The Supreme Court of the United States recently said “yes” to Obamacare by declaring president Obama’s law constitutional but the vast majority of Americans continue to say “no.” In fact, nearly two thirds of Americans say they oppose the law and fully half of the country wants to see the law repealed. This negative attitude towards greater government involvement in healthcare contrasts sharply with that of Europeans who consider their government-managed national healthcare systems with universal access to be one of their most cherished rights. The resistance to Obama’s healthcare reform is based on two main objections. First, a traditionally strong fear that interventionist solutions that increase the size and scope of the central government will ultimately threaten individual liberties. Second, worry about the increase in government spending that the reform causes and its impact on the national debt.
The fear of “big government” has been a constant throughout American history and this is enshrined in the very foundational documents of the country, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, that were designed to limit government power and protect individual liberties. Historically the Americans have defined liberties and rights as what the government can’t do to you rather than what the government should do for you. Obamacare has only been partially enacted and already the threat to liberty has materialized. Following the high Court’s decision, the government can now force private citizens to purchase private medical insurance against their will.
This is an unprecedented expansion of government power. Theoretically the government could now force citizens to buy any product or service as long as the Congress considers it necessary for the general welfare… legal scholars say that it could even compel the purchase of broccoli because it is good for you! Obamacare has also sparked concern for religious liberty. The government now requires that all insurance policies provide access to controversial medications such as abortifacient contraceptives with no exceptions for conscientious objection.
Aside from abstract liberties Obamacare opponents are concerned about very tangible issues such as cost. The law will expand government spending by 2 trillion dollars over the next ten years and add to annual deficits. The country’s total debt of 16 trillion dollars has increased by 50 percent in just three years under Obama is already equal to 100 percent of the gross domestic product. The solvency of the state is in serious danger. Ironically, Obama seeks to dramatically increase the spending on social assistance programs just when European countries are beginning to scale back benefits in order to reduce their costs.
Any fair society must care for its most needy citizens. America’s healthcare system needs reform in order to achieve that objective. The highly regulated private insurance market is inefficient and unaffordable for millions. And the public programs such as Medicare for the poor and Medicaid for the elderly populations are threatening to bankrupt the country. Nevertheless, most Americans believe that Obamacare may be a cure that is worse than the disease.
Glosario:
Repeal (derogar), cherished (valorado, apreciado), enshrined (consagrado), enacted (ejecutado, puesto en práctica), compel (obligar), scale back (limitar).
