How Embarrassing Is This?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24343698
I know the Septics don't normally give a rats bottom for world opinion but surely they must know what they look like here! It seems that they'd rather shut up shop than have a civilised healthcare system. I don't think Obamacare is the correct approcah but at least it's a step in the right direction.

[Kromovaracun]

This has happened before - under Clinton I think.

It's a quirk of the American system where the branches of government are divided and are both very powerful. It has some advantages, but this isn't one of them.

[glasman]

One would think septics would need a good healthcare system.

[Canary42]

Rednecks rule.

[Old_Geezer]

They look a country divided. Divided on how much one should have social responsibility and thus pay via taxes for a good health care system for all, and how much should be the responsibility of the individual to care for themselves and their family instead. Occasionally it blows up to have a noticeable consequence. C'est la vie.

[jno]

I suspect Congress is much more divided than the people they represent. But it's happened before when ideological Republicans have decided to take on a Democratic president

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cifamerica/2012/jan/25/newt-cry-baby-gingrich

[Hypognosis]

Not quite as embarassing as...

http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/patient+dumping

They just really have it in for the low paid and the unemployed over there and resent anything resembling 'redistribution of weath'.

By which I mean that the higher a person's salary is, the fewer sick days they tend to take. The higher up the management chain they are, the less stress-related illness they tend to get. So enforcing extra deductions for all (a new 'tax' with no reduction in income tax rates so that no one is out of pocket) where, inevitably, it is the less well off who are suffering more illness, drawing on the pool of funds and getting treated, means that the perception is that it is them (the rich) directly forking out to pay for the treatment given to the poor.

The oft repeated phrase is "I got mine..." with an optional "and I'm not going to let you take it off me". (I stopped using Facebook months ago but saw a lot of comments of that ilk when debates cropped up). So there also seems to be some level of fear that the gubmint is coming to take their (high quality) employer health plan off them and foist a shoddy one-size-fits-all, standardised nationwide level of service on them, possibly at a worse rate of monthly subscription.

At least that was the nearest I could get to understanding the levels of vehement opposition and rage being expressed by them about Obamacare.

They, or their father or grandfather fought against communism and they seem to view socialism as being much the same thing. Fairness in healthcare (or any aspect of life, come to think of it) is just totally anathema to their culture.

[youngmafbog]

Nothing worse than a Red in the Bed though. They are right to be wary of them.

[boxtops]

Isn't Sarah Palin in the Tea Party, which is holding all this up?

[gingejbee]

Not as embarrassing as...."Septics"....

[Gromit]

History repeating.

Shortly after Clinton won his second term, the Republicans did the same stunt. They wanted the already third world medicare slashed, so they refused to agree the budget. And there was a shutdown for several months before it was resolved. That time it backfired and the public tended to blame the Republicans for the ensuing chaos.

[society]

I think Obama behaves as though he's above the constitution. He refuses to negotiate.

[mikey4444]

We all moan these days about the state of our NHS, but, by God, I'm glad I'm not an American !

[taichiperson]

There's a lot of political and racial prejudice, and this video explains a lot. Call it 'Obamacare', and if you don't like Obama, you're dead against it. Call it 'Affordable Healthcare' and all of a sudden it's much more palatable. Obamacare is just a nickname, and it would appear that it's been very effective in stirring up opposition against it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx2scvIFGjE