Laying the Blame for Obamacare: Saturday Political Soap Box 73

Blame Bismarck.

The German Chancellor first proposed and adopted national health care in 1883.  Yes, it goes that far back.

Blame Jesus Christ, and every other major religion that teach humane values.  Because of their soft-headed nature, they won't let us abandon people in need (although some practitioners of these faiths have seemed to have forgotten this bedrock principle).

Blame Teddy Roosevelt.  He first proposed a national, more universal health care system in the United States, at the dawn of the 20th century.  It of course went nowhere.

Blame second cousin Franklin Roosevelt.  He of that nasty New Deal, that lifted the elderly out of abandonment and destitution, that began to form the safety net that helped preserve this country, and we escaped the chaos of communism and fascism that consumed the rest of the world.  The great unachieved part of the New Deal?  Universal health care.  Even FDR couldn't accomplish it.

Blame Harry Truman.  He pushed hard to put in place this missing part of the New Deal, but he was not able to affect change.

Blame Lyndon Johnson.  The Great Society accomplished Medicare, so at least the elderly had some protection, and Medicaid for the very, very poor. Of course, many states strip away at Medicaid as best they can, because God forbid that one of the no good "others" should get benefits from it.

Blame Richard Nixon.  He and Teddy Kennedy were just a breath away from a compromise on universal health care when it all fell apart.

Blame Bill and Hilary Clinton, for promoting a system to bring us closer to universal health care, that failed and almost destroyed his Presidency.  The failed push for this program led to the rise of Gingrich and The Republican Revolution of 1994.  He did help put in place SCHIP to help provide health coverage to those pesky poor kids.  I mean really, my conservative Georgia friends, don't you just hate Peachcare, Georgia's SCHIP and all it stands for? I am sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that all my conservative friends who are bad-mouthing Obamacare, have gotten their kids off Peachcare and told their other conservative friends to do the same.

All this led to the so-called unmitigated disaster that is Obamacare.  Why, the whole idea that everyone should be covered, even with pre-conditions, even when you change jobs, even when you are in college to be still covered by your family and up to 26 as you get your feet started in a career, that insurance companies should spend money on your health care instead of excess overhead, that families should not go bankrupt caring for a loved one, that access to preventative care should be improved (especially for women), that policies should be uncapped?  Why, the audacity of such thoughts!

Despite adopting a plan that was basically Bob Dole's plan in the 90s blended with Romneycare, the Republicans squallered and objected.

Despite being passed and signed into law, they cried and complained, and screamed it was unconstitutional.

Despite the Supreme Court affirming the law, Republicans would not let up.  Petulant and angry, they would defund the law!  They would risk a government shutdown just to show the world how toddler-like they could be!

Despite the state exchanges lowering rates in states that are cooperating, despite early signs the the rate of health care cost increases is slowing, despite the protections that are already in place, despite the fact that the individual components of health care poll well even if the law as a whole (when called Obamacare) does not, despite everything, they continue to try to take it away and start us over.  With no substitute plan in place.

They will not stop there. If they succeed, they will attack SCHIP, Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security.  Safety net?  We don't need no stinking safety net!

Take us back, they cry!

Take us back to before that no good Bismarck!

Goodbye the great religions of the world!

Hello Dickensian nightmare!