Our President keeps trying to create ‘legacy legislation’ that will validate his regal presidency; at least two of them are turning out to be ‘legendary losers.’ The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) also known as ‘Obamacare’ and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) also known as the Iran Nuclear Deal leave serious concerns regarding the motives of this administration and raises questions about the meaning of ‘Hope & Change.’
The Affordable Care Act has turned out to be anything but affordable. Liberal Democrats who have faith in the illusion of a comprehensive healthcare law should focus on the Commonwealth of Kentucky where Republican gubernatorial candidate Attorney General Jack Conway was supposed to win big in the recent election. The polls showed that Republican Matt Bevin who was outspent by $3 million would lose. However, Bevin simply linked Obamacare to the Conway campaign, winning 107 of 120 counties and 53% of the vote.
Almost every segment of the present healthcare law is suffering from spiraling costs. Competition is being reduced among insurance providers causing them to merge; hospital mergers have risen to 288 over the past three years due to Obamacare regulations. The ACA was designed to offer ‘free money’ to those states that agreed to expand their Medicaid programs. At least 14 of the 30 states and Washington D.C. that took the free money are seeing huge increases in Medicaid costs; 59% in Ohio, 124% in Kentucky, 190% in California and 250% in Illinois.
Most of the $2.5 billion in federal grants for 23 coops has circled the drain leaving thousands of members uninsured. The Affordable Care Act is collapsing; not because of what Republicans have done but because of its incomprehensible concept, it’s incompetent introduction and its financially disastrous operation. A majority of voters opposed this law from day one.
Remember the Iran nuclear deal agreement in July of this year? Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has recently banned entry of all American consumer goods, is demanding the lifting of all economic sanctions, not just suspending them, eliminating sanctions against Iran that support terrorism and human rights abuses. The Ayatollah also insists on changes to the timetable of enriched uranium shipments and modifications to its plutonium reactor in Arak.
Thousands of Iranians recently celebrated the 36th anniversary of the Iranian U.S. hostage crisis in 1979. The celebrations in the streets of several Iranian cities included flag burning and raucous chants of ‘death to America’, ‘death to Israel’ and ‘death to the UK.’
You may not have heard that Iran test-fired EMAD, a ballistic missile designed to carry a nuclear warhead a considerable distance. Such tests are prohibited under the UN Security Council’s resolution 2231 passed in July. Reacting to this violation, both the UN and the USA have…….. remained silent. Two more people have been imprisoned in Iran, joining three others being held for vicarious reasons.
Do the citizens of our great nation want and need what could be an Obama third term personified by Hillary Clinton? Her ‘public life’ of First Lady, Senator and Secretary of State have been characterized by scandals, statements of misdirection and silence. Politicians at all levels are not above the law in their words and conduct, but should be above suspicion.
Here are some numbers defining her ‘public service.’ One ‘reset’ button for Russian comradeship, four men dead in Benghazi, 20 countries approved for arms sales following donations to the Clinton Family Foundation, about 60% of voters who believe Hillary is dishonest and untrustworthy and 400 classified E-Mails on a personal server. Hillary was certainly promised the presidency (by assent) when Obama dumps it into her lap in 2017.
The reason for the three or four candidates vying for the presidency among Democrats is that it is Hillary’s turn. Bernie Sanders and the other political punsters were sucked into the contest for the same reason that milk cows would be entered in a horse race. Democrats rely on speeches with hollow promises and retractable threats. The reason there are so many Republicans campaigning for the presidency is that they live in the forum of ideas, the arena of positive action and the front lines of leadership with resolve.