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End Obamacare, and people could die. That’s okay.
Washington Post ^ | January 23, 2015 | By Michael R. Strain

Posted on 01/23/2015 5:09:35 PM PST by Oldeconomybuyer

Say conservatives have their way with Obamacare, and the Supreme Court deals it a death blow or a Republican president repeals it in 2017. Some people who got health insurance as a result of the Affordable Care Act may lose it. In which case, liberals like to say, some of Obamacare’s beneficiaries may die.

Columnist Jonathan Chait wrote recently that those who may die are victims of ideology — “collateral damage” incurred in conservatives’ pursuit “of a larger goal.” If these are the stakes, many liberals argue, then ending Obamacare is immoral.

Except, it’s not.

In a world of scarce resources, a slightly higher mortality rate is an acceptable price to pay for certain goals — including more cash for other programs, such as those that help the poor; less government coercion and more individual liberty; more health-care choice for consumers, allowing them to find plans that better fit their needs; more money for taxpayers to spend themselves; and less federal health-care spending. This opinion is not immoral. Such choices are inevitable. They are made all the time.

If Obamacare perishes — and I hope it does — conservatives should be ready to coalesce around a concrete replacement plan, like I’ve described here. And liberals should be ready to debate them, knowing all the while that they, too, are advocating policies that will fail to save some of the sick and injured from the fate that ultimately awaits us all.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aca; journalism; liberalism; life; marxism; obamacare
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Michael R. Strain is a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute.
1 posted on 01/23/2015 5:09:35 PM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Keep Obamacare, and people WILL die.


2 posted on 01/23/2015 5:10:38 PM PST by Politicalkiddo ( 'We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.')
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To: Politicalkiddo

Writing this reply and people will die.


3 posted on 01/23/2015 5:12:07 PM PST by deadrock (I is someone else.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

People have died because of Obamacare.


4 posted on 01/23/2015 5:12:58 PM PST by Parley Baer
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

people have died before Obamacare.


5 posted on 01/23/2015 5:14:12 PM PST by bikerman (2015 new motto--- slugs for thugs.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
In a world of scarce resources, a slightly higher mortality rate is an acceptable price to pay for certain goals

Except that he's wrong. A higher mortality rate is associated with death panel thinking. Make no mistake, government health care is part of the euthanasia movement.

6 posted on 01/23/2015 5:15:04 PM PST by xzins ( Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Those who truly support our troops pray for victory!)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

There were endless stories about people whose lives were endangered by the fact that they were losing their coverage and losing their doctors, and not one Democrat gave two hoots about it.

They want their way, regardless of who dies, regardless of the endless numbers of people losing their coverage.

To hear them accuse Republicans of the very thing they are guilty of is... typical.


7 posted on 01/23/2015 5:17:25 PM PST by marron
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
"If Obamacare perishes — and I hope it does — conservatives should be ready to coalesce around a concrete replacement plan"

What did Americans do before there was health care insurance.
8 posted on 01/23/2015 5:18:44 PM PST by clearcarbon
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To: xzins
A higher mortality rate is associated with death panel thinking. Make no mistake, government health care is part of the euthanasia movement.

Exactly. Actually, the writer's arguments rather miss the point. The Death Panel is the point. Thank you.

9 posted on 01/23/2015 5:18:46 PM PST by marron
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Bammy is really good at killing people.


10 posted on 01/23/2015 5:20:25 PM PST by Paladin2
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Uh, news flash mr. strain. The mortality rate world wide remains at 100%. I will not give another dollar in contributions until something is done about this travesty. :>}


11 posted on 01/23/2015 5:20:50 PM PST by rktman (Served in the Navy to protect the rights of those that want to take some of mine away. Odd, eh?)
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To: clearcarbon
"What did Americans do before there was health care insurance. "

They ate their arugula and Waygu Beef and liked it....

12 posted on 01/23/2015 5:21:50 PM PST by Paladin2
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Better they die a natural death than be executed to balance the budget.


13 posted on 01/23/2015 5:22:04 PM PST by 9thLife ("Life is a military endeavor..." -- Pope Francis)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Keep Obamacrap, and MORE will die - with fedgov’s “blessings”.


14 posted on 01/23/2015 5:22:16 PM PST by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

The only thing the government should cover is catastrophic medical care costs - which would funded by all taxpayers.

People should be able to take care of non-urgent medical care themselves.

The point is not to cover everything but to keep people from going broke if they get extremely ill. Both conservatives and liberals can get behind such a proposal.

Obamacare tries to do too much, is too expensive and simply unworkable.

Yes, we’re going to have some kind of single payer system. But it won’t be expansive as the Left wants because what can government do best and what should government leave well enough alone?

That’s a debate the country needs to have.


15 posted on 01/23/2015 5:23:03 PM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: xzins
Except that he's wrong. A higher mortality rate is associated with death panel thinking. Make no mistake, government health care is part of the euthanasia movement.

Hear, hear.

Got big backers, too. Dr. Zeke was a keynote speaker at JPMorgan's industry-leading healthcare conference recently.

16 posted on 01/23/2015 5:23:12 PM PST by 9thLife ("Life is a military endeavor..." -- Pope Francis)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

so now no govt entitlement program can ever be shut down no matter how sh1tty it is?


17 posted on 01/23/2015 5:24:36 PM PST by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
The replacement plan should be to get Government ouf of healthcare unless they're funding a cure.
Open up the nation to bid for their plan across state lines and the prices will fall.

As it goes now, healthcare is impossible for MOST Americans. The prices have skyrocketed.
This concept is killing the economy, stagnating our economy, killing our jobs.

Obamacare should have millions of people extremely pissed off when the bill comes.
And those who are not PO'd support socialist agendas and do not deserve to be Americans.

18 posted on 01/23/2015 5:26:26 PM PST by MaxMax (Pay Attention and you'll be pissed off too! FIRE BOEHNER, NOW!)
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To: Secret Agent Man

No one is saying government should do nothing. But government should not do everything.

Its all about striking their right balance between where government can do the most good and preserving individual freedom.


19 posted on 01/23/2015 5:28:34 PM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: goldstategop

it shouldn’t do anything that the private sector offers.

there is no such thing as govt charity. for a govt to be charitable to some group it prefers, requires govt to forcibly confiscate from others it does not prefer.


20 posted on 01/23/2015 5:33:08 PM PST by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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