On Saturday, November 7th of 2009, the House of Representatives passed the bill for the Affordable Health Care for America Act. On that Saturday night, the tension was high among the House Representatives over the fate of the Affordable Health Care Bill. As the Democrats in the House of the Representatives waited to hear the long awaited results, they were anxious and filled with anticipation. When the last eight seconds of the voting period approached, Democrats exploded with joyous sounds of cheer and happiness. The billed passed with a 220-215 vote. Republicans in the chamber were not too pleased with the outcome of the legislation; as the Democrats cheered, the Republicans stood with their arms crossed.
Affordable Heath Care seems like a dream, right? You might be asking yourself, “Why wouldn’t Republicans and Democrats both agree on such a tremendous idea?”
To put it simply, Democrats generally believe that the government should make advances in taking care of the nation’s citizens. Generally, Republicans hold the view that citizens should work their way into earning money to support themselves. Only a single Republican voted in favor for the bill Saturday night, 219 Democrats voted in favor for the bill. A total of 39 Democrats voted against the health care bill. The tally was very close, in order for the passage of the bill to be valid, there was a requirement of 218 Democrats in favor for the bill. The fate of the Affordable Health Care Bill could also be held accountable because of the fact that the Democratic Party is the dominate party in the House of Representatives and in the Senate. Another reason for the passing of the health care bill is associated with abortion. Abortion issues are included in the Affordable Health Care for America Act, which is one reason why so many Republicans opposed the health care bill.
There are a number of reasons why Republicans oppose the Affordable Health Care Bill. After a voting session, the Republican National Committee released a very opinionated statement on the health care bill. They believe if the new bill is made into a law, that families’ health care costs will increase, the nation’s deficit will increase, Medicare will be cut, and taxes on small businesses and the middle class will increase.
One pro of the health care bill, is that the Affordable Health Care Bill will provide health care to an individual even if they lose their job. This is supremely important and necessary in our economic times, with all the job losses. Sickness strikes both the employed and unemployed and it is comforting to know that regardless of an individual’s employment status, they will have health care. When I was informed of this particular aspect of the health care bill, I was brought back to the reason why so many immigrants admire the United States. The United States is commonly viewed as a caring nation who is concerned about its citizens. If a citizen is unable to care for themselves, the United States government will make efforts in caring for that particular citizen. This Affordable Health Care Bill represents a large part of what our glorious nation stands for, and our nation’s stand for security.
One con of this newly, proposed law is that small businesses and citizens might possibly be taxed in order to support this health care plan. This idea may seem simple, but some citizens are having a hard time obtaining money for themselves and their family already. In the poor economy, small businesses are barely holding on by a thread because of the lack of consumer activity, some businesses simply cannot afford to lose anymore money. If this bill passes as a law, the effects could be devastating.
Before we get ahead of ourselves, it is important to know that this newly passed bill is not yet a law and the criteria under this bill is still susceptible to change. There are a series of crucial steps in our government required for the passage of every law. Next, the Senate will be required to vote on a version of the Affordable Health Care Bill. If the Senate is in favor for the version of the bill, both the House of Representatives and Senate will need to vote together on a reconciled version of the bill.
Obviously, there are always pros and cons when discussing the fate of our wonderful nation, and there will always be people who either oppose or support existing laws. As citizens, we should all do our part by staying informed on current issues and developing our own opinions on the status quo of our nation. By staying informed, and by being mindful of the opinions of other individuals, we might be able to come to a consensus with a little more ease.