A few humble thoughts on the debacle known as Obamacare.  Including those of hope.  Yes, hope.

Indeed, the problems of Obamacare are too many to list. But here is one that stands out. Unfortunately. Few of us can understand the damned thing.

True!  For proof go to healthcare.gov and find the glossary of terms used in Obamacare.  Start in the A’s with Accreditation Actuarial Value.  End in the Z’s with Zero Cost Sharing Plan.

Obamacare has hundreds of terms you and I don’t ‘ferstand. We are not sure we know what healthcare exchanges are and do. We sure don’t know about CSR’s. And how they threaten to destroy healthcare. If they are not fed emergency reimbursements.

Meanwhile we’ve got to broaden exemptions to individual mandates. And raise the threshold of employer mandates.  And don’t forget the good ol’ Stability Fund.  Let’s hear it for single payer.

Are you still awake?

Two questions: We don’t understand Obamacare. So how are we supposed to intelligently debate it?  And do you truly believe your congressguy understands this stuff any better than you do? Nancy Pelosi sure doesn’t.

Another thought on this mess has to do with deceit.  We had politicians promise to repeal Obamacare.  They solemnly  promised voters.  Before the vote.  Openly.  Blatantly.  Now, safely in Congress, they vote to keep it.  They can call their votes whatever fits in their press release.  I call it deceit.  I call their promises lying and them liars.

They belong in the Congressional Hall of Shame.  Which is a pretty crowded place. It is packed with recent inductees who promised to reform immigration.  And to simplify taxes.  And who ignored these subjects after elected. They lied to voters, period.

And Congress people wonder why the public rates them below skunk dinners?

Is there any hope in this fiasco?  Yes.  Perhaps that surprises you.

Used to be major legislation got votes in Congress from both sides.  The no votes came from the extremes on the left and right. The big laws were fashioned by both sides.  That is, by the middle. That gave them a better chance of success long-term.  The civil rights legislation is the best example of this.  (One party now claims credit for the laws.  Truth is, both parties created the Civil Rights Act.)

Obamacare was written totally by the left.  It got not a single vote from Republicans.  It was rammed through Congress on a procedural trick. Zero input asked from Republicans.  Zero given. (Actually, there was a request. But it was a PR gesture.  Input was ignored totally.)

The attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare was written totally by the right.  It got not a single vote from Democrats. In other words, Congress went from one extreme zig to another extreme zag.

There is a golden opportunity now to drive a tank called “co-operation and compromise” down the middle of this divide.  These days some lawmakers are in fact trying to discuss healthcare with their opponents. They could use a boost from the President.

If the President was politically savvy he would see the opportunity.  He has hinted that he does see it.  Will he act on it?  We will have to wait.

Lyndon Johnson would by now sprawl across the middle.  He would bargain, swap horses.  He would promise goodies to the left and right.  He would entice pols to legislate together.  Emphasis on “together”.

“There are no problems we cannot solve together, and very few that we can solve by ourselves.” LBJ.

The opportunity is there.  If the President will seize it.  If he did he might break the logjam. We might begin to see a lot more co-operation between the factions in Congress on other matters.

Hope springs eternal.

From Tom…as in Morgan

You can write to Tom at tomasinmorgan@yahoo.com. You can read more of his writing at tomasinmorgan.com.