On Sunday, March 21st 2010 history was made in Washington D.C. Most everyone is willing to agree on that statement. However, your political leaning will determine if it was a good kind of history or not. M and I spent much of the day watching C-Span as the congress debated (heatedly at times) the merits of the healthcare bill that had already passed in the Senate. Just before 10pm PST, they finally got down to the business of voting. Nearly down party lines, the bill passed with a slender margin.
For my own part, I am thrilled to see this legislation. Yes, I know it will be riddled with problems and difficulties. Yes, it will probably lead to some unnecessary waste, fraud, or over-regulation. Yes, it will probably end up causing some form of sad hardship for somebody. However, I also think it will be a huge help to millions upon millions of ordinary people to get, keep, and use the healthcare they need. More than anything, this bill is a place to start, and that start has been WAAAAY overdue.
Some parts of the bill will be enacted right away, barring legal challenges, while others will be phased in over the next four years. A slightly more detailed description can be found here at CNN. Obama is all set to sign on Tuesday. Let's hope it doesn't get too bogged down in the meantime.
1 comment:
The part I found the most fascinating is the (good) news that adult children up to age 26 will be able to stay on their parents' health care.
We certainly aren't very independent young people nowadays. Not to sound like an old geezer but in my day, 26 year olds had long ago moved out, were supporting themselves, had their own job's health care, and already had three children of their own to provide insurance for at this point.
Changing times!
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