Plato's Accuracy vs. Your Choice

Kaiser Health Tracking Poll: March 2014:

As the clock ticks down on open enrollment for new coverage options under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the latest Kaiser Health Tracking Poll finds that six in ten of the uninsured are unaware of the March 31 deadline to sign up for coverage. When reminded of the deadline and the fine for not getting covered, half of those who lack coverage as of mid-March say they plan to remain uninsured. Meanwhile, four in ten of the uninsured are still unaware of the law’s subsidies to help lower-income Americans purchase coverage, and half don’t know about the law’s expansion of Medicaid. Among the public overall, general opinion of the ACA moved in a more positive direction this month for the first time since November’s post-rollout negative shift in opinion. While unfavorable views of the law continue to outpace favorable ones, the gap between negative and positive views now stands at eight percentage points, down from 16 percentage points in January. Four years after the ACA’s passage, a little over half the public says they are tired of hearing the national debate over the law and want the country to focus more on other things, while four in ten say it’s important for the debate to continue. At the same time, six in ten want Congress to keep the law in place and either leave it as is or work to improve it, while three in ten would prefer to see it either repealed and replaced with a Republican alternative or repealed and not replaced.

OK, America. This Hope and Change thing is not working. I'm not bashing the administration; I'm trying to wake up the American people before we collapse. ACA will not work for this nation given the way it was introduced. Perhaps in a distant future it will, but that will take collaboration, compromise and citizen buy-in.

The future of our country rests on a simple principle - the people. Get off your friggin "entitlement" wagon and make a difference!

Plato nailed it...
(courtesy Frostburg State University Philosophy Department):

"Democratic self-government does not work, according to Plato, because ordinary people have not learned how to run the ship of state. They are not familiar enough with such things as economics, military strategy, conditions in other countries, or the confusing intricacies of law and ethics. They are also not inclined to acquire such knowledge. The effort and self-discipline required for serious study is not something most people enjoy. In their ignorance they tend to vote for politicians who beguile them with appearances and nebulous talk, and they inevitably find themselves at the mercy of administrations and conditions over which they have no control because they do not understand what is happening around them. They are guided by unreliable emotions more than by careful analysis, and they are lured into adventurous wars and victimized by costly defeats that could have been entirely avoided."

OK, in all fairness, I realize this post may have come across as agenda-like....sorry to the mods. ( )

I really just want to alert folks to their own decision-making process. Of course, I suspect most folks on this site are not the targets. In any case, be aware that the ACA deadline is this month. For those of who meet the description of the poll, may I quietly suggest that you consider the alternatives to voting with your heart?

Getting off my soapbox now...

What should the people do? Nobody I know directly voted for it.

For once I'd like to see an OP in praise of Obamacare... you know, how many millions have been helped, lives saved, lowered hospital costs etc...

I always love reading good satire...

reply to post by Elton


Great question!

While the expected answer would be for me to tell you what to do, the best answer I can give is share the idea that we - as a people - can meet and discuss these topics in a forum. Yes, there will be belligerence and hatred, but I believe that is the natural method. When groups get together, we call it forming, storming and norming.

Eventually, we will meet in the middle. It will take time - something we no longer appreciate or understand.

Baby steps...

reply to post by jrflipjr


There is a simpler version. Not everyone does this but then it only takes the majority to stuff up the system.

Politicians act with greed for power and wealth as their primary motivator.

Citizens vote with greed as their primary motivator with an attitude of what's in it for me.

Self interest rules!

This is democracy.

P

reply to post by madmac5150


I respect your post. I would love to hear how ACA is a well-developed program that will benefit EVERYONE. Compromise is a minimum, but I want facts based on true citizen buy-in. I don't want facts based on skewed numbers by the press, independent organizations, or biased ones.

Game on!

"Would you like to play a game?"

reply to post by jrflipjr


The ability to get coverage even with preexisting conditions seems nice.

Mandating everyone in the USA must have health insurance seems kind of like a gift to the insurance industry. :/

reply to post by Elton


Good copy!

It's interesting that socialized health care is rather universal, but completely new in the US - and alien to the way we're used to doing things. Based on my experiences overseas, I can tell you that socialized medicine does work. BUT, it must be pointed out that most countries view freedom, health care, and government under a different light. I recommend anyone to walk a mile in their shoes. The US can probably introduce ACA to the citizens, but the government is being forced to solve it under an austere economy, a severely divided bicameral congress/nation/media and the fact that most people don't have a clue when it comes to our current state of affairs.

Reference:

reply to post by pheonix358


I like it!

I agree because it's all about "what's in it for me?" Of course, as a decent American I have to accept that there are others who disagree - "what's in it for them?"

Ergo, compromise and collaboration.

Ive always agreed with the basic impetus behind this thread. Having a democratic society that functions seems to be predicated on the education and intelligence of the populace to make informed decisions that go beyond merely taking their base self interests into account.

The last time I walked around in a walmart, all my sense were assaulted with the CLEAR fact that this is most certainly not the case.

There are three gaping holes in our legal system of governance:

- we can vote entitlement programs in. This should not be allowed, and could be achieved more from the angle of laws to limit the amount of tax base our government is allowed to operate from.
- we are allowed to spend limitlessly, especially on military. Same as above....this can be stifled easily by limiting the tax base that is allowed to be charged for.
- money is not limited on campaigns and on lobbying. The seats (and their support staff) in DC are allowed to be massive movers in money.

Now, we can argue about the Federal Reserve. I understand the concepts behind fractional reserve. And can't say it is a horrible system. Only that it is manipulated.

If we had laws that limited tax base value on all levels, then we could limit the ability to buy off constituencies. We would also start to choke the ability of our elected officials to broker power, as moneys for Bridges to Nowhere become far, far reduced. Military can only be a reflection of The People. And cities like NY and Chicago would became less influential on national politics, thus reducing the effect of our population centers making laws that effect everyone else outside their cities.

A lot of our problems are tied to the ability of our government officials to spend limitless amounts of our money in exchange for deals that don't particularly meet the best interest of The People. We fund their backroom deals, and they are able to keep taking more and more of your money in the process.