Health Care Reform

If so few Americans actually like ObamaCare, where did the support for it come from in the first place? Well, the problem of skyrocketing health care costs is very real. Unfortunately, the Republican Party establishment did not take the issue seriously during the presidency of George W. Bush, and then failed to offer a strong alternative to ObamaCare when it was first presented. Understandably, many Americans lost confidence in the Republican Party to solve the problem and offered their support for ObamaCare at the time, as it was the only game in town.
However, that’s no longer the case. Congressman Paul Broun, M.D. (R-GA) has presented an excellent “repeal and replace bill” called the Patient OPTION Act that includes many common-sense, market-based health care reforms to drive down costs and save taxpayer dollars.
The Tea Party has forced the Republican Party establishment to take on important issues such as health care reform, and as conservative alternatives to ObamaCare grow more and more prevalent, support for ObamaCare continues to dwindle. As people learn more about ObamaCare and are given a real choice, they’re moving away from President Obama’s plan in favor of patient-centered health care.
Still, ObamaCare is now written into law. How do we get rid of it, as things stand today?
There are only two ways to end ObamaCare. One is through the Supreme Court striking it down on constitutional grounds. The other is to repeal it through Congress.
The first method relies on sound legal arguments. FreedomWorks has contributed by filing an amicus brief detailing the law’s unconstitutionality. Furthermore, we have also created a petition to end ObamaCare that currently stands at more than two hundred thousand signatures. We delivered this petition to the Supreme Court, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) offices.
Unfortunately, we cannot put our full faith and confidence into this method. If even one nominally conservative justice gets cold feet at the idea of striking down part or all of a sitting president’s largest legislative accomplishment, ObamaCare will be upheld. If we’re lucky and the Court comes through for the 75% of Americans who believe that the individual mandate is unconstitutional, great. If not, then this method is no longer an option.
We may be feeling optimistic, but relying solely on the courts is a dangerous and risky game. Thankfully, there’s little reason to play it. As Americans, shouldn’t we rely on ourselves instead?
FreedomWorks believes that the best method to repeal ObamaCare is through our elected representatives in Congress. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has already promised that if the Republicans keep the House and win a simple majority of the Senate, then the first bill sent to the president’s desk will repeal ObamaCare.
This is the battleground for conservatives in November. By all means, other issues are important and must be taken seriously. However, the health care industry counts for a fifth of our economy. Reversing the government takeover of health care and replacing it with market-based reforms aimed at lowering health care costs for all citizens must be our top priority.
Once again, it’s time for the grassroots of America to tell Washington with a clear, unified, and resolute voice: We do not support this unconstitutional and hideously expensive law. We must build upon our successes in 2010 and complete our conservative takeover of the Senate while maintaining control of the House.
It’s time for us to go to work. Let’s make this the last year of ObamaCare—and the first year of affordable, patient-centered health care.