# "Supreme Court to hear latest challenge to the Affordable Care Act" **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 10, 2020, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supreme-court-to-hear-latest-challenge-to-the-affordable-care-act/925227 "2020-11-10T15:29:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supreme-court-to-hear-latest-challenge-to-the-affordable-care-act/925227/41 "2020-11-11T13:35:57Z")
> [@Kearsen1](#): > > Sure, but if it was really good legislation, that demonization is harder or not possible eh? Because it’s too many pages written in a way that few can untangle/understand. They depend on _truthful_ explanations of what any legislation means and will do. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supreme-court-to-hear-latest-challenge-to-the-affordable-care-act/925227/42 "2020-11-11T13:37:32Z")
The ACA is as centrist as possible, to get nearly everyone covered. There is literally no more centrist way to do it. Anything further would have involved direct government intervention. So, you’re just factually wrong about the ACA. Speaking of lies, let’s not forget the Republican lies about death panels and other ridiculous stuff about the ACA. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Kearsen1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen1)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supreme-court-to-hear-latest-challenge-to-the-affordable-care-act/925227/43 "2020-11-11T13:38:27Z")
I think that it isn’t that words fail. It’s the simple common sense that follows from when others are always looking for an excuse to blame anyone else. Look, the ACA was not written well, not as encompassing as it should have been, had too many faults. Basically bad legislation with good intent but rushed through because it COULD. The fact that either party could have written better since it’s inception doesn’t simply fall on the Republicans, for ANY reason you can drum up (and admittedly, likely to be trivially true) ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Kearsen1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen1)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supreme-court-to-hear-latest-challenge-to-the-affordable-care-act/925227/44 "2020-11-11T13:40:09Z")
Centrist by way of being a compromise, yes. Centrist by way of helping the most people? Not really. It was aimed at helping a small subset of people to the detriment of a whole lot of others. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supreme-court-to-hear-latest-challenge-to-the-affordable-care-act/925227/45 "2020-11-11T13:43:15Z")
> [@Kearsen1](#): > > It was aimed at helping a small subset of people to the detriment of a whole lot of others. This is definitely false. It helped millions get insurance, and even people who had insurance saw benefits – for example, I’m still covering my daughter in her 20s because of the ACA. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supreme-court-to-hear-latest-challenge-to-the-affordable-care-act/925227/46 "2020-11-11T13:45:40Z")
When one side makes a proposal, and the other side is interested only in destroying all proposals that side makes, compromise is NOT an option. The cat wants to kill the mouse, and you would blame _both_ sides for not coming to a compromise? 🙄 ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supreme-court-to-hear-latest-challenge-to-the-affordable-care-act/925227/47 "2020-11-11T13:46:35Z")
‘Trivially true…’ It’s right up there with, ‘Alternate facts’ Is remarkable phrasing. I’m pretty sure that’s **exactly** how the Republicans view all attempts to use fact based protocols, legislation, or arguments. They def have all the BEST phrasing! ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Kearsen1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen1)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supreme-court-to-hear-latest-challenge-to-the-affordable-care-act/925227/48 "2020-11-11T14:03:56Z")
Yes, Millions… How many millions? ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Kearsen1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen1)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supreme-court-to-hear-latest-challenge-to-the-affordable-care-act/925227/49 "2020-11-11T14:05:31Z")
Ok, you guys can win the day. I can’t argue against all the excuses and attacks on “Republicans” If you don’t see it, you will not ever. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supreme-court-to-hear-latest-challenge-to-the-affordable-care-act/925227/50 "2020-11-11T14:13:12Z")
> [@Kearsen1](#): > > If you don’t see it, you will not ever. Never was a fan of funhouse mirrors-Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Kearsen1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen1)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supreme-court-to-hear-latest-challenge-to-the-affordable-care-act/925227/51 "2020-11-11T14:22:31Z")
It is funny that you mention mirrors. They show you, you 😉 ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supreme-court-to-hear-latest-challenge-to-the-affordable-care-act/925227/52 "2020-11-11T14:32:40Z")
> [@Kearsen1](#): > > Sure, but if it was really good legislation, that demonization is harder or not possible eh? Assumes a level of rationality that has not been in evidence among Republicans as a group for at least the past 20 years. The ACA that you find so flawed is similar in its broad outlines to what Republicans themselves once proposed, and I believe was put forward by the Heritage Foundation, yet when Obama proposed it, it suddenly became the work of the devil, to be opposed tooth and nail and denounced as “socialism”. Today Republicans want to replace it with Trump’s plan, known informally as “something terrific”, the details of which are contained in a secret binder that we will all get to see “in two weeks”, as of about four years ago. If this is your idea of rational judgment, go for it, but count me out. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supreme-court-to-hear-latest-challenge-to-the-affordable-care-act/925227/53 "2020-11-11T14:54:20Z")
> [@Kearsen1](#): > > Yes, Millions… How many millions? About 20 million. And that doesn’t count people who could now afford insurance because of changes to preexisting condition laws. Eta: cite > **[Chart Book: Accomplishments of Affordable Care Act | Center on Budget and...](https://www.cbpp.org/research/health/chart-book-accomplishments-of-affordable-care-act)** > > Thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), more than 20 million people have gained health coverage. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Kearsen1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen1)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supreme-court-to-hear-latest-challenge-to-the-affordable-care-act/925227/54 "2020-11-11T14:55:14Z")
out of? ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supreme-court-to-hear-latest-challenge-to-the-affordable-care-act/925227/55 "2020-11-11T15:03:44Z")
Did you look at the cite? There’s a graph right at the top that can answer your question with some basic math. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supreme-court-to-hear-latest-challenge-to-the-affordable-care-act/925227/56 "2020-11-11T15:29:53Z")
Actually can you back up this statement please, > [@Kearsen1](#): > > It was aimed at helping a small subset of people to the detriment of a whole lot of others. You’re asking a lot of questions, even after they’re answered. So please, back up this statement that appears to be false at first glance. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Kearsen1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen1)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supreme-court-to-hear-latest-challenge-to-the-affordable-care-act/925227/57 "2020-11-11T15:47:44Z")
Are you asking for cites or are you asking whether the “detriment” is your definition of detriment? The people who had their rates go up The people who had to find new doctors Vs 20 Million now insured who were previously uninsured or under insured. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supreme-court-to-hear-latest-challenge-to-the-affordable-care-act/925227/58 "2020-11-11T16:05:11Z")
Your statement was that it helped “a small subset of people to the detriment of a whole lot of others.” Since you said a small subset were helped, I assume there were well _over_ twenty million people who had their rates go up or had to find new doctors. So how many were affected? ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supreme-court-to-hear-latest-challenge-to-the-affordable-care-act/925227/59 "2020-11-11T16:06:27Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Well, that’s going to disappoint a few Republicans. (Lookin’ at you, Mitch.) And after they bought and paid for what they thought was a perfectly good Supreme Court, too! Somebody needs to get fired over this. Is there anyone left to _get_ fired? I’d think that McConnell would breathe a sigh of relief if the Supreme Court preserves the ACA. The alternative is that the entire health care market gets thrown into chaos, and Biden and Pelosi quickly push forward a government-option health care plan and pound on the “do-nothing Senate” for not approving it. And it’s not like Senate Republicans will have their own alternative to offer – the problem that Republican’s have had since the ACA was passed is that they’re on board with the “repeal” but can’t agree on the “replace.” ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supreme-court-to-hear-latest-challenge-to-the-affordable-care-act/925227/60 "2020-11-11T16:21:20Z")
I get what Kearsen is saying. The ACA has always had the primary messaging that it helps poor people, that it’s insurance to help poor people. When we’ve told people in our family that we “use Obamacare” to buy our insurance (we’re self employed), they’re shocked. They either 1. Make the incorrect assumption that we’re poor, 2. Express disbelief that we actually use it to buy our insurance (we’ve had relatives say we’re just claiming that to score a political point), or 3. Show genuine surprise that it’s useful for middle class families like ours. Aside from from protecting preexisting conditions and allowing young adults to remain on their parents’ insurance longer, a large portion of the population still thinks the ACA really only offers insurance to poor people. The problem the Democratic party faces is that, over the years, they have become known for focusing more on poverty alleviation and less on lifting the middle class. I think there needs to be something that messages on drastically lowering premiums and deductibles, and less on covering the uninsured and underinsured. Most people have insurance, or don’t consider themselves “underinsured” (mainly because they don’t know any different). Just my two nickels. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supreme-court-to-hear-latest-challenge-to-the-affordable-care-act/925227.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supreme-court-to-hear-latest-challenge-to-the-affordable-care-act/925227.md?page=4)