The Unaffordable No Care Act

Trump has continuously stated that he wants to "Repeal and Replace" Obamacare, and it would be one of the first things that he would do when he reached the White House. Except this isn't going as he planned, and for good reason. The "replacement" for Obama's Affordable Care Act is one of the worst concepts ever suggested. For starters, it pleases nobody who can see past the party lines--it lowers the care people can get, it decreases funding (which Democrats hate) and it still has a significant deal of government involvement (which fixes almost nothing for the republicans). Obviously, there are parts that talk about special tax incentives for third-party insurance companies but that doesn't change the fact that the government is still "controlling" the people in the mind of a republican. For any person who is genuinely trying to find a good solution for affordable care, this replacement bill is extremely unsatisfactory. It angers both sides instead of just one. The mindset that we just shouldn't have a system like the Affordable Care Act in our government is also absurd--it is one of the best ways that the government can take care of us, the people, which is their job. A not-too-well-known fact is that during one of the most successful ages of Greece, in which Philosophy was important, health was promoted to an extent that the government would help pay for the people to go to the doctor. This happened on several other occasions in successful ancient governments. Historically, the Affordable Care Act is a good idea. So why are we not implementing it? For petty reasons like "the government is too involved". Looking past these petty reasons, a plan like this is more beneficial for everyone living in the country. However, it is only beneficial when it saves money for the people who need it the most, which is exactly what Trump's version of Obamacare does not do. Looking at the plan, you would actually be paying more to get care the less you make, which is counterintuitive. Rather than making healthcare more accessible to low-income families like Obamacare did, the new version does exactly the opposite. Generally, Obama's version of the Act was more beneficial to everyone living in the U.S. while Trump's is usually only beneficial to the upper class living in the U.S. Go figure.





Sources:
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/1628

Honoring Obama

Let's take a break from Trump. Keep him in the back of you mind, though, because he's real. But now that there are only 8 days (at the time I'm posting this) in his term, let's take a minute to honor Obama. He was one of our best presidents and in only eight years, he totally flipped the fate of this country. Despite having to clean up the huge mess left by Bush (who wasn't bad, just stupid), Obama was able to advance the country in a way that was unimaginable at the time he took office. He ended the war in Iraq, killed Osama Bin Laden, and and repealed "Don't ask, don't tell". He made the country more accepting to outsiders and suddenly, he made it okay to be different. Watching his farewell speech was heartbreaking. It was watching the end of all of his hard work, determination, and progress. From day one, he worked night and day to make this very country better for us citizens and made sure that no matter what our financial situation, that we could get healthcare and live a reasonable life. Despite the haters who weren't able to fully comprehend his actions, he built a true wonder of a country. And unfortunately, he is now leaving. Just for old time's sake, I'd like to bring back his first time being sworn in (click here).

It wasn't just Barack though, it's also Michelle. Unlike some, she did her job as a First Lady very well. She started many movements to keep the youth, and the future of America, happy, healthy, and successful. Her "Let's Move!", "Reach Higher", "Joining Forces", and "Let Girls Learn" initiatives encouraged young people to get up and do something, anything, with their lives. Her words and actions affected kids in an actually effective way, and her words mattered. She made just as much of a difference, if not more, as Barack.

Together, the Obamas ensured the security and happiness of American Citizens big and small. No matter who's our president now, it's going to be very difficult for these impacts to be undone. It's sad to see them go and be replaced by their exact opposites. Still, no matter what happens next, they will always be remembered.