ACA Impact

We as a nation and a government look incompetent when we shut the government because grown men and women cannot do their jobs. The function of the federal government is to make laws and treaties, request and authorize expenditures, and to move the country forward via the democratic process that requires, no demands, COMPROMISE.

No one party holding a belief, idea, notion, or policy option can dictate that policy to the rest of the country. They may know in their hearts they are right, that their interpretation of the issue under discussion is the only conceivable option but they still MUST convince a majority of the nation of the correctness of their views. Absent a convincing argument and the agreement of those previously in opposition, that position cannot be the law of the land. In this case, there must be dialogue and eventual compromise to move the country forward.

Today the Tea Party truly believes their interpretation of the value and desirability of the Affordable Care Act (ACA - aka Obamacare) is the only realistic choice for the country. Unfortunately they represent at the most, 25 percent of the voting electorate. Likewise the polls say somewhere around 50 percent of the population has concerns about the ACA which has not be fully implemented. Both houses of congress approved the bill, it was signed by the President, and then key elements of the bill were validated by the Supreme Court. No doubt there are problems with the ACA as postponements and changes have already been made. But no matter how strongly the Tea Party dislikes the bill, it is the law of the land until rewritten, amended, or overturned by BOTH houses of congress and signed by the President.

I do not believe the bill represents the best interest of all parties but it is the law of the land. The Tea Party shows total disregard for the democratic political process by trying to defund the ACA with the government funding legislation. This is not a fascist state nor a dictatorship where the democratic process can be hijacked by a few individuals.

Given that the Tea Party holds nowhere near a majority, they must wait their turn. Let the flawed bill be implemented. Its flaws will be obvious and then maybe a majority of Americans will agree with their position. In the meantime, to hold the democratic process hostage to the bullying of a few ultra conservatives in not good for the country and badly tarnishes our international standing. And if that were not enough, IF they attempt the same ploy with the increasing of the national debt limit, this country's preeminent fiscal position in the international community will be so badly diminished, we may never recover. The Tea Party faithful are playing with fire, unfortunately we will all get burned out if they do not come to their national senses.