More Than a Victory, the Decision Today Was a Mandate for Us to Act ...an end zone dance from Michael Moore

Thursday, June 28th, 2012

Dear Friends,

Even though it's been a few hours now, I'm guessing you're still pinching yourself to make sure you're not dreaming. But yes, it happened. At 10:07 this morning, the conservative Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, John Roberts, not only joined with the liberal justices to completely uphold almost every single part of the Obama health care law, he wrote the majority opinion himself! In fact, he went even further. When he realized that the government had poorly made its constitutional case to the court, he went searching for a clause in their argument and the constitution that would give him the justification he needed to back the administration and to insure that his decision would hold up legally. In other words, even though he is on the opposite side of the political fence, he wrote the Dems' paper for them. Stunning.

The other four justices? They didn't just vote to overturn the individual mandate part of the law, they all voted to kill the entire Act.

The media is already spending much time talking about the mandate being the "centerpiece of the law," but the real news is that if you ever have a pre-existing condition, you cannot now be denied insurance. If you are a young adult without health insurance, you can now stay on your parents' plan until age 26. The insurance company can no longer say there is a lifetime cap to your coverage. The insurance companies are now required to spend 85 cents out of every dollar they take in on actual reimbursement for your health care – not on profit or "administrative costs" (some companies have been taking over a 30% cut; Medicare's total percentage of their budget for administrative costs: 2%).

I know that our side is not used to victories and so we're not quite sure how to respond when we get one out of the blue. For some of us, the first inclination is to point out just how weak the Obama law actually is, that it doesn't provide true universal health care (26 million will STILL be uninsured), and that it leaves control of the system in the hands of the vultures, otherwise known as the health insurance companies. The individual mandate was a huge gift to the private insurance companies, guaranteeing them billions more from millions of new customers. And many of the key provisions of this law don't even take effect until 2014 – and if the Republicans win in November, you can kiss all of that goodbye.

So, yes, the bill is highly flawed and somewhat wrong-headed – but what it IS is a huge step in the right direction. And today's court decision cements that. The right wing knows this and they are probably unraveling in some not-so-pretty ways right now. And that's why today is a great day. The Right has been smacked down by one of their own! They know what we all know — that the path of history has been, and will continue to move toward the basic human right that all people are entitled to see a doctor and NOT have to worry about losing their home because they can't afford to pay the medical bills. Those days are over, or will be soon, and that is where civilization is headed. It's not headed back to the days of Oliver Twist. Today's victory is momentum, it's forward motion, and we WILL have true universal health care in this country in the not too distant future.

So take some time tonight to celebrate; this is a victory for the people. Actually, more than a victory, it is a mandate that all of us must now make sure that a second-term Obama continues to move the ball down the field, toward a system like they have in every other First World country on the planet. He simply has to improve Medicare and then expand it to every citizen in the country. The countries that do this, their people live an average of two to four years longer than we do. Is there a reason anyone doesn't want an extra four years of their lives? Or that our babies would have a better chance of surviving their first year like they do in the 48 countries that have a better infant mortality rate than we do? Exactly who is opposed to this? You'd have to be a bit…crazy.

And that, I've come to believe, is the true divide in this country. It's not blue state vs red state, liberal vs conservative, Democrat vs Republican. The split we have in America can be boiled down in its simplest form to this: On one side are the people who believe Adam and Eve rode on dinosaurs 6,000 years ago – and then there's everyone else. On that first side are the people who've been fed a diet of fear and lies and hate. And who is feeding them? The 1%. The richest people in the country, the ones who aren't done with us yet because they still don't have enough wealth, have done their best to dumb down the population through destroying our educational system and using media to provide them with a vastly distorted sense of reality. The rich's only obstacle is that they only hold 1% of the votes in the country. So they have to try to get a slim majority of Americans to vote their way. And fear, plus keeping them stupid, usually works.

So that's the battle ahead of us: Organizing and mobilizing the majority of Americans to push for true universal health care, Medicare for All. At one time, back in Illinois, that was the position held by Barack Obama. He will not make this happen on his own. He will only be able to do it when the mass of American people rise up and demand it. Demand it. Why not start tonight?

Five years ago this week, my health care documentary, Sicko, opened in theaters across the country. I have spent the better part of the decade on this issue, and for me, personally, fully aware of the current law's limitations, I am very happy with today's news – not because of its specifics or nuances, but because it is a road sign, and that sign points in the correct, humane and sane direction. THAT makes this a great day.

Yours,

Michael Moore

Forget the fact that I'm going to treatment soon and having set aside funds for the things I'll need while away, or oh even better my entire SSI aid now going to health care and not going to help off set expenses within the home, things that I need such as toiletries, gas to get to thearpy, and my othr mental health appointments...

Oh and the fact that I do have Aspergers, fought long and hard for the aid I do receive, because the jobs I did get I lost due to social mis-communication and just not 'fitting in' Oh but the employers didn't word it that way, more of dancing around things and avoiding my question of 'Why am I being let go?' when I showed up for work always early, and on top of that never once complained about doing more then my fair share, pitched in etc...Loyal etc...

And so far as those that dislike my run in sentence structure, I'm a bit too upset to notice your pickyness, that is my stance this mandate bing upheld you're welcome!

This post was last modified: 06-30-2012 07:29 PM by Hannah Capps.

Will SSI still be in affect if this "mandate" occurs? Well? I am on it too.... so I don't know where it will bring me....

As I understand it, Obamacare has no negative effect on Social Security.

Then try telling that to those nitwits in the GOP!

EDIT: Oh wait... they want to get rid of Social Security

This post was last modified: 06-30-2012 09:45 PM by Genesis.

They want to get rid of a lot of things, and they are willing to blatantly lie in order to do it. The only reason anyone still takes them seriously is that the mainstream media does not call them on their lies, no matter how absurd.

it is now called Obameny care, by many

republican states will opt out of the medicade/ medicare increases, wherever they can.

so actually, the amount of care you get other than SSI, depends on whether you are in a republican run state

its a shame that it is this way, because there are some mighty fine republican citizens out  there, who through their own ignorance may lose it all.


If you are a people first person:

Vote democrat!

This post was last modified: 06-30-2012 10:13 PM by skyblue1 .

Forget the fact that I'm going to treatment soon and having set aside funds for the things I'll need while away, or oh even better my entire SSI aid now going to health care and not going to help off set expenses within the home, things that I need such as toiletries, gas to get to thearpy, and my othr mental health appointments...

Oh and the fact that I do have Aspergers, fought long and hard for the aid I do receive, because the jobs I did get I lost due to social mis-communication and just not 'fitting in' Oh but the employers didn't word it that way, more of dancing around things and avoiding my question of 'Why am I being let go?' when I showed up for work always early, and on top of that never once complained about doing more then my fair share, pitched in etc...Loyal etc...

And so far as those that dislike my run in sentence structure, I'm a bit too upset to notice your pickyness, that is my stance this mandate bing upheld you're welcome!

You have no worries, per this new legislation as long as you continue to qualify for SSI.  Individuals who qualify for SSI, already are automatically covered under medicaid.  

The current medicaid program is separate from the Affordable Health Care Act.  Individuals already covered by SSI, are not impacted by any requirement to purchase additional health care insurance, and they will continue to receive medicaid regardless of what the state determines in accepting funding for medicaid expansion under the Affordable Health Care Act.

There are currently no plans by any government official to attempt to eliminate SSI benefits or the medicaid benefits that are part of that general benefit. These benefits are protected by federal law, and are provided in every state.

The plans in the past that have been discussed to alter social security benefits are for the elderly, not the disabled who receive Social security disability benefits or those that receive SSI benefits, under the Social Security Administration's control.

At least not yet.

Those that suffer the most will be those individuals who are in these republican states that refuse medicaid funding expansion for there citizens under health care reform.  Those living under 100% of the poverty rate, will not receive any subsidies, if they wish to purchase insurance.  And they will automatically be exempt from having to purchase insurance, and will receive no tax penalty, because unsubsidized premiums will exceed maximum percentages of income level required to purchase health care under the new plan.

This medicaid expansion will offset the expense to states and the citizens of those states in funding emergency care in hospitals for those that cannot afford it and/or not covered by health care insurance, which is currently legally required in these states. There is no significant state fiscal advantage to avoiding federal dollars to cover 100% of medicaid coverage to their impoverished citizens other than partisan politics.

Unfortunately these individuals don't have the power or influence to do anything about the injustice other than to move out of the state, which some will likely do, in a potential life or death situation for a chronically ill family member.

I would predict that in most cases no matter what rhetoric we have heard in the past and are currently hearing, these states will be no more likely to turn down this money from the government than they were to turn down stimulus money, that was also a highly opposed partisan issue.

These states are likely holding their breath, in hopes that Romney will get elected, and be successful in repealing the health care act, rather than soaking their own hands with blood, acting as state death panels for some in their states whom are chronically ill needing treatments to live, by refusing the funding for medicaid expansion by the government.  

One can bet if this was a Republican sponsored plan, there would be no significant rhetoric/threat to opposition of the funding per any state in the country.

And the program in Massachusetts was recently proven not to result in the decline of the job market, as has been a major right wing talking point against healthcare reform.  There is almost universal coverage among the citizens in that state.

Romney is going to have a tough time, defending a repeal of this plan, per the rationale he has provided to defend the plan in his state, in the 2008 election, per his contention that everyone should be covered under insurance, so others would not have to pay for unfunded emergency care.

It is in complete opposition to the idea that states should refuse the expansion of medicaid and continue to provide the only solution of emergency care funded by other citizens in the state, to those who live in poverty, that do not qualify for current state insurance benefits.

He looked like he was walking on egg shells, in his response to the decision earlier in the week on TV.

I heard about this from TheAmazingAthiest.

Funny thing is some republicans are saying that to escape this "socialist" system they're going to move to Canada. A more socialist country.

In short: Republicans are quite thick.

The thing that really gets to me about this story is that once again, we had to wait for the nine kings and queens of America to say whether or not we can have something that was passed by both houses of congress and signed by the president. That's right, the most powerful branch of government in this democracy is the one that is completely unelected.

There almost 8 million health related jobs available, for those that wish to get the education needed

sounds like a positve jobs program to me

its pretty funny I usually lean towards Conservative but really lately I'm not sure where I lean in fact scrap the entire political system any type of it...What happened to 'Help one's neighbor' not out of obligation or bureaucracy but of human decency?

A human someone that has a face and needs help at times, man nothing makes me feel better then helping others when I'm really in the dumps emotionally...Time is a comadaity as well as money, in fact I think time coupled with the blood sweat and tears metaphorically speaking is more valuable then money is...Money comes and goes, but time is fleeting...

I point the finger to myself above all else because inward focused thinking isn't mentally healthy for me at this point, helping others in turn helps me...Lord I sound like a preacher or something, but I say this with heartfelt honesty because as an Autie and Human and myself I cannot be anything but honest...

edit to add: thank you for those that commented, I feel more at ease and I thank you for finding the information that was a huge question mark in my head though I will be looking more information up on my own as I do love research

This post was last modified: 07-01-2012 10:13 PM by Hannah Capps.

Having sat through a college-level history course, I can understand how socialism could be a confusing subject.  You've got Robert Owen and other captains of industry, you've got church people.  Even Marx noted different forms of socialism that had influenced pre-industrial society (although feudalim is still capitalistic).

Marxism on the other hand would not seem to support requiring all individuals to pump funds into the hands of CEO's (no matter how those funds were regulated after the fact).  

In fact, I am very confused about this individual mandate business, start to finish.  I thought there were going to be better government grants to individuals whose healthcare was insufficient, and more people would be elligible.  That would seem to be socialistic.  But forcing people to buy stuff--might be a great talking point for people who love to talk about "free markets" but of course the truth is, no market is ever free.  It can be dominated by elected accountable people, or by the rich, but every market in the world is tightly controlled.  It is socialistic to distribute power more evenly across the population--it is capitalistic to concentrate it in the hands of the few.  I just don't understand how requiring me to patronize a business--requiring me to contribute to a corporation's power--can be seen as anything but capitalistic.

In my mind, human decency includes everyone getting together and saying "we will each contribute a small portion of our income to make sure that no one can fall past a certain point." Human decency, to me, also requires that we call out anyone who says "I got mine, screw everyone else."