In largely symbolic ballot measures, five states allowed voters on Election Day the opportunity to show their disapproval of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, dubbed Obamacare.
The measures were symbolic because the U.S. Supreme Court already ruled this past summer that the federal health-care law is constitutional, thus making moot any state-level efforts to nullify the federal law.
On Nov. 6, similar health-care amendments were on the ballot in Alabama, Florida, Wyoming and Montana. The amendments allowed residents in those states the option to purchase health insurance or not, which the Affordable Care Act compels all Americans to do in what is called the individual mandate.
In Missouri, a ballot question sought to prevent the Show-Me State from having to set up its own health-insurance exchange, which all states are required to do by Nov. 16.
The Alabama Health Care Amendment — Amendment 6 on the state ballot — passed by a 58% margin, with 738,905 voters approving it and 543,946 voting against. The amendment is supposed to prohibit mandatory participation in any health-care system, which would block the Affordable Care Act from taking effect in that state.
Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley told reporters in Huntsville on Nov. 6 that he favored the effort to amend the Alabama Constitution to prevent the federal health-care law from being implemented in his state.
"The worst piece of legislation that has ever been passed in my lifetime by Congress is this ‘Affordable Health Care Act,’" the governor said, according to AL.com.
"It is not affordable, and it is not health care. It is the worst — ah, I said that. I don’t have to say it twice," Bentley said.
AL.com also reported that Bentley said he did not know if his state will set up its health-insurance exchange by Nov. 16. Alabama missed a deadline last month to submit a list of health-care benefits that would be offered on its exchange to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
In Florida, a similar health-care ballot question failed, with 52% of people voting against the amendment. The measure would have required 60% of voters approving it in order to amend the Florida Constitution.
The Republican-controlled state Legislature in Florida pushed the amendment as a way to send a strong political message against Obamacare. The Florida Health Care Amendment aimed to prevent laws or rules from compelling any person or employer to purchase, obtain or provide health insurance.
Florida state lawmakers tried to get a similar measure on the ballot in 2010, but that state’s Supreme Court prevented those efforts, ruling that the proposed ballot question’s summary was inaccurate and misleading. The Sunshine State’s former attorney general, shortly after President Barack Obama signed his health-care reform into law in 2010, filed a lawsuit against the law.
Meanwhile, in Montana, a similar health-care amendment passed on Nov. 6, with 47,920 people (64.58%) casting votes in favor and 26,281 votes against (35%).
The Montana Health Care Amendment allows residents in that state the choice to decide if they want health insurance or not and which health insurance to buy if they choose to do so.
Voters in Wyoming approved essentially the same amendment to the Wyoming Constitution, with 124,987 people voting for the measure and 36,022 against. The Wyoming amendment says: "No federal or state law, rule or administrative decision shall compel, directly or indirectly, any person, employer or health-care provider to participate in any health-care system."
Wyoming, Alabama and Montana join Arizona and Oklahoma as states that have amended their constitutions in attempts to prevent the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.
The so-called Obamacare federal law was controversial from the start. Not a single Republican lawmaker voted for it. Republican leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives have tried unsuccessfully to repeal the law, while 28 states filed joint or individual lawsuits to overturn its individual mandate that compels all Americans to obtain health insurance.
The Affordable Care Act also empowered Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to issue a mandate that employers must provide coverage in their employee health-insurance plans — without deductibles or co-pays — for all government-approved forms of birth control, including abortion-inducing drugs and sterilization.
On June 28, the U.S. Supreme Court, after having heard three days of oral arguments in March, upheld the Affordable Care Act by a 5-4 margin — Chief Justice John Roberts, one of six Catholics on the court, was the decisive vote — on the grounds that the law’s financial penalty for individuals who don’t obtain health insurance is a tax, which the Constitution allows Congress to collect.
The Supreme Court’s upholding of the Affordable Care Act in essence regulates the state amendments to mere symbolic status because the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause guarantees that federal law trumps state law.
That holds true, as well, for a Missouri ballot amendment that 63% of voters approved to prevent their state from being forced to institute its own health-insurance exchange. The amendment — Proposition E — symbolically grants the authority to make decisions about the exchange to the state Legislature and voters.
However, the Affordable Care Act already empowers the federal government to set up "federally facilitated exchanges" in 2014 for states that choose not to create their own exchanges.
Brian Fraga writes from
Fall River, Massachusetts.
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Operative word: “symbolic”
ACA is the law of the land the GOP has already played the hand and went to the SCOTUS - which upheld the law. End of story.
Folks, America fully deserves what it is going to get.
No, not all of us as individuals, but all of us collectively.
Thank you, American bishops. You got the socialism that you’d been lusting for. Now let’s see if you like the consequences.
Where can one find out the TRUTH about ‘Obamacare’? Looking for the REAL facts about what is included in it. Does anyone know if there is a brief, unbiased synopsis out there of what is and is not part of the mandate??
Our people are dying for lack of knowledge. I am guilty
For not defending my faith strongly enough nor sharing
my faith boldly enough with my neighbors. For fear of
offending, I have left them defenseless from the enemy
of their souls. “Change my heart, oh God. Make it ever
True.”
Sadly, the author of this article is uninformed about the rights of the individual states, and the Constitution. These actions are not symbolic, if the State wishes to nullify. It is through Sheriff’s interposition, whereby the state and its citizens are protected if they wish to nullify a federal mandate. This supersedes any ruling by the supreme court, which was elicited by several state law suits.
Author, read the Federalist papers and see the tenth amendment center…..
The only way the states are going to stop this health care act is to pull their state senators and representatives out of Washington and secede from the Union like the South did before the Civil War began. I do not think Obama has enough backing in the military or with anyone else to prevent this from happening.
Elections have implications and re-election of Obama thwarted the last chance to invalidate Obama’s bankruptable care act. Because Obama handed out food stamps, easy disability status determinations, extended unemployment benefits that permit a free 99 week paid vacation, and the famous Obamaphones, we will be saddled with his “healthcare”/tax scheme. It will not be long now before the HHS people will decide that elective abortions are a health issue rather than a deplorable cultural phenomenon and require insurance companies to cover abortions along with the abortifacients and contraceptives. Gay marriage will require the payment of spousal marriage benefits to gays and lesbians by all industry and governmental authorities in order to feather the economic nests of the Sodomites. Poverty will be further resolved by the killings of minority infants in their mother’s wombs at taxpayer expense. America got what it voted for, sour grapes notwithstanding for those of us that rejected Obama..
Obama got the ‘Catholic’ vote this time around as well as the 2008 election. The Vatican congratulates Obama on his 2008 election and once again on Obama’s re-election. This is not only embarrassing but shocking!!! Is any body connecting any dots???
Let me say very simply since most of our Bishops seem to have a moral dilemma explaining this: if you voted for Obama, you are not Christian. God have mercy on your soul.
The author is wrong on a few points.
The Court did rule in favor of the States on the issue of Medicaid expansion and Obamacare, itself, never really provided for any funding vehicle for any “Federal Exchange”.
I understand from breaking news detailed by Eric Erickson Friday, 11/09/2012, that the 30 Republican governors were in [tele-]conference lasdt week developing the following strategic defence of HHS violations of 1st Ammend. and possibly the ObamaCare entirely. Reportedly; 1. State exchanges cannot be enforced upon states [constitutionally - if that inspired documnt still means anything]. 2. Obama care allows for federally oganized exchanges in absence of state cooperation, BUT; 3. NO funding mechanism was included. 4. Thus if so many Repub. leaders miraculously grow spines, the remaining participation by so few “sheep-le” may cause the entire scheam to unsustainable. If God wills.
This article is incorrect. Nullification is not merely a symbolic gesture. The authors mention of the Supreme Court ruling is relative to the law suits filled by several states shading the federal government. Under the tenth amendment of the US Constitution, the States have this authority over the federal government. This authority is reinforced in each state by way of Sheriffs Interposition. This means that if the federal government imposes any threats or fines against the State’s decision or its citizens, the Sheriff will intervene to ensure that the Constitution its upheld. See: tenth amendment center, ......The author assumes, like many that the power of the federal government is superior to the states, rather it its the states which grant enumerated powers to the federal govt. Sadly, few Americans have read the Constitution, the Federalist Papers, or the letters written by the founding fathers, such as James Madison and Thomas Jefferson.
Tim Phillips: State Senators do not work in DC, rather they are members of the General Assemble…..
GEEE no wonder we have lost control, we do not understand how our governments work!!!
According to the 9th and 10th amendments, the states have given the federal government only 17 unique and limited powers….Please read up folks!
What we were taught in schools is not sufficient and often inaccurate.
From some of the comments on this subject on many blogs, one sees very selective interpretation of Catholicism and the corporal works of mercy.
It is because of people like you that the government must use money collected from citizens which is called taxes, to fund especially universal health care and education. Government’s money is Taxpayers money. As such, it belongs to ALL CITIZENS WHO PAY TAXES. IT IS NOT A HANDOUT.
Universal health care is not a handout but a right of every human being.
To have affordable and proper medical treatment when sickness strikes is a human right. As is the case widely in America, sickness should not reduce a family to poverty and destitution where everything one owns is lost to pay for medical treatment. This is also the time when heath care professionals take advantage of those who are vulnerable. Working class and poor also pay taxes. This tax money should be used for healthcare and education. THIS IS NOT A HANDOUT.
Stop going to other countries where you know nothing about their language, culture or religion, fighting wars that are not yours UNDER THE PRETEXT OF FREEDOM. You will never bring freedom to those who do not want freedom and whose religion tells them to kill the infidel and when not killing the infidel they kill each other.
Every country you have been to fighting these wars in, you have left them in a worse state than when you went in. We don’t hear much of your soldiers who have fought these useless wars and come home physically maimed and psychologically vulnerable. Not to mention the loss of young human life whose mothers did not abort.
The trillions of dollars spent on these wars could be used to care for the millions who have not been aborted and are now alive. Life does not end once the child is born.
If these pregnant and desperate women have health care knowing that if their new born child or family member if sick, will not face financial ruin, there definitely will be fewer abortions.
Abortion is a crime that cries out to heaven. Abortion is murder. Pro Lifers and anti abortionist, I too am one of you. We tend to forget THAT LIFE ENDS AT NATURAL DEATH and not after the child leave the mother’s womb.
Pro lifers and Anti-abortionists forget the fact that:
The millions of Americans who would benefit from universal health care were once inside their mother’s womb and are now outside the womb.
I am a Catholic mother, I am prolife and anti abortion. I also believe in everything the Catholic Church teaches on Faith and Morals.
From some of the comments on this subject on many blogs, one sees very selective interpretation of Catholicism and the corporal works of mercy.
It is because of people like you that the government must use money collected from citizens which is called taxes, to fund especially universal health care and education. Government’s money is Taxpayers money. As such, it belongs to ALL CITIZENS WHO PAY TAXES. IT IS NOT A HANDOUT.
Universal health care is not a handout but a right of every human being. To have affordable and proper medical treatment when sickness strikes is a human right. As is the case widely in America, sickness should not reduce a family to poverty and destitution where everything one owns is lost to pay for medical treatment. This is also the time when heath care professionals take advantage of those who are vulnerable. Working class and poor people also pay taxes. This tax money should be used for healthcare and education. THIS IS NOT A HANDOUT.
Stop going to other countries where you know nothing about their language, culture or religion, fighting wars that are not yours UNDER THE PRETEXT OF FREEDOM. You will never bring freedom to those who do not want freedom and whose religion tells them to kill the infidel and when not killing the infidel they kill each other.
Every country you have been to fighting these wars in, you have left them in a worse state than when you went in. We don’t hear much of your soldiers who have fought these useless wars and come home physically maimed and psychologically vulnerable. Not to mention the loss of young human life whose mothers did not abort.
The trillions of dollars spent on these wars could be used to care for the millions who have not been aborted and are now alive. Life does not end once the child is born.
If these pregnant and desperate women have health care knowing that if their new born child or family member if sick, they will not face financial ruin, there definitely will be fewer abortions.
Abortion is a crime that cries out to heaven. Abortion is murder. Pro Lifers and anti abortionist, I too am one of you. We tend to forget THAT LIFE ENDS AT NATURAL DEATH and not after the child leave the mother’s womb.
Pro lifers and Anti-abortionists forget the fact that:
The millions of Americans who would benefit from universal health care were once inside their mother’s womb and are now outside the womb.
I am a Catholic mother and I am prolife and anti abortion. I also believe in everything the Catholic Church teaches on Faith and Morals.
Nothing is going to change.
The President is the same (Democrat).
The Senate is the same (Democrat).
The House is the same (Republican).
It may get WORSE since the Democratic Party of Death, reaffirmed their support for Abortion - which now they want funded by taxpayers.
And added strong support for homo-sexual marriage.
Yes, ANNE, and even more so-called Catholics voted for the Party of Death & Perversion—- that’s the Democratic Party for the clueless out there—- than the majority of Catholics that similarly soiled themselves in the election booth in 2008.
Wonderful.
Celinedesilva – Where does it state that health care is a ‘right’ – a right connected to natural/divine law? Please explain your reasoning.
National Health care does not work; it has never worked! It is a handout to ‘voter blocks’ to keep the destroyers of our nation in power because THEY ARE NOT REPRODUCING THEMSELVES. Therefore, they sold their souls by promising give aways that destroys the character of the receiver and inturn destroys a nation.
Joe,
I agree with this comment on. http://www.coverallfamilies.org/www.coverallfamilies.org
Healthcare: A Right, Not A Privilege
According to the World Health Organization and the Physicians for a National Health Program, the United States spends twice as much per capita on healthcare compared to other countries such as Canada, Britain & Germany, who have universal healthcare. It is currently considered a privilege in the U.S., not a right. Those that support the healthcare initiative believe that it should be a right to have affordable, quality healthcare instead of just a privilege.
A barrage of opposition (rationing, government interference, economic recession, cannot afford to make universal healthcare a reality) has been negatively affecting the potential of the reform. The reform will continue to push through until everyone has affordable, quality health insurance. I support Obama’s reform because 47 million Americans can no longer afford health insurance, the constitutional right that they deserve.
The healthcare system in the United States, a private system (HMOs, PPOs, etc.) fails to provide these Americans with quality care. Even working, middle-class families who have health insurance, where both parents have a stable income struggle to pay for it. Or they have to risk losing their homes because their providers might bail out on them when in the time of need.
“Holly trips over a hole in the ground and falls down and screams. I whirl around and she’s crying, her face turning from pale-white to crimson. ‘Something snapped’, she sobs. ‘I heard it snap’. I helped her up, ordered Marge, who’s been standing there with her mouth hanging open, to take her other arm. “We’ve got to get you to an emergency room.” I say. ‘get x-rayed right away.’ But all she’ll consent to is calling Ted from the next house.” (Barbara Ehrenreich, Nickel and Dimed)
Enrenreich’s experience illustrates that in order for the working class poor to “get by” they often must choose to delay the care they need. In 2001, about 1.5 million American families filed for bankruptcy, half of it due to the inability to pay their medical bills. The U.S. spends 31% of medical expenses on administrative costs, compared to Canada’s 16.7% administrative costs.
Although in the last couple of decades, we have observed many potential solutions to this growing problem healthcare reform did not occur. To make matters worse, premiums soared and coverages were reduced. If the private system lacks the ability to cover the millions of uninsured Americans, then the time to change to something more efficient and effective has arrived. Britian spends on average $2,992 per capita. France’s healthcare system, social insurance, provides insurance to all legal residences. The government regulates the budget and the salaries for the hospitals. France spends on average $3,601 per capita. Not to mention that these countries have a long life expectancy than those of us who live in the U.S.
To Americans who are unfamiliar with the healthcare system in the U.S. (the HMO), this system allows healthcare providers to charge premiums for health insurance. The healthcare provider decides whether or not they should cover your condition. And often times, these health insurance providers bail out on their customers. Over the last few years, insurance companies tripled their profit and the U.S. ended up spending $7,290 per capita. If we spend twice as much per capita than any other country, why not make universal healthcare a reality?
Everyone has a right to healthcare, especially in the respectable democracy we live in. Due to the recession, many Americans become one of the 47 million uninsured. These citizens need quality and affordable healthcare the most. The U.S. can afford it especially when we spend twice as much per capita and providers tripled their profit in the last couple of years. By making universal healthcare happen, there would be less bankruptcy, a better economy and everyone would be better off.
Catholic Teaching.
• Catechism: “Concern for the health of its citizens requires that society help in the attainment of living-conditions that allow them to grow and reach maturity: food and clothing, housing, health care, basic education, employment, and social assistance”.
• John XXIII: “Man has the right to live. He has the right to bodily integrity and to the means necessary for the proper development of life, particularly food, clothing, shelter, medical care, rest, and, finally, the necessary social services. In consequence, he has the right to be looked after in the event of ill-health; disability stemming from his work; widowhood; old age; enforced unemployment; or whenever through no fault of his own he is deprived of the means of livelihood”.
• John Paul II: “The expenses involved in health care, especially in the case of accidents at work, demand that medical assistance should be easily available for workers, and that as far as possible it should be cheap or even free of charge”.
• Benedict XVI: “It is necessary to work with greater commitment at all levels so that the right to health is rendered effective, favoring access to primary health care…Justice in health care should be a priority of governments and international institutions” and “Justice requires guaranteed universal access to health care”.
• USCCB: “Reform efforts must begin with the principle that decent health care is not a privilege, but a right and a requirement to protect the life and dignity of every person. All people need and should have access to comprehensive, quality health care that they can afford, and it should not depend on their stage of life, where or whether they or their parents work, how much they earn, where they live, or where they were born. The Bishops’ Conference believes health care reform should be truly universal and it should be genuinely affordable”.
I have to admit that the 36 states petitioning to secede from the union is a nice sounding way of avoiding Obamacare and all the offensive rubbish coming from Washington.
Celinedesilva –You are giving sound bites of man-made rights not hinged to a divine right. Where does it state that health care is a ‘right’ – a right connected to natural/divine law? You are talking about humanly formed rights that take away rights from others who will suffer a consequence.
Celinedesilva –
Souls are not born to support me nor you. God does not create some souls to pay for my subsistence. You are talking about the forced transferring of one’s property to another’s property which is socialized/Marxism. What happens when the system runs out of sources of money to grab from?
ALL government run programs are defunct! Well paid czars in Washington who have never spent one day in medical training will be deciding who comes, who goes and who stays here on this earth. It’s all about controlling the population and resources. Already doctors are opting out of the profession and are not pursuing it. This is dangerous.
I do have more information on natural and divine rights but I was hoping you might discover what the Catholic Church teaches in regards to ‘divine rights’ –
Celinedesilva – Entitlements and rights not based on divine law disobey the Commandments of God:
“A Catholic cannot be a socialist, for socialism aims at destroying the government and the right of private ownership, and teaches other immoral doctrines. If socialism aimed only at the betterment of the working classes, the Church would be in entire sympathy with them, for this is a work of charity. But the Church objects to socialistic principles and methods, which are opposed to justice and charity and are of such a nature as to bring ruin and misery on rich and poor alike.” Taken from the book, “Religion: Doctrine and Practice” by Francis B Cassilly, S. J. page 107
National health care coverage for all steals the earnings of those who labored and made a profit. Willing recipients of rights provided by others’ profits become a slave class/ a voter block.
They who implement laws to award rights at the expense of others who lose rights break the Seventh Commandment, “Thou shall not steal”. Neither the giver nor the recipient love God nor trust in God.
Related to the Seventh Commandment is the Tenth Commandment, “Thou shalt not covet they neighbor’s goods”. Enslavement to rights will break the economy of any nation.
Those who make laws enforcing national health care are not performing corporal works of mercy nor charitable deeds for they do not do it for the love of God. They who love God first will provide for the needs of the poor and disadvantaged. The love of God must come first.
Celinedesilva:
A few comments:
1.Where you cite “Catholic Teachings”, nowhere does it say that health care, and human assitance is the role of government. Many have confused Catholic doctrine, as well as the concept of social justice. Social justice, in the eyes of the church is a function of charity,human kindness and a free enterprise is seen as a right. The golden rule does not state that government should do unto others…... No Catholic Doctrine teaches that Marxism and Communism are the teachings of Christ. It is up to us to do our part as individuals, not a collective. You are describing collective theology. Pope Benedict among others, in his years before becoming the Pope, has written extensively on the subject. Collective Theology is not within the doctrine of the Catholic Church. It is up to each individual to live the way of Christ. There are some great shows on the EWTN television that explain the Churches positions clearly. G.K. Chesterton, has written extensively on this as well, especially in his book, “What’s wrong with the world.”
2. Just like the oil industry, our health care system is not a free market “Private System”, rather it is far from it. Today, it is heavily regulated, and this began during WWII. Government and insurance companies control the exchange of all goods and services in health care. During the 1940’s, our federal government would not allow employers to provide raises to their employees - yes raises! Back then unemployment was less than 1%, so the challenge for employers to retain and recruit was exacerbated by the government imposed wage freeze. A decade earlier, Blue Cross had been established, as insurance companies had postulated employer based health plans. Roosevelt was a socialist and favored this approach. Soon almost all Americans had employer based health care, again as a means to attract and recruit. This was the end of a free system where doctors made choices, and set costs. Now government and insurance companies set rates. Policies were not allowed to be sold across state lines; as a result the patient is not the customer and lack of competition drove prices even higher.
3. The World Health Organization is a group represented by many countries. The United States and Israel are the only two republics in the world. Thus, other countries would support government run health care. Physicians for a National Health plan are a very small group whose positions reflect that of the extreme left wing liberals. In reality, most physicians do not support a national government lead and rationed health care system. There are many other options for care to all, via the States and communities. A free market system would induce competition and keep prices low, as well as purchase of insurance across state line…. for example.
4. By December, our government will have exceed its debt ceiling, and Obamacare has not been fully implemented! The government is spending 263 billion dollars a day! Where do you think the money will come from? Government spends every penny each year, it has no saving account. i am in favor of safety net programs for the needy, but I do not wish to pay taxes for things that are morally wrong, nor do I wish to encourage individuals to become dependent on government handouts. Instead of cutting merely social programs, which should be run effectively, we should be reducing the size of government, not increasing it. The system perpetuates this dependency.
5. The comment about war are typical of liberal rhetoric. In some cases I agree with you, but not all. Thanks to the Americans, the Hilter regime fell. And our efforts against terrorists and supporting Israel are necessary, as most of the world looks to us for assistance. Our Department of Defense, is not the place to cut. It is important to look at the 50,000 government agencies that are spending the 263 billion per day.
6.Marxism works well until you run out of other peoples money. It is better to teach a man how to fish, rather than simply provide him with fish. When more than 40% of Americans are on food stamps that is a red flag! We have lost our infrastructure to manufacture even the simplest things here in the US, thanks to government induced trade agreements. DC is out of control and very corrupt. DC will never fix DC, it is full of DCvers. Their goals are to preserve government and control money. I have worked in DC, and seen the game playing first hand.
7. I have to ask if you have ever read our Constitution, and the Federalist Papers, which are the documents that explain its interpretation.
The history we have been taught in our schools has not been accurate, as it was revised by the socialist Presidents in our country in the early 1900’s. If we have not read these documents, then have we shirked our civic duties. We cannot preserve our liberty and our God given rights until we understand our history and our Constitution.
8. Government is not the cure for the problem, it is the problem.
Celinedesilva:
Your post that states: “According to the World Health Organization and the Physicians for a National Health Program, the United States spends twice as much per capita on healthcare compared to other countries such as Canada, Britain & Germany, who have universal healthcare. It is currently considered a privilege in the U.S., not a right. Those that support the healthcare initiative believe that it should be a right to have affordable, quality healthcare instead of just a privilege.
1. If you want an operation in these other countries you cite, you will often wait months. A friend of mine in Canada, had to apply to the government to have her baby in a hospital. She did this before she was actually pregnant. One year later, and now pregnant, she had still not been approved. That is why they do not spend as much, they do not offer as much in terms of care, treatment, and technologies. Americans want access to the best treatments and care available, yet they do not want to pay for it. Most people I know spend more money on things like hair cuts, dinner out, and cell phones, but they hate to pay a doctors bill, or pay 10 dollars for birth control (which i am against). Really?
Tampa, Florida USA has a model local healthcare system that funds 40 percent of people who cannot afford it, like my lawyer hub who just had surgery and had to be monitored for his diabete in the hospital for a month. 40 percent of people in Florida who was an Obama state DO NOT HAVE INSURANCE, NOR CAN THEY AFFORD IT. 2k WAS HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST HIM, NOT ME AT 49. We couldn’t have kids. Don’t assume all the people you think YOU ARE BETTER THAN ARE ALLLL ON BIRTH CONTROL. There are people here who are tired of people like you who think every prayer and labor and delivery is soooo done correctly. Investigate Most Catholic hospitals are not alll Catholic. They are few and far between here. Most hospitals here that are not teaching hospitals I would never enter. If it is not a teaching hospital tied to a major medical school or tied to a university, it is no good.
Get real.
To the person from Florida:
You can thank our govt, for the poor rationed care one receives in many hospitals. It its so heavily regulated that hospitals in most states, which employ
the same model of care. They have no choice in the care that is offered. No one here is making assumptions about anyone, except the fact that most people do not wish to pay anything for their care. We can thank govt for this too, as it was Franklin Roosevelt, who forced employers to offer health insurance, after mandating that no employer could provide a raise or increase salaries. Govt had been in cahoots with Blue Cross decades prior. Once everyone was enrolled, doctors and patients lost control of their care. This is what happens when govt intervenes.
Today, if health plans were allowed to be purchased across state lines, that would be the first step towards reducing the cost, and gaining control. Also, people need to recognize that their doctors bill its okay to pay, and much more important than a cell phone bill, the monthly hair stylist, manicurist, our cigarettes. We have our priorities in the wrong place, which is due to govt propaganda.
Jesus would want everyone to receive compassionate care. “HEAL THE SICK” he told us. We should have universal FREE health care in this country for ALL people. If that means higher taxes on the rich who cares? I make $60,000 a year and if I am willing to pay my fair share, what the heck is wrong with people making $100,000 or $200,000 paying a little more? All this whining from Republicans is sickening greed, nothing more.
Patience - there is NOTHING free. Many concsequences are connected to your UNcatholic forced socialist/marxist reasoning.
Patience:
When you say, Jesus would want us to heal the sick, etc. Yes, out of charity and community,NOT, government! The church had never supported socialism. You should care about the rich and successful. They too are children of God! How would you like 55% of your earnings to go to the federal government. That is stealing from one to give to another. What you don’t underhand is that you gave given the control and decision making regarding your health care treatment and care planning to some government bureaucrat! Why do you think socialism has plunged the world.‘s countries into darkness. You do not know, what you do not know. Jesus never said, let the government fix you’re neighbor’s problems! Nor did he say, the rich and successful are evil and deserved to be punished.
Patience:
Those who make more than you already pay more. This us why we call it a graduated income tax system! Last I checked, 20% of ten dollars is still less than% of the same. One problem its that government spends 263 billion dollars a day and adheres to no budget. The second problem is that 48% of Americans pay ZERO taxes. In fact, the top 1%- the rich already cover 70% of the tax burden. In life, it is a reality that nothing is free. Free health care for all its just not possible, and the program you will get, will result in sub-standard care. Health care should be between you and your doctor. Anyone who thinks that other countries have good health systems are misinformed. There is a reason that people come to the US from all over the world to get care.
@Patience you hit the proverbial nail on the head.
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