In classic Tom and Jerry fashion, this column’s aim is to reflect different and sometimes opposing aspects of discourse on each topic.
With the recent passing of the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010, otherwise plainly known as health care reform, debate has ensued over whether it is exactly the money-saving, effective and revolutionary bill it has been touted as.
Tom: It feels so foolish to have put faith in someone based on his empty rhetoric. Everyone was swept up in the hysteria of change. Better than McCain? Certainly, but the system is undeniably flawed. Politics in this country DO need to be changed. That is the great shame behind Obama, we actually believed he’d be the one to do it. Instead he abandoned the people who made his campaign inspiring and shacked up with limousine liberals and businessmen. He’s terrible. Even passing the monumental health care bill was understudied and rushed. Not to mention that it’ll put future generations in debt. How much of an accomplishment is that?
Jerry: Rushed? Understudied? They spent a year on it, Tom. And look at the final vote in the house. They actually got health care reform passed. What’s the problem with the legislation they passed? He’s set an agenda that I am very happy with and he is getting it done piece by piece. I’m not sure what the problem is.
Tom: Listen Jerry, I’m not completely unhappy with some of the bill, but the cost is overwhelming. There’s quite a bit to account for. Additionally, I don’t feel as if there’s been enough exposure of the bill to the public. Most members of congress on both sides admit to not even reading it. That’s a big issue for me.
Jerry: The cost is overwhelming? According to the Congressional Budget Office, this bill is a long-term money saver. It will pay for itself and then some. The failure of the Obama administration in year one is that they haven’t been campaigning. Essentially they haven’t been explaining, loudly and frequently, all the things they have been doing and why these are all smart things. The GOP, the health insurance companies and other special interests have been talking so much trash about Obama and everything he is doing. Even you can admit that it always hasn’t been easy to see things for what they are, from a more objective standpoint.
Tom: There are still doubts over the CBO’s projections that the bill will save $143 billion over the next decade. I think health care costs will probably bankrupt us.
Jerry: Eh, sounds overly dramatic to me.
Tom: The danger is not that we can’t solve our problems, but that Obama isn’t going to take the steps to. I don’t believe his approach has been sound.
Jerry: Give Obama some time. He staved off total economic collapse and passed really serious health care reform among other things, all in his first year and two months. Now that he has a little bit of that “experience” he was lacking in the campaign, let’s see how he does over the next year or two. I think you need to rate him relative to what is actually, legitimately possible Tom. With this congress, I am pleasantly surprised that this reform package covers as much as it does. In the words of President Obama: “I am not an ideologue.”