# What is your ongoing opinion of the Affordable Care Act? (Title Edited) **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 17, 2013, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-ongoing-opinion-of-the-affordable-care-act-title-edited/647561 "2013-01-17T23:21:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 140
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-ongoing-opinion-of-the-affordable-care-act-title-edited/647561/2782 "2014-08-07T17:57:47Z")
Fucking hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-ongoing-opinion-of-the-affordable-care-act-title-edited/647561/2783 "2014-08-07T18:04:06Z")
Two years and 56 pages since this thread started, still not fully implemented. Elvis believes the PResident is “fixing” the bill. It’s good government. Really. Not politically motivated at all, he just wants the law to work well. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-ongoing-opinion-of-the-affordable-care-act-title-edited/647561/2784 "2014-08-07T18:07:25Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Elvis believes the PResident is “fixing” the bill. It’s good government. Really. Not politically motivated at all, he just wants the law to work well. Dude, for the President (and Democrats in general), having the ACA work well _is good politics_. So yes, they’re politically motivated to have the ACA work well. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-ongoing-opinion-of-the-affordable-care-act-title-edited/647561/2785 "2014-08-07T18:08:07Z")
Good government \*is \*good politics, for one thing. For another, what do you offer as an alternative? Repeal and sue, nothing else. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-ongoing-opinion-of-the-affordable-care-act-title-edited/647561/2786 "2014-08-07T18:14:11Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Dude, for the President (and Democrats in general), having the ACA work well _is good politics_. So yes, they’re politically motivated to have the ACA work well. So then you would agree that the employer and individual mandates, as well as the Medicare Advantage cuts, should NOT be fully implemented at this time? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-ongoing-opinion-of-the-affordable-care-act-title-edited/647561/2787 "2014-08-07T18:15:38Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Good government \*is \*good politics, for one thing. For another, what do you offer as an alternative? Repeal and sue, nothing else. How about implement the law as written, or ask for fixes if something in the law is broken? The Republicans repealed CLASS when the President asked them to. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-ongoing-opinion-of-the-affordable-care-act-title-edited/647561/2788 "2014-08-07T18:23:11Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > How about implement the law as written Yes, your party is strongly in favor of that, aren’t they? > [@](#): > > or ask for fixes if something in the law is broken? You know there is no point in asking. Tell us why that is. Pull the other one. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-ongoing-opinion-of-the-affordable-care-act-title-edited/647561/2789 "2014-08-07T18:27:07Z")
Republicans voted to repeal CLASS. Be truthful with yourself now. YOu know these delays are to save the law and Democrats’ skins. The law would work better if the mandates were fully implemented. The only reason they are being delayed is politics. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-ongoing-opinion-of-the-affordable-care-act-title-edited/647561/2790 "2014-08-07T18:31:29Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > So then you would agree that the employer and individual mandates, as well as the Medicare Advantage cuts, should NOT be fully implemented at this time? The mandates should be fully implemented eventually, in some form. Modifications can be a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-ongoing-opinion-of-the-affordable-care-act-title-edited/647561/2791 "2014-08-07T18:33:11Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > The law would work better if the mandates were fully implemented. Which is why you’re opposing them. Right. > [@](#): > > The only reason they are being delayed is politics. Well, true, but you could be more specific about the reasons, couldn’t you? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2014, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-ongoing-opinion-of-the-affordable-care-act-title-edited/647561/2792 "2014-08-08T01:00:43Z")
Yes. The law is unpopular. They thought it would be popular by now. Until the law is popular, the political damage the mandates will do is a big problem. The administration’s strategy is to delay the pain as long as possible while trying to dish out the good stuff to build up support for the law. Once the law is popular, then they can let the pain be felt. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2014, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-ongoing-opinion-of-the-affordable-care-act-title-edited/647561/2793 "2014-08-08T02:35:41Z")
For anyone outside of the anti-clue field, PPACA is popular. The benefits of the law have been, and continue to be popular. The number of people polled who either support the law, or want an even stronger law, is (and continues to be) a solid majority. The relentless GOP smear campaign against Obamacare has so poisoned the well that “PPACA” polls better than “Obamacare” even though they are the same thing. All that’s old news. A more recent development is that this law is popular among huge numbers of Kentuckians, who now have insurance they can afford. Can’t call it “Obamacare” because the well has been thoroughly poisoned, but even Mitch McConnell is supporting the Kentucky implementation of PPACA. He made the patently false statement that the Kentucky plan would have happened anyway. Nice tap dance, Mitch. At this time one more GOP lie about this issue is like another water molecule in the ocean. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2014, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-ongoing-opinion-of-the-affordable-care-act-title-edited/647561/2794 "2014-08-08T03:16:28Z")
McConnell hasn’t backed away from repeal. Grimes, on the other hand, won’t explicitly support the law. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2014, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-ongoing-opinion-of-the-affordable-care-act-title-edited/647561/2795 "2014-08-08T07:15:38Z")
Anyone who pays the mandate tax is a first class sucker: The Act provided exemptions to the penalty for certain groups, such as illegal immigrants and members of certain Native American tribes or religious sects. The Obama administration has since added exemptions for hardships like domestic violence, property damage suffered in a fire or flood, or having a health plan canceled when ObamaCare came into effect this past October 1. One exemption, written as being for people who “experienced another hardship acquiring health insurance” does not require documentation. > **[Millions of uninsured Americans exempt from ObamaCare penalties in 2016,...](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/millions-of-uninsured-americans-exempt-from-obamacare-penalties-in-2016-report-finds)** > > A new congressional report has estimated that more than 25 million Americans without health insurance will not be made to pay a penalty in 2016 due to an exploding number of ObamaCare exemptions.  The administration is evidently counting on four million people being stupid. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2014, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-ongoing-opinion-of-the-affordable-care-act-title-edited/647561/2796 "2014-08-08T11:25:51Z")
Why is the administration treating info on [healthcare.gov](http://healthcare.gov) like a state secret? The states have been very transparent about who is enrolling, how many people have paid, and how much rates are going to increase next year. The feds, not so much. > **[Tale of two Obamacares: States open with info, feds not much](https://www.cnbc.com/2014/08/07/tale-of-two-obamacares-states-open-with-info-feds-not-much.html?__source=yahoo%7Cfinance%7Cheadline%7Cheadline%7Cstory&par=yahoo&doc=101892437)** > > HealthCare.gov won't disclose some key details of Obamacare, including how many people have paid, insurer market share and proposed 2015 prices. At least 11 states are either regularly releasing information about the special enrollment tallies or will provide such information when asked. And the proposed premium rates for next year’s plans on 12 of those 15 exchanges are publicly available, usually from the state’s insurance regulator. Read MoreGAO blasts [HealthCare.gov](http://HealthCare.gov)’s lax planning, oversight One state-run exchange, Covered California, held a press conference last week to publicly reveal the proposed rates for that marketplace, which sells more Obamacare plans than any other in the U.S. Bethany Frey, a spokeswoman for Washington state’s Obamacare exchange, said, “We just think it’s important to share” the information that CNBC had requested. “We know that people are interested in the data,” said Frey, whose state’s exchange, along with that of Massachusetts, is one of just a few to report enrollment only if someone has paid for their plan. Source: [Healthcare.gov](http://Healthcare.gov) The federal government’s lack of transparency on these questions has irked Obamacare supporters and critics alike. It also has raised questions about whether the Obama administration is withholding answers to questions—particularly about HealthCare’s “paid rate” and how much premiums will rise in 2015—because of fear that information could hurt Democratic candidates in the this fall’s congressional elections. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2014, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-ongoing-opinion-of-the-affordable-care-act-title-edited/647561/2797 "2014-08-08T11:34:13Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > McConnell hasn’t backed away from repeal. McConnell is talking out of both sides of his mouth, i.e., lying. Here’s a local editorial about it: [http://www.kentucky.com/2014/05/28/3262267/say-again-senator-aca-unkynected.html?sp=/99/349/](http://www.kentucky.com/2014/05/28/3262267/say-again-senator-aca-unkynected.html?sp=/99/349/) > [@adaher](#): > > Grimes, on the other hand, won’t explicitly support the law. Because she doesn’t want to drink from the poisoned well. Kentuckians like Kynect, their state’s implementation of PPACA. They’ve been taught to hate “Obamacare” as much as they hate anything. But now that Kynect is working for them, they like having health coverage. Hence McConnell’s lie that the propaganzied Obamacare must go, but the popular Kynect ought to stay. Even though they are the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2014, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-ongoing-opinion-of-the-affordable-care-act-title-edited/647561/2798 "2014-08-08T13:21:40Z")
[The Republican lie campaign continues …](http://kdvr.com/2014/08/07/castle-rock-woman-makes-questionable-claims-in-new-crossroads-gps-ad-attacking-udall/) > [@](#): > > But the woman in the ad, Richelle McKim, is actually an employee of an energy company that is among the biggest donors to Udall’s opponent; and her story, which seemingly contradicts information on her publicly available LinkedIn profile, is at least more complicated than the 30-second version hitting Colorado’s airwaves starting Thursday. > … > Reached by phone Thursday afternoon at her office, McKim explained that she went back to work in 2010 because it was too tough making ends meet on her husband’s income. > > “It wasn’t the Affordable Care Act,” she said. “It was just a financial burden, having a single income for so long.” > > When she was working from home, McKim and her young children were covered under her health insurance plan and her husband went without insurance. Adding him to the plan would have cost the family an extra $800 a month because he’d been treated for high blood pressure. A production of Crossroads GPS, headed by Karl Rove. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2014, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-ongoing-opinion-of-the-affordable-care-act-title-edited/647561/2799 "2014-08-08T13:29:02Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Anyone who pays the mandate tax is a first class sucker: Shall we tell them to bill you if they are the subject of enforcement? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2014, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-ongoing-opinion-of-the-affordable-care-act-title-edited/647561/2800 "2014-08-08T14:14:26Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Anyone who pays the mandate tax is a first class sucker Yes, but because for a similar amount, they can buy actual health care coverage. ---
**Author:** ![2ManyTacos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/3da27b/32.png) [@2ManyTacos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2ManyTacos)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2014, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-ongoing-opinion-of-the-affordable-care-act-title-edited/647561/2801 "2014-08-09T00:31:28Z")
I think everybody who supports the ACA would almost universally agree that the IM was designed _on purpose_ to be relatively toothless, given that it’s largely geared towards pushing people to purchase coverage as opposed to forcing them to do so at gunpoint. The employer mandate, on the other hand, is not toothless & provides part of the financing mechanisms for ACA reforms. It needs to be enforced in full _eventually,_ but in the meantime the gradual phase-in that the administration is doing is probably the most politically expedient way of doing it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-ongoing-opinion-of-the-affordable-care-act-title-edited/647561.md?page=139) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-ongoing-opinion-of-the-affordable-care-act-title-edited/647561.md?page=141)