Health Care reform forced down American's throats

President Obama’s enjoyed a victory on health care reform Sunday night — but the win was a split decision for Democrats, not a knockout. House Democrats, who have endured months of draining debate and attacks from tea party activists, including a deriding jeers from a group of protesters outside the chamber Sunday, were more relieved than overjoyed — and many may have been casting votes, for their own political extinction. Out of regard to the very possible consequences for House Democrats, the White House publicly refrained from expressions of jubilation or even relief.

President Obama commented: It's a victory for the American people, and it's a victory for common sense." How is it a victory for the American people when many independent polls showed that most American’s were against it. A “victory for common sense” what a phrase, who’s common sense does this refer to? They say this will not incur any cost to the Federal Government – that is very true. Guess who is paying for it – the American Middle Class – the same group of people who always get beat down. Now when I say middle class, I am not speaking about those families who make over $200,000/year. In my mind, that is not the true middle class. The true middle class getting hurt here are those with a family of 4 or 5 that make between $45,000 - $90,000 per year. That is the group that continually gets beat down and struggles to move up the ladder. Number one is that in my book, if you have a family of 4 and make under $55,000 per year, you should be in the poverty class.

Now the Senate must now pass a set of complicated reconciliation packages to defuse political fallout from the "Cornhusker Kickback” ($100 million in Medicaid funds for Nebraska which was removed from the bill after so much bad publicity) and other controversial deals made to get the bill passed there — and postpone an excise tax on high-end “Cadillac” health plans (this tax hits many middle class American who currently have good insurance through their employer). Still alive is special spending for Connecticut and Montana that was included in the health care bill that the Senate approved in December. The projects from Montana and Connecticut were items President Barack Obama wanted removed. There was push back from two influential committee chairmen, Democratic Sens. Max Baucus of Montana and Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, and to guarantee their votes, their projects have survived. Many democrats in the House went along with the vote in hopes that the Senate will follow through and reconcile some of the provisions. If they do not accomplish this in the Senate, the law still takes effect with all the current provisions intact.

Attorneys general in 11 states have warned that lawsuits will be filed to stop the federal government overstepping its constitutional powers and usurping states' sovereignty. States are concerned that the burden of providing health care will fall on them without enough support from the federal government. Ten of the attorneys general have plans to band together in a collective lawsuit on behalf of Alabama, Florida, Nebraska, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and Washington.

In Virginia, Attorney General Kenneth Cuccinelli, is formulating plans to file a lawsuit in federal court in Richmond, Virginia. He stated that Congress lacks authority under its constitutional power to regulate interstate commerce to force people to buy insurance. The bill also conflicts with a state law that says Virginians cannot be required to buy insurance, he added. "If a person decides not to buy health insurance, that person by definition is not engaging in commerce," Cuccinelli said in recorded comments. "If you are not engaging in commerce, how can the federal government regulate you?"

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, many pending lawsuits, bills and resolutions have been introduced in at least 36 state legislatures that seek to limit or oppose various aspects of the reform plan through laws or state constitutional amendments.

I do not understand all of the provisions of this Bill, but I do sense that some of them will be quite costly to the American Middle Class. What will the effects of this Bill passage be in 2 years, 5 years and 10 years down the road? It does not look good for the stability of our children and of our children’s children. Out grandchildren will most likely take the brunt of the fallout. Change for changes sake is not a good way to proceed.