I am not sure how many understand the betrayal that occurred against Americans yesterday. If they really did, they would be in the streets. If they really did no one would be talking about a Hillary Clinton run but instead an Elizabeth Warren run for President of the United States. After all, it is time to sever the cozy relationship with Wall Street that not even our current President has.
Yesterday President Obama and other Democrats encouraged Democrats to make a pact with today’s devil, Wall Street. Even as Elizabeth Warren and others begged colleagues not to cave, they caved. They allowed federally insured banks to get back into financial gambling, the virtually unfettered sale and creation of derivatives using bank customer deposits. The failure of those gambles will be the responsibility of every American taxpayer. They will be bailing Wall Street out when their bets go south again. Why the urge to do this now? My hunch is that another financial catastrophe is in the making and having the government as an inexhaustible insurance policy is what they want.
Reeling in the power of Wall Street and Universal Healthcare were two major reasons President Obama was elected. He was mostly successful in putting America on that path. Unfortunately he is allowing the methodical chip away of this progress. Allowing the repeal of laws that would prevent putting taxpayers on the hook is just the start.
Republicans know that their coalition with corporatist Democrats will be invincible for the next two years. When I first read the New England Journal of Medicine article “Predicting the Fallout from King v. Burwell — Exchanges and the ACA” I thought the last paragraph was a bit melodramatic.
ACA supporters thus have good reason to worry. For at least several years, and perhaps for much longer, the outcome in King could determine whether millions of people continue to have access to affordable, comprehensive health insurance
The ‘King v. Burwell’ case centers around the word ‘state’. The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) as written seem to say in one section that only those enrolled through state exchanges qualify for subsidies. Of course the scoring of the law, other sections of the law, and implementation all assume otherwise.
I had first assumed that the Supreme Court took the case to close the door on destructive uncertainty with constant attacks. After all the law is now embedded into every fiber of the healthcare system.
I am no longer so sure. It is starting to appear that with the help of an apathetic populace that have allowed the election of huge majorities of politicians who are working against the interests of the poor and the middle class, that they may be attempting to change the path of Universal Healthcare.
Who would have thought that banks would be allowed their irresponsible behavior on the taxpayer dime so close after a financial collapse? Wall Street wants their options to gamble again. Wall Street likely wants the Obamacare tax removed from capital appreciation as well. While it may be untenable for politicians to do it for them, the Supreme Court could.
So yes. I am afraid. You should be afraid. The only option is to start the campaign to save and improve Obamacare now while putting the fear of defeat into every politician, especially Democrats whose tenets are being diluted methodically. It is time for all to be engaged.
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