifically assigned to my room...never left my mom's room so I hear...and while precocious, I was not, at 6 hours, yet able to grasp the rotary dial phone...

Should there be some regulations on hospitals and health insurance companies which force maintenance of reasonable overhead and profits...absolutely. ACA does some of that...but did we need ACA to do some of that? Anything good the ACA does could have been done with efficient well-thought out targeted legislation w/o costing America. ...JMHO.

 

[wizards8507]

Health Care is a right in my opinion and that's why the supply and demand nature of Hospitals don't work. You're going to always have a high demand at whatever price. They need to get rid of bloated charges, rather than having the government pay for the bloated charges.

You can't have a *right* to someone else's labor. Rights of the individual do not require any action on the part of another individual. Rights are also timeless. Whatever rights a human being has today by virtue of being a human being, he or she had at the dawn of time when there was no such thing as healthcare. For you to get healthcare, someone else has to pay for medical school, attend and graduate from medical school, and then actually administer the healthcare. Your rights protect you from others causing you harm. Rights do not require someone to do you favors.

 

[wizards8507]

...I never thought healthcare a "right"...

But I agree, the delivery systems have been manipulated by greed, and are bloated. But it isn't as simple as just greed. For example, the administrative costs associated with hospitals are artificially inflated. But not by as much as you think. The amount of regulatory BS is frightening, which drives up costs due to the sheer number of people it takes to maintain/oversee government compliance in all corners from EPA, OSHA, to all manner of legal/medical insanity.

Hospitals, though, as a general rule, feel pretty entitled to your money, and feel no guilt for the chicanery they engage in to get it. I know it has been going on since before I was born...my dad tells the story of the bill he got after I was born...the hospital charged him for a private room for both my mother and I, and a phone, and phone calls specifically assigned to my room...never left my mom's room so I hear...and while precocious, I was not, at 6 hours, yet able to grasp the rotary dial phone...

Should there be some regulations on hospitals and health insurance companies which force maintenance of reasonable overhead and profits...absolutely. ACA does some of that...but did we need ACA to do some of that? Anything good the ACA does could have been done with efficient well-thought out targeted legislation w/o costing America. ...JMHO.

One of the problems with the health insurance system is that consumers are detached from the cost of their care. If you're going to buy a pair of jeans, it might be relevant to know that Levis charges $60 and Wrangler charges $30. Weighing price versus quality and convenience would affect your decision. If you walk into a hospital, you likely don't give a damn what they charge because the insurance company is going to pay for it so you don't bother shopping around. Without shopping around, competetion can't function properly to drive prices down and the supplier can basically charge whatever they want. Most of the time when insured people actually pay for healthcare, it's because they assumed it would be covered by insurance but it was not.

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

Immoral? Isn't it immoral that poor people didn't have healthcare and were dying everyday because of it? Or a family that was just scraping by loses everything because of one illness when they couldn't afford insurance? Sorry that is immoral.

Having said that, what would you do to fix it? I am tired of people bitching about healthcare law and having zero ideas on how to fix it. Many of the ideas in the law are needed and wanted (keeping children on insurance longer, not bein able to deny preexisting conditions, etc). So what are you going to do to fix our broken (has been for a long time) healthcare system?

Yes, immoral. I'd have more respect for leftists if they came out and said, "Look, we're socializing medicine. We need one group of people to pay for another group of people. You young, healthy people are screwed, and we don't care about its impact on businesses and others."

Everything we were told about this mess was BS from the beginning and has already been proven. The only people this law benefits is the recipient class because they get "access" for nothing. All American children have "access" to "free" education too, right? And that's working out tremendously for us and everyone is equal, right? Please.

Poor people dying every day: what happened to Medicaid?
These sick people: was it a 5 year old with brain cancer or a 54 year old alcholic dying of liver cancer due to his own lifestyle choices?

If you spend a night in the hopsital, why do two Tylenol cost $25? Because some people in that hospital are paying for their care and others are not.

What do I plan to do to fix our healthcare system? Not a damn thing, my friend. I'm a business man, but here's what we know and why the ACA is a disaster from top to bottom:

1) Government cannot control cost of anything. Ever.

2) Government cannot tell private companies how to run thier business.

3) Access to service doesn't equal quality. See education in America.

4) Nothing popular is ever mandatory, like this law is.

5) Telling person A (who has insurance) they are responsible for paying for person B (no insurance) is redistribution. Redistribution is theft. Theft is immoral. If anyone has a story of a hospital throwing a sick person out on the street to die because they didn't have insurance gets a big "I'll eat crow, I was wrong" from this guy. I haven't heard of it.

6) The federal government started social security, medicare, and medicaid. All 3 had good intentions, all 3 are mandatory. All 3 of these programs are broke (CBA report) before 2030. Adding obamacare to this tripod $hitshow just pours gasoline on a fire. We are taking ourselves off the cliff financially. No pun intended.