Paul Ryan, It's Still a Pig

By Scott Galindez, Reader Supported News

22 March 17

here you have it. I’m over 50; the GOP is going to increase my tax break so I can buy health care. That is so sweet of them – they will take less of my money if I give it to health insurance companies. Hold up a minute here, didn’t they just cut a bunch of other taxes? Do they have to buy something to keep their money?

The Republicans are playing us. The “managers bill” is nothing more than lipstick on a pig. It’s still a pig. The GOP plan to replace Obamacare is just that, pork. Sorry to my hog-raising neighbors in Iowa, but the GOP health care plan is worse for America’s health than the fatty meat and corn that is famous in our state. Just like the corn, I’m having trouble digesting it. OK, enough puns for a while.

Have you not been listening to the American people? Even the Freedom Caucus is saying the bill does nothing to cut premiums. They have been leading the charge against Obamacare, and they don’t think the current replacement bill is sustainable. A bigger tax break won’t control the rising cost of health care.

Perhaps young people who won’t have to buy in any more will save money. But what happens if they get sick? Wouldn’t it be better if they had health insurance?

Pssst ... Paul, instead of repealing Obamacare to lower the costs for young people, why not increase their tax credit and allow insurance companies to charge them less. You accomplish the same thing without messing with everyone else’s health care.

Let’s look at some of the other problems that need fixing. We Democrats also think Obamacare is flawed and needs reform.

We all believe that premiums and co-pays are too high in a lot of plans. Let’s face it: the number one cause of that is the rising cost of health care. If doctors and hospitals were not overcharging us, our premiums and co-pays could go down substantially. So tell me, Paul, what in your plan addresses the rising cost of health care?

Of course, the real solution is single payer, so the payee can say this is what we will pay for that procedure, take it or leave it. I’m betting they will accept it. As long as health care providers can charge as much as the market warrants, prices will continue to rise. After all, what is the price of life? When the seller can say “you do this or die,” they are in a pretty strong bargaining position.

We know single payer won’t get through this bunch on Capital Hill, so let’s get back to solutions. How about a commission to study the real cost of medical procedures and ask them to set prices that are “reasonable.” Another commission you say? Well, unless I’m missing something, we are allowing the health care industry to rip us off and everyone is blaming the insurance companies. There is a good case against the insurance industry, but remember they have to pay the outrageous bills that medical providers are charging.

The GOP plan depends on the market but fails to even attempt to bring down cost. The only cost they care about is the cost to wealthy taxpayers. They don’t want to subsidize health care for the poor anymore.

Don’t be fooled by changes to the bill. Their bigger tax break for Americans over 50 years old won’t make up for what they are taking away. Keep speaking up, America, we can stop this bill that is taking from the poor to make the rich fatter. You can add another pig reference if you wish … I thought I had defamed pigs enough already.

Scott Galindez attended Syracuse University, where he first became politically active. The writings of El Salvador's slain archbishop Oscar Romero and the on-campus South Africa divestment movement converted him from a Reagan supporter to an activist for Peace and Justice. Over the years he has been influenced by the likes of Philip Berrigan, William Thomas, Mitch Snyder, Don White, Lisa Fithian, and Paul Wellstone. Scott met Marc Ash while organizing counterinaugural events after George W. Bush's first stolen election. Scott moved to Des Moines in 2015 to cover the Iowa Caucus.

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