“Thank You” to Mary Kay Henry and the SEIU for such a propagandized election year set of Talking Points -- as transmitted through an Orwellian PR Release! Candidate Obama: “If a mandate was a solution, we could try that to solve homelessness by mandating everyone buy a house.” The Affordable Care Act will not Provide Care, nor will it make care affordable to any of those who did not have health care previously Because they could Not Afford it. There is now a Mandate to buy corporate insurance, without a Public Option (because Obama’s White House made secret deals to kill it). In Henry’s/SEIU’s world, a Mandate to Buy private insurance from corporations is called (sold as) “Providing.” If many are not mistaken (they aren’t), this would be the same Neoliberal Elite 1% obfuscation that played right along with crashing the world’s economy, then joined full force with the packaged ramming of “Austerity” worldwide. Next, let’s “solve [the Wall Street-Speculated Gas Crisis] by mandating everyone buy a [new Prius – every year]. Congressman Kucinich: “If this is the best we can do, then our best isn’t good enough and we have to ask some hard questions about our political system: such as Health Care or Insurance Care? Government of the people or a government of the corporations.” http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/01/05

Well said, SeaClearly. I don't understand why this piece, by a group that is definitely NOT a workers' union, is being reprinted here. For those who are truly interested in a health-care solution, I suggest you read the website run by the Physicians for a National Health Program: http://www.pnhp.org/

I have always been in favor of a single payer national health insurance plan or public option; however, since that wasn't feasible with the Congress we had (too many conservatives - red and blue) I actively worked for health care reform. I view "The Affordable Care Act" as a stepping stone to a future "Single-Payer/Medicare for All" health insurance solution. Some positive points about "The Affordable Care Act." 1.) More than fifty million Americans are without health insurance, now half of them can acquire affordable health insurance/care. 2.) 27,000 Americans have a chance to live instead of die each year. 3.) Without this "Affordable Care Act" each of us was spending $1,000 for those who sought emergency room care, because they didn't have medical insurance. 4.) Children/adults won't be denied care for pre-existing conditions. Cancer patients won't have their coverage dropped. 5.) Medicare prescription drug donut hole will be reduced over the next decade. 6.) Small businesses will receive a 35% tax credit so will be able to help pay for employees' health care coverage. 7.) Children can stay on their parents' health plan until age 26. 8.) More choices among health insurance plans. People who can't fully afford health insurance will receive a tax credit. 9.) All insurance policies will include free preventative care. 10.) If you like your health insurance, keep it, but now you will have more choices. 11.) Enforceable regulations/watchdogging of health insurance companies. 12.) According to the Concerned Consumer Union, "we will receive a new right to a refund or lower rates if our insurance company spends too much on CEO salaries, overhead and excess profits, and not enough on actual medical care. Consumers will get $1.4 billion starting this summer." As far as "mandates" go, all of us are "mandated" to pay taxes for highways, infrastructure projects, public education, libraries, museums, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and so on. These taxes are for doing good for the common good. This health care mandate will "do good" for millions of people. The government needs to stop giving tax cuts to the giant corporations and the super rich who pay a tax rate of 9-13% and some pay 0% (after factoring in bailouts, subsidies, tax benefits and tax loopholes - Nomi Prins.) Push for fair share of taxes for everyone. This will increase our revenues, and together with cuts to military spending and ending wars will reduce our debt and budget deficit. Therefore, the government will be in a better financial position to implement a single payer health insurance program. Presently, millions of people will be benefiting from "The Affordable Health Care Law." Is something wrong with that? Even though this "Act" isn't everything we were working for, it is a good beginning. The government has been trying to pass health care reform for FIFTY years with no success. It will be up to the majority of Americans to vote for politicians who promise to support "Single Payer National Health Insurance" as the best solution for the majority of people before such a comprehensive program will come to fruition. Such an "expanded and improved Medicare for ALL" program will have an added advantage, because according to Robert Reich, it will virtually eliminate the deficit. It is up to Democrats, Progressives, the medical profession and the rest of us to "sell" this program to our fellow Americans.