Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Health Care In America

Do you have an opinion on health care in America?  Research both sides of the current debate and give your thoughts on the state of our Nation's healthcare problem.  How would you fix it? 

73 comments:

  1. I think the health care in America needs a lot of work. We are the only industrialized country without an universal health insurance system. Because of that not many people have health insurance, and about 18,000 people die each year because they are uninsured. I really like how President Obama want to make sure that everyone is insured, but as a country we are spending way too much money on health care. Maybe if we come up with a stable system like Canada or Great Britain, we might save money and people. Have the health care publicly funded and administered on a provincial or territorial basis, within guidelines set by the federal government. Under the health care system, individual citizens are provided care and medical treatments from primary care physicians as well as access to hospitals, dental surgery and additional medical services. With a few exceptions, all citizens qualify for health coverage regardless of medical history, personal income, or standard of living. We just really need something stable and flexible. It will definitely take some time to get everyone on board, but its worth it if it saves lives in the end.

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  2. The United States judicial system has declared that all people are entitled to health care, if you are sick and unable to pay for health care, you can go into a hospital and they are required to administer treatment. The hospitals can charge for the treatment based on your ability to pay, if you are unable to pay you are able to receive free treatment. Since this is a basic premise of our society, we must have some way to subsidize and enable all individuals healthcare. President Obama’s health care plan, attempts to give everyone the ability to acquire healthcare for a reasonable amount, it also allows those who have healthcare through their job to keep that healthcare. Some of the benefits of the Obama healthcare reform act are that 54 million Americans now can receive a free preventive service, such as cancer screenings, through their private insurance plan and 3.1 million young adults have coverage on a parent’s plan through age 26. These are benefits that will directly impact my life because I am a young adult and I would like to have insurance until I can obtain it on my own. Obama’s plan tries to address the uninsured or under insured and have the flexibility to allow individuals to seek their own insurance if they desire. I believe this is a thoughtful solution and is actually the best of both worlds, if you want the premium healthcare and are willing to pay for it, it will be available.

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  3. The United States in one of the greatest Super Powers in the world yet it cannot find a proper way to budget way its health care system so all citizens will benefit from it. The United States is the only wealthy, industrialized nation that does not have a universal health care system. One of our largest problems is that no one is willing scratch the entire system and start over with a clean slate. Starting over would free 41% of Americans from medical bill problems and out of that portion, 60% would not be forced to file for bankruptcy due to medical expenses. From a financial, our minimum wage has increased by 3.8% in the past 5 years while health care premiums for new health care members have increased by 87%. Surveys in the U.S., Germany, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain have showed that more than 70% of adults believe that the government should not mandate health care (or at least have less control over it), and I agree with this statement. I believe America should have a flat rate for health care, with only one health care company. Every citizen would be required to have this basic health care that would cover necessities such as immunizations and check-ups. Then, families would pay any extra fee for any surgeries or medical operations.

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  4. I do not mean to sound like I have a heart of stone, but I do not think that we can handle a universal health care system. While universal health care may be the compassionate thing to do, Americans with insurance should not be taxed to cover the benefits for others.

    An individual mandate is a certain requirement that government spells out as a good or service a person must obtain. However, in 2010, the Supreme Court ruled that this could not be upheld under the Constitution’s Commerce Clause. In order to allow the Patient’s Protection and Affordable Healthcare Act to withstand judicial review, the Court said the law could legally stand as a tax.

    In his campaign, Obama promised no new taxes. I know he was eager to get Americans healthcare, but I do not think taxing America is the solution. About 4 million people will end up paying a penalty rather than the tax. Why should hardworking Americans that can provide for themselves have to carry the slack for others who could not do so?

    If this act was repealed and Obamacare was terminated, the federal deficit is estimated to lower by $95 billion. The Act was drafted to reduce healthcare costs overall and provide insurance to the 50.7 million million currently uninsured. However, this hasn’t been the case. Increasing the coverage may actually increase the costs.

    There are roughly 311,591,917 people in the United States of America. If I think in a time of such a recession, we should focus on benefiting the majority of society. Universal health care doesn’t need fixing, but repealing.

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  5. I believe that there are several things that need to be changed about our health care system. Although the odds that we would be able to sustain an universal health care is no where close because no one will agree to being taxed to pay for someone who does not have insurance at all to get treated. Obama claims that he will not create any new taxes based on his health care plan but then where does he propose he is going to get the money? Does he think that the people will just hand over money to him willingly? In all honesty there is no way that you can fix universal health care to make it better for everyone because it simply will not work. The only way that one can make it better is by getting rid of universal health care from the start.

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  6. The Health Care sytem in America seems to be the main issue that thousands of Americans are facing everyday. I believe that there is definietly a problem with the health care system in America. For one, everyone needs Health Care. This should be put into more perspective because right now they system is treated in such a way that it acts as if only some people really NEED HealthCare. I believe that a way we can fix it is adopt the United Kingdoms healthcare system. The U.K. features the National Health Service(NHS) which provides, from tax, HealthCare service to everyone in the U.K. Those who feel they need extra attention can purchase special healthcare packages at their own leisure. I feel that this would significantly impact the U.S. because people will see where their tax money is going an, in truth, it is going to a good cause. One problem faced with this, however, is whether or not implementing something similar to the NHS in the U.S. would increase taxes. Everyone knows that texaes are high enough in the first place and no one wants them to get even higher!

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  7. Honestly healthcare should remain the way it is. It's not right to let the poor be rejected by hospitals even if they are in dire need. That is why Obama is doing the right thing. A majority of the Americans are either part of the lower economical class or part of the middle economical class. The lower portion of the middle class and the entire lower class both most likely does not have health insurance and is dependent on the health care system designed by Obama. I believe their needs should be taken care of first and then the desires of lesser taxes by those who can afford the basics.

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  8. I think that the health care system we have now needs to be reformed. It should be an individual's responsibility to pay for their own health care, not the government. Others should not have to pay higher taxes - which just increased even more - to cover everyone else's health care. Whenever the government becomes involved in a private business, costs go up, shown by what has happened with Obamacare. Prices have already gone up 30%, and it is not even fully enacted yet. Individuals should have health savings accounts (HSAs) where health care premiums are kept in a bank and cashed in when you need them. Funds roll over to the next year if not spent and increasingly accumulate as time goes on.

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  9. The health care system in America is very complicated. Each side has its pros and cons. Obama care wants everyone to have health insurance. If you don`t then they will tax you. This includes the people who are on well fare and cant afford it. The health care system now many people don`t have health insurance. People who cant afford treatment can go to non profit hospitals that the community pays for with their taxes. If I could fix it I would take the best ideas from the countries that have Nationalized medicine and try to put their best ideas with our health care system today to try and reform it. I would also try to control the cost of medicines.

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  10. In my opinion, I do think that something needs to be done to the healthcare system in America. No matter what everyone should have health insurance, regardless of your social class. It's not right when someone that can't afford health insurance has to go to the hospital and then they're expected to pay the hospital bills which costs more than the insurance does. If it were up to me I would just have a good portion of all the sales tax money go toward helping people pay for the night in the hospital.

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  11. I think health care should be reformed so that everyone is covered under a national health care system. I don’t think it would completely work at first but, like Canada, if America reforms under a national health care system: wait time could become an issue if access becomes by relative need of treatment instead of by the full availability of services. With the elections coming up, I heard on a Sunday-special of “60 Minutes” Mitt Romney talking about “how health care is already provided for everyone” and he said that when someone has a heart attack, the ambulance picks them up and takes them to the hospital. I feel like he didn’t even take a moment to consider (or he just dodged the actual problem that 48.6 million people aren‘t insured..) that the issue has never been access but being able to afford it if you don’t have an insurance policy and you have to pay out- of- pocket. I also think in the meantime if we have provide a public health care system Americans should strive to take better care of their health to prevent health conditions like Type 2 diabetes. I also read that $132 billion dollars is being used each year by doctors’ misdiagnosing patients and this could be something that could also be worked on.

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  12. In my opinion, the health care that we have shouldn't be messed with. I would like for everyone to have health care. I really like what the Obama Care has to offer for America. One thing is that any legal citizen of the United States is guaranteed a health care. It also gives you a choice of having health insurance through a private provider or by the Health Care for America Plan. It is affordable and having health insurance will reduce the cost for those who are uninsured.

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  13. Obama Care is not the solution to this country's health care problems. Obama Care is just adding unnecessary debt to this country's already large debt. Everyone should be responsible for getting their own health care. Canada is able to have nationalized health care because of their population size. For a country with as much population as America a nationalized is not a reasonable solution. I think a solution might be for each state to have their own health care program similar to what Romney did in Massachusetts. The middle class is the class that suffers the most from government handouts. The American middle class can not and should not have another burden on their shoulders by having a nationalized health care system.

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  14. My opinion on health care in America is fine the way it is right now because through personal experience I have received all the care I needed and it has been effective which in results not only me but probably millions of other people getting healthy. To fix the health care, we should require people who don't pay for their health services to at least pay some kind of amount. They shouldn’t be able get these services for free with no strings attach while other has to pay in full. We should also repeal the Obamacare because its long term consequences will strangle our future by causing future generations to suffer. They suffer, for example, because they would have to wait in long lines that could possibly take their own lives for waiting too long for a certain transplant or just a simple surgery.

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  15. I think that the health care system definitely needs some reform to an extent. Every citizen should have the right to medical care. Currently however, only those that are insured can have that opportunity, or else they're faced with serious medical expenses. But even those that are insured face often struggle with many of the costs. A universal health care system, in my opinion would be beneficial, I think even more so than the Medicaid program. When my grandfather(who lived in England, where they have national healthcare) was ill for example, he did not move to the U.S. even though my family wanted him too because the U.S. would not grant any medical aid. In this case, and many other cases, where people struggle to gain coverage or insurance, a national health care program is highly beneficial. Health care should be affordable to people, even if it requires an extra tax.

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  16. To be honest, I haven’t paid much attention to any of the issues in this 2012 presidential election. I’m not saying that the healthcare issue is not important; it’s just not something that is of concern to me in my life right now being a high school student. After researching I found out that overall Romney’s plan is way more successful than Obama’s. Obamacare was not popular when it first passed and has not gained much popularity ever since. His plan is mainly only beneficial to lower class citizens leaving the middle and high-class paying a lot more taxes for no reason. Romney’s plan, on the other hand, is much more organized; giving states the right to adjust the plan to fit their standards. When comparing the two they both have their pros and cons, but Obama’s plan’s cons surpass Romney’s. Since Obama’s healthcare plan is obviously not working, I believe there should be a change. In my opinion all citizens should be provided with healthcare to an extent and with a few exceptions dealing with financial issues.

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  17. Personally, I believe that a man's success is his own. Obamacare taxes wealthier people to help pay for the health care of others who cannot afford it. While maybe this is a nice way to help out others, many say that i the constant taxing has become ridiculous. Also I feel like Obama's health care plan has put the country into more debt because it causes people to buy insurance that they cannot afford. Obama's statement says that everyone should automatically have healthcare coverage, while Romney thinks that everyone should not be ensured healthcare because it is too expensive. The issue with all healthcare, is that when people are sick they resort to going to a hospital, and if one is not insured a hospital visit can be thousands of dollars. If one is sick and goes to a doctors office, many insurance companies have a co-pay of only $25, the difference between the money being spent is exponential. I feel like Romney if elected president will be able to fix the current healthcare issue and allow the national debt pool to become smaller. If i had a say, I would side with Romney in that less fortunate people are not entitled to automatic healthcare because it could make their motivation to work hard in this world lessen.

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  18. I believe that no matter which way we turn, health care will still be an unresolved issue. While I think that health care should be considered a right, as opposed to a privilege, I also believe that middle class people should not have to be taxed extra and struggle to pay their own bills, simply to provide the poor with health care. Of course I don't believe that anyone should get turned away from health insurance, especially in times of emergency. Nevertheless, there is absolutely no way for Obama to get the extra money to provide the less fortunate with health care without taxing the middle class and upper class. More than 47 million people in America do not have health insurance, so if Obama plans to compensate for all of them, he obviously has to get the money somewhere, which will ultimately hurt many struggling middle class citizens. Health care in general is just a difficult topic that will never be able to please everyone.

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  19. An individual’s outlook on healthcare can be easily influenced by their income level. White-collar workers have easier access and fewer expenses for healthcare for themselves and their family. On the other hand, Blue-collar workers often find it difficult and challenging and often a burden to carry healthcare year-a-round for all members of their family. The reality in this situation is that people with lower income levels actually pay more money out of pocket than people with higher income levels. Structuring a healthcare system in this way is the reason a lot of controversy is brought to the table. An equal opportunity healthcare system would stabilize the country’s current lopsided system. Government sponsored healthcare funds can create equal opportunity healthcare. These can be funded through low cost healthcare programs for lower income families and also can come from large corporations that are currently contributing to a health care program for their company. Citizens who wish to participate in government healthcare programs can pay a percent of monthly income, securing government healthcare for their family. Individuals who do not wish to participate can pay out of pocket at a steeper price. An equal opportunity healthcare system like this will provide care for all citizens at the same percent of their income.

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  20. I think that health care in America has a lot of work to do. People may think that they are getting all the care they need, but the people who really need it, such as the elderly, do not get the support they need. Senior citizens are the ones who are having to take daily medications and require more medical attention due to their age. Most of the time, they do not get the full support or financial help that they need as they are retired and not receiving full benefits. Health care is something that should be available to everyone whenever they need it. Even in restaurants, the elderly get discounts. This type of idea in healthcare, discounts for the elderly, would help greatly. The United States needs to find a way to get universal health care, like many other countries already have. The elderly are at a disadvantage as they are usually on various medications, go to the doctor on a regular basis, and need affordable prescriptions. Without affordable healthcare, they suffer greatly. Those who are unable to get health insurance for whatever reason are at a major disadvantage if they are not able to afford healthcare out of their own pocket. I'm not sure what the answer is to fix this situation, but it seems that starting with health insurance policies for all Americans is the best way to start improving healthcare in America.

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  21. Healthcare is perhaps one of the most serious issues we have in our country that must be fixed. What must be done? It's obvious. We should follow the health care policy's of other countries, such as that of Canada's. Why? BECAUSE IT WORKS. As long as everyone pays a certain healthcare tax, all of the money from that tax will eventually go towards paying for free healthcare for other people. As a result, worrying for healthcare would be at a minimal and not many people would have to suffer the consequences for their health. Why is this system not implemented in the United States? Because our government still detests anything that might seem like socialism at all, and that includes healthcare. That seems to be the very reason that people are against "socialized" healthcare. As long as our country can get rid of our old ways and ideas, we can leap over this hurdle together.

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  23. In my opinion, I believe that every American, regardless of the social class, income, health condition, age, or gender should be covered under a national health-care system. The Obamacare is the right thing to do because it is not the right thing to do to reject lower class people, and many families will be helped through this plan. Patients will no longer be denied health care due to pre-existing conditions (disabilities, cancer, etc.). Another benefit that will result through Obama’s plan is the improvement of electronic patient records to enhance patient tracking. I think after we give it some time, USA can be stabilized just like Canada under the national health-care system. However, one major problem which could evolve is the rise of taxes and national debt through this plan. But both plans have their pros and cons, and I support Obama’s plan simply because it gives the right to all Americans to be treated if sick or hurt, and no lower-class American will be denied when this plan is implanted in 2014.

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  24. Healthcare has been a political issue for decades. FDR and Clinton both wanted universal access to healthcare coverage, but none of their plans were successful. While I think all Americans should have some type of healthcare available to them, they shouldn’t all be entitled to coverage at the increased expense to the middle and upper classes.

    Obama’s current plan might have good intentions, but the way the plan is structured seems to favor low-income and unemployed people by over-taxing middle and upper class families who are working hard to beat the recession and provide for their families. In addition, the law Obama is proposing will cost the government about $938 billion over 10 years, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, which has also estimated that it will reduce the federal deficit by $138 billion over a decade. Why would we, as a nation, agree to accept this huge amount of debt when our economy has still not recovered since 2008?

    I think everyone knows that healthcare costs are increasing dramatically and things need to change. I don’t think that the answer is to create government-run insurance plans. That feels like we are turning into a Socialist nation instead of the strong, free enterprise we are and always have been. I think the way to fix the healthcare issue is to simplify the processes by getting all of the appropriate parties “at the table,” including not only government officials, but also big company representatives, small businessmen, insurance company experts, and other pertinent business groups and create policies that satisfy all social classes fairly.

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  25. As much as I hate to admit it, I have not been very good at keeping up with the upcoming Presidential election. I knew that the health care situation in our country has always been an important issue and heated debate, but it had never interested me enough to learn more about it. However, seeing as the 2012 election is right around the corner, I researched the topic and came to the immediate conclusion that the health care system definitely needs to reform. I believe that every citizen should have the right to recieve medical care, whether they are able to afford it or not. I think it is absolutely ridiculous how only people with insurance are granted the opportunity to have health care, because then those in financial distress are left with multiple bills and expenses that they are unable to pay. In my opinion, the only solution to the health care crisis that would benefit our country is a universal health care system which would provide health care and financial protection to all citizens. Using this system would provide financial risk protection, improve access to health services, and improve health outcomes.

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  26. Healthcare is an important issue. I don't understand the issue as well as other issues, but I have followed politics a lot so I am somewhat familiar with it. I do think that people should have access to decent healthcare regardless of their income. I like the aspect of the Affordable Care Act in which the government allows people up to age 26 to be on there parents' health insurance. Overall though, I do not like the affordable care Act (also known as Obamacare) for several reasons. One is that the bill is over 2700 pages long. I would not read all of that if I were a congressman because it is super long and was created by liberals. Another issue I have is that it could hurt growing small businesses because of the requirements in regards to either providing coverage or paying a penalty after a business has a certain number of employees. Another problem that I have with it is that it could cost too much. There are millions of people in the United States without insurance, so I wonder how their insurance would be paid for. I would try to give each of the states more control over healthcare. This way, each state could experiment with different possible solutions to this problem. I would largely promote a free market approach to healthcare, as the free market has been very successful throughout history. In order to help pay for healthcare, I think the government should have excise taxes on non essential items, especially those with bad reputations such as alchohol and tobacco products.

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  27. I believe in the majority that America's health care system is broken. Republicans and Conservatives, Democrats and Liberals both believe that are health care system is in dire need of a reform.However, eventhough both sides are in agreement on the need of a reform the way the reform should be implemented highly differs from one another. First, the liberals believe that health care should be in the hands of the government. They feel that the government should implement a low-cost efficent health care plan that will benefit all of American's citizens equally. Liberals believe on the principles that American's are entitled to the right of health care. On the other hand, Conservatives, believe in the opposite. Conservatives feel that health care should be left to the people and privatized or in the hands of the government.Conservatives believe in a free market health care systems that creates competitive individualism and is soley left in the hands of the people. As for me personally I have an conservative standpoint on the issue. I feel that a free market health care system does indeed , promote competition between pharmacies and health insurance. Allowing the people to choose out of many health insurance or privitized health companies. This creates the need for advertising thus creating us the consumers the center of are health care system. This is important because now everyone will be treated and will educate us in different medical aspects. Also will bring down inflation, drug prices, and health insurance and overall creating an more affordable health care system. In conclusion, I feel these few aspects will create a more efficent and affordable health care system that will greatly benfit the wealthy and even those not as wealthy.

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  28. Personally, I feel that everyone deserves a chance for heath care. It's easy to claim that those who cannot afford treatment have brought themselves into their bad situation, but this isn't always the case. But I think when someone cannot legitimately help themselves, something needs to be done. It's in our nature to help one another and I personally do not mind losing some money on a paycheck to taxes (as long as it's reasonable) because someday I could be in need myself. I think Coppell tends to have a high standard of living so it may be difficult to understand what it could be like to suffer without being able to afford insurance. It's important to consider any issue from multiple viewpoints. Choosing to ignore the other side is often a mistake.

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  29. In my opinion, everyone should be entitled to healthcare services. No family should have to suffer because they can’t find the money to treat a sick loved one, and no one should have to avoid the preventative measures that we take every year (such as vaccinations, physicals, etc..) because they cannot afford to spend the money. However, under the current circumstances, I feel this is highly unlikely to happen without the United States facing enormous consequences.

    While Liberals strongly believe that everyone deserves healthcare, they also feel that the only realistic way to go about this plan is for the U.S. government to take charge and implement policies that focus on increasing the balance between individuals and communities (everyone else). However, many people see this as a step toward socialism, which I think is where the controversy begins. Middle and Upper class people simply do not want to pay higher taxes just because they can afford a better lifestyle—to them it’s unfair and unnecessary; why take care of everyone else when you can already afford to take care of your family? But for lower income families, some of which are in desperate need of healthcare, paying for their own healthcare is simply not a priority when food and shelter come into play.

    In my opinion, there is no “perfect” solution for healthcare but there can be a lot done to improve the current situation. One of the key problems is the income gap between the lower class and upper classes. Although the United States, unlike most other countries, generally attempts to keep this gap to a minimum, reducing it could help solve many healthcare issues. Ideally, reducing the gap would mean more people would have less problems paying higher taxes rates, especially if it’s not that much higher than that of people living in lower income households. Realistically however, this is nearly impossible—people living in Coppell would be the first to note that. Overall, I think moving the US toward a Universal Healthcare System would be the best solution.

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  30. I believe that the health care in America is not up to the standard it should be. The US is huge and has a lot of other problems, but the health of the country should be one of the first things that gets fixed. The health care reform bill says that by 2015 97% of the US will have health care. I feel like everyone should have an equal opportunity at health care. Yes, people who are not as fortunate as some may have caused themselves to be in the position they are, but everyone is human and deserves a chance. As long as everyone pays a certain healthcare tax, all of the money from that tax will eventually go towards paying for free healthcare for other people.

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  31. I dont follow politics enough to have an unbiased view of issues, but from the little reading I have done on this subject it seems that Liberals generally believe the only way to fix the system is for government to operate it, the way Canada and the United Kingdom run their systems, with "universal health care." Conservatives, on the other hand, disagree with this idea and say that the American government is wholly unequipped to take on such a huge endeavor, and even if it were, the resulting bureaucracy would be extremely inefficient. Also, taking money from the rich, which is what the Liberals plan sounds like, to put into a government program aiding the poor smells a little like socialism to me.

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  32. I believe that the supreme court was right to uphold the universal health care act. The only thing that I would change in the bill is the individual mandate. I do not believe that people should be forced into buying health care if they simply cannot access it for what ever reason. I feel that we have a serious health insurance problem and addressing it is extremely important. I do not think that insurance companies should have the right to turn down a customer for pre-existing conditions. Furthermore, I think that all females should have birth control as an option in their health plans.

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  33. Healthcare is an issue that is often debated thanks to Obama's new program called Obamacare. Personally, I believe it is very flawed. I understand that they are trying to help people who struggle to take care of themselves and I support the cause, but I do not believe raising taxes is the way to do that. As of now, citizens must apply and qualify. The standards are way too low though. I think people with mental disabilities or other things that make them where they can't take care of themselves or might need extra help are good reasons for need assistance. However, I believe the government needs to come up with the money themselves to offer them. I don't think its fair to take money from people who earned it themselves and give it to people who potential might just be too lazy to earn it themselves. While I believe the healthcare system could be headed towards a good program, I believe it has many details that are weak and need to be fixed.

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  34. In my honest opinion America’s health care system is unsustainable. It’s not really one small problem, but three combined: high cost, uneven quality and millions uninsured. And it's something that america is leagues away, that's why I thought this comic was actually really ironic because the man with healthcare has this big hurdle to jump over that he will probably never make it over because of his condition. This is the same situation that America is put in today.
    I agree with the Republican side of healthcare reform. The Republican answer is to favor private insurance over government programs, and cost control through market competition, not price setting by federal officials. They oppose mandates on businesses and individuals. If you’ve got a pre-existing medical condition, you could join a high-risk insurance pool. Republicans would also limit medical malpractice awards, which researchers say drive up health care costs, and they would put more restrictions on abortion. So it seems like Republican side is looking out for america as a whole and the democratic plan is just looking at the middle class/low class and just trying to help them out. But there are so many aspects that go into it.

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  35. One of the main debates between the Republican and Democratic party is on the idea of Health Care. Obama and the Democratic party believe that accessible, affordable, high quality Health Care is part of the American promise. Americans should have the security that comes with good Heath Care. However, the Republican party argues that Obamacare's primary focus wasn't actually about the people. It was more so for the government to gain more power over the people. While i agree that there are many circumstances that the elderly or disabled need assistance, i don't agree that we should raise our taxes just to support that. We have reached the debt ceiling and i think healthcare is something not everyone necessarily needs just a select few. I would fix this by instead of giving everyone healthcare make them earn it in some way to show that they aren't lazy and just enjoying the benefits because right now the wealthy and hardworking people are being punished to help supply the lower class.

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  36. In my opinion having a uniform health care system would be a great system to have for the U.S. The problem with Obamacare is that many people do not like the idea of paying alot more taxes to support others who don't do the work necessary to help themselves. Hopefully they can find a way to make Obamacare work but as it stands I am not certain they will since Romney is looking to remove Obamacare. I think the most important process for this healthcare system to work is to be able to differentiate between the people who actually can't afford to get healthcare and the people who follow bad habits and do not get jobs. Honestly I have no idea what I would do to fix this problem, I can only hope for the best.

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  37. My Dad is very involved into politics and has told me a lot about the problem with the health care and Obama. My household is not a fan of Obama. Our health care is more beneficial for the needy and very frustrating for the we althy. Most of the needy are not hard-working and do not deserve all this free money. It is frustrating for a hard-working American that has to pay so much for health care an un-deserving low class citizen can relax and not pay. The health care should be equal for all Americans because that is what this country was built on.

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  38. My Dad is very involved into politics and has told me a lot about the problem with the health care and Obama. My household is not a fan of Obama. Our health care is more beneficial for the needy and very frustrating for the we althy. Most of the needy are not hard-working and do not deserve all this free money. It is frustrating for a hard-working American that has to pay so much for health care an un-deserving low class citizen can relax and not pay. The health care should be equal for all Americans because that is what this country was built on.

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  39. Health care is a huge problem in America, whether you pay attention to the news or not you have heard about the struggling health care. The liberals believe that health care should be in the hands of the government, that they should implement a low-cost health care plan that will benefit all of American's citizens equally. In summary, liberals believe on the principles that American's are entitled to the right of health care. Conservatives feel that health care should be left to the people and privatized or in the hands of the government. They believe in a free market health care system that creates competitive individualism and is left in the hands of the people.
    I agree with the conservative side of the argument, because if everyone in America has free health care then those who work hard and have earned health care could get over looked by someone who just had it handed to them. I agree with the conservatives on how to fix the problem, I cannot come up with any alternate plan that I really agree with. Conservatives and I both believe that the current system can be fixed with measures such as more competition between health insurance and pharmacy companies.

    Trevor Inman

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  40. Health Care has been a huge issue in America for several years. Over the past couple of years I saw no improvement over this issue. The issues have been the same; people have to pay too much money for hospital bills and other medical bills. This is why millions Americans have expressed desire over this issue. I have seen polls that not many people support any kind of system. It barely even passes 50% of the support. If people reject Obama Care, then what else do the Americans what? During the elections we evens saw Democrats and Republicans are fighting this issue, but their “brilliant” policy never works. The first thing to do is to figure out what kind of policies do the Americans want. There are at least 59 million and counting without a health issuance. We need a solution for them first and then work forward from there. In all of honesty I don’t know who would fix the health care. I hope FDR comes back and fixes this mess. There is no we can do other making good decisions and hoping for the best.

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  41. I feel like it would be ideal for everybody in the United States to have an equal opportunity to access a decent health care plan. However, it might be difficult to achieve such a goal without upsetting a few groups of people. Individuals that work hard to earn their money might be angry with the government if officials simply decided to give anyone and everyone health care, no matter how much income they make. The only way to satisfy all groups would be to create a plan that combines everyone's wants and needs, whether that be making costs more affordable or offering even more benefits for those paying for their whole health care.

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  42. in my opinion i think that the health care system should end because as some other people said its really just adding b=more debt to this country i believe that everyone one should be forced to get there on own healthcare and to make it a law or have each state crate there own healthcare system in there own state for the citizens that live in that state. it be alot more effective and i actually might cost less money, because instead of one system trying to get everyone healthcare get 50 systems from each state. also in the corrupted system of the healthcare the middle class is suffering greatly cause they keep simply taking money out of there pockets and the rich still thrive a bit more. Even though we live in coppell some people really dont understand whats going on, because we live in such high standards and not really in the average life of middle classes so we dont really know how they feel.

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  43. I think the healthcare we have now should not be touched. The Obama care will require everyone to have insurance. They penalize people for not getting health care, which to a certain extent is wrong, but it will force them to become insured. Rather than paying medical bills that are too expensive, you have affordable insurance. All people, no matter what social class they are in, should be insured. Employers are required to provide health insurance for their employees or face a penalty. It will also benefit me personally because we can stay on our parents insurance plan until we are 26. There are many benefits that come out of the current Obama care and I honestly think that it should not be repealed because everyone needs to be insured. Hospital bills are exceedingly high, and compared to that, health insurance is much more affordable and efficient.

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  44. I believe that Healthcare is a very challenging topic to talk about because there is both a good side and bad side. On the one hand, I believe that everyone should be able to afford health insurance because without it, medical bills could make people go into bankruptcy or into a big debt. Even if people are sick or injured people are unwilling to go to the hospitals in fear or the huge medical bill and end up getting worse and being forced to go. People even die from not getting a wound treated till its too late. But on the other hand, people shouldn't be forced to get health insurance. Maybe the family can't afford it at the moment or they need other things first like food, shelter and other basic human necessities.

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  45. Healthcare in America has become a reoccurring topic since Obama’s election. I believe that Americans should be provided health care insurance at an affordable rate, so that all Americans will be allowed the opportunity to go to the doctor or hospital if needed. Since I’m not as familiar with how serious this topic is, I conducted research so that I could understand why it became such a big deal in 2010. Obama made a promise in March 2010 that he will make healthcare affordable to all Americans by 2014. The Affordable Care Act lays a new foundation for our America, and brings additional security and stability for all citizens. I like that he is really thinking about the people who struggle everyday. His approach is what will really save the struggling Americans who are striving to provide for their children. The republicans on the other hand, completely oppose this act. They believe that it should be repealed and by doing that, it will bring back the old issues that Obama began with in his election. I would fix this issue by using Obama’s take. Obviously, he cares about the well being of Americans, and isn’t making it hard for them to obtain healthcare. If Romney gets elected, he will screw up everything that Obama worked so hard to put together.

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  46. Healthcare has been a major trending topic ever since Obamacare was created. Personally, I believe that everyone should have access to an affordable insurance plan. Our healthcare system today definitely needs some reforming in order to improve. After researching both sides of this issue I have come to realize that the healthcare issue will never truly be fixed because there will always be a downfall whichever way you go. Honestly, I have no idea how to fix the issue but I think it would be nice to see the US eventually transfer over to a universal health care system similar to the one the UK has.

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  47. As the economic situation in America has progressively become worse, so has the healthcare in America. The healthcare flaws are filled with one main problem: politics. The proposed healthcare plan by President Obama, or ObamaCare, has many flaws. The moral attention on the surface appears great, that they are only trying to help all of the American people and the only thing preventing it to be revised for the better of the people, is the disagreement between both political parties. Something that Republicans see as unconstitutional, but not Democrats, is having Americans forced to buy a product from the government and if they don’t they pay a heavy fine. Along with the tax of not being able to afford health insurance, there are several hidden taxes inside the proposal. By passing those hidden taxes, the already dropping pocket money in the lives of Americans will drop even further and after a long period of time, it will help lead to more loans be taken out, thus leading to a higher American debt, leaving not only healthcare in a worse position but also the economical state. The plan also takes money from the hard working seniors who have spent the majority of their lives trying to earn enough money to pay for their retirement fund so they can live a healthy, happy life. If the Republicans and Democrats were able to make a compromise, maybe healthcare could finally be available to everyone and not cause everyone to suffer because of it.

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  48. The health care is an important issue in the U.S that comes up in every debate. With Obama supporting Obamacare and wanting to provide health care for everyone and the health care reform also strengthens Medicare. Also, the Affordable Care Act provides which is reducing fraud in health insurance. For the Republicans their view on healthcare is to have Medicare insurance which an individual purchases for themselves while that reduces taxes for the citizens. In my opinion, the Obama care is the best way to go because it provides equality amongst all of us and I'm pretty sure a little tax annually can save lives throughout the country. Also, all the rules and regulations would be the same causing less fraud among insurance companies.

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  49. I think that health care is such a controversial subject because our economic system allows our ountry to have people with various incomes. People with lots of money often work hard to earn it. Therefore these people do not want others who might not earn as much, to just be given healthcare. It is near impossible for the US to make a healthcare system that pleases everyone. Obamacare is an attempt at this system. It makes these services available to those that cannot afford it in the first place. However it will not affect previous insurance services that people currently have and that businesses offer. A few cons would be that people would end up paying hundreds of more dollars in taxes instead of actually paying for the health insurance. I personally do not like obamacare because I believe that everyone should earn there own money and support themselves when it comes to things like health care, but I understand that it is a good attempt to make everyone in our country available to benefits such as healthcare.

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  50. Healthcare has become a reoccurring topic since Obama’s election for Americans. I think that every person, regardless of their race, gender, age, or social standing should be covered with health-care. The issue concerning health care have been the same over the past several years. People have to pay too much for hospital bills and other medical bills. This is why millions Americans have spoken out against the health care system in the United States. I believe that since everyone deserves health care, that it should be offered to everyone but under certain circumstances like: required drug tests prior to being accepting for health care.

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  51. Healthcare in the past few years has been a big issue, mostly because the country is split on whether Healthcare should be offered to everyone, or just those who are able to afford it. I feel that Healthcare should not be freely given to anyone. Healthcare is not a right given to the people, no where in the Bill of Rights, Constitution, etc, are we offered the right of "free healthcare". Not to mention the large amount of monetary funds that are needed in order to provide every U.S. citizen with free Healthcare. All of this would be funded via taxpayer dollars. It hardly seems fair for a hard-working citizen to have to pay so that all citizens(even the last ones) are provided free healthcare. Finally, free Healthcare means that EVERYONE is treated, no matter the severity of their ailments. This will longer wait times for everyone to be seen at the doctor's office. With this system, everyone will have to wait longer to see doctors, even the terminally ill.(Which is the case in Canada, who exercises a Healthcare for all, system)

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  52. Ever since Obamacare became the healthcare standard, and even before that, health care is one of the key components that voters consider when voting for a presidential candidate. However, things can change from running time to presidential term time. Under Obamacare everyone in the United States is able to get health care and this is where the problems begin. With free health care, there is obviously no one paying for it except for the government that is currently exceeding the debt roof of $16 trillion. But isn't it "inhumane" to not provide healthcare to those who cannot afford it? There are several pros and cons of any health care policy and because of this, it will be a constant source of debate.

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  53. I believe that healthcare is a right that every American deserves to have, regardless of economic or social status. I think that a system of healthcare similar to Canada could be better for America. Of course there would need to be some guidelines such as a somewhat clean criminal record and a minimal credit score. This system requires that taxes on goods be drastically raised in order to pay for all medical costs. This way no family has to be ruined by a sudden medical problem. Unfortunately this would cause stress on the lower class so in order to help them out I think that a system could be implemented where people could, in a way, sell they're right to universal healthcare and be forced to pay for any medical conditions in the future. It may not say that there's a right to healthcare but there is a right to Life which is closely related.

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  54. Health care is becoming an issue because less and less people are being covered by health care, and now that the presidential elections are approaching, it is a hot topic. There are claims that although Obamacare is being harshly criticized, under Romney, the price would double. There is also the issue of the balance between federal and state. Personally, I think it should lean more towards the federal government because there is bigger money involved, and there needs to be more union in this.

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  55. Healthcare systems have been a huge issue to this country ever since we have started. I feel that the main cause of this issue is the middle man, the insurance companies. As most americans are trying to make as most money as possible, they create such high prices which is the reason why the lower people are not able to afford it. Even this would not allow every single american to be able to have some sort of health care. In that case, I feel it would be the most fair to the country, because the government is able to regulate the the prices to make health care more reasonable and affordable to the everyone in the country. The ones who are not able to afford these prices, generally are the people who have choose the path of a person who have not worked as hard as the people who are hardworking. Of course there is always an exception to this. It is impossible to please the entire country on this healthcare debate, but the government can strive for the best solution that is going to benefit the most people.

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  56. thousands of americans are facing health care problems everyday, it is becoming a major issue that america has to fix. i have not seen any improvement in this issue for a couple years now. health care is being taken away from many social classes and putting many americans in dept. i believe lower class people need help but that is no reason for higher class people to be paying a high amount of money for a health problem.Republicans and Democrats have to compromise in order for healthcare to improve, so it can be available to everyone and not cause everyone any problem.

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  57. Healthcare in America has been one of the many controversial topics for the past few years. Many people have their different beliefs and views on Healthcare however my opinion on Healthcare is one where it should belong to everyone as a right. With some people not being able to afford it, it shouldn't stop them from not having it. If someone is just slacking or is capable of paying for health care, they should not be provided healthcare out of others' wallets. There should be a higher level of requirements for individuals seeking health care but in order to pay for it, it should be taxed equally among all social classes.

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  58. I do not agree with the healthcare system and what they are trying to do. The fact that they are raising taxes in order to support people who can't afford to take care of themselves is not the way to go about it. It's not our fault that those people can't afford to take care of themselves, so why take away our money? People who cannot afford healthcare, it is their on fault. They didn't go to college, they are to lazy to get a job. Why should the people that actually worked for their money and make smart decisions be punished by having to pay higher taxes. The government should come up with the money on their own, and not take away from us. The healthcare program itself is a good program but don't take away from the people who can afford it, to pay for those who can't.

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  59. Healthcare has and will continue to be a heavily debated in The United States. I personally believe that each individual should be given equal opportunity to access an affordable healthcare plan of good quality. Because of how much variety is supplied in regards to salaries and jobs in America, it is basically impossible to please everybody. In the case that everybody is provided universal healthcare, people who work hard everyday may get upset simply because others who don't make as much or are even unemployed would basically be getting their healthcare handed to them rather than working hard to earn a salary that provides enough fundings to buy healthcare. In order to fix this problem everybody should get equal healthcare, however, depending on how much money is made should determine ham many benefits you're awarded with.

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  60. Every American should be guaranteed at least some form of coverage from healthcare but the way its being handled right now, healthcare wont even exist by the time our generation is able to utilize its benefits. Romney's plan would completely destroy healthcare & medicare, so personally i hope that Obama-care can continue and improve.

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  61. Our health care system needs to be reformed. Individuals should have to pay for their own health care instead of everyone being required to have it because of ObamaCare. To me it does not make sense that people with larger incomes are taxed more to pay for people who cannot afford it. It is now more difficult for people to get in to see good dorctors because equal health care is available to everyone. This is a very hot topic in the upcoming elections and if ObamaCare continues to be supported our healthcare system will continue to do be on the downfall.

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  62. Hi Mrs. D

    Health care is a scorching hot topic. Obama and his supporters feel that Obamacare is a great idea that will benefit the country. This is my refutation, WHERE IS THE MONEY. How big can the red numbers get before Obama will stop spending money? With the national debt above 16 TRillion, I'm just wondering where funding will come from. Now, having said that, Romney was at one point a fan of Obamacare, saying that he had a similar idea for Massachusetts. So I'm not disclosing my political beliefts although I think Obama is assassinating the American Dream. One can look forward to getting a successful job with benefits, not being part of a socialist government with a overpowerful federal government.

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  63. The health care in America definitely needs some work. I think everyone should have an equal opportunity to have health care. But, I believe every one, no matter their class, should be paying the same amount in taxes towards health care for the the less fortunate. Everyone should have health care and health insurance no matter how rich or poor they are. We shouldn't be so selfish with money when peoples lives are at stake.

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  64. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  65. Healthcare is something most of our population is dependent on. Sadly, the existence of healthcare is at risk and with Romney's plan it may no longer stand. Thankfully Obama care is aiding our healthcare system and gives hope that it will continue. There needs to be changes and improvements in the healthcare system but it continues to aid us none the less.

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  66. I believe in Obamas act towards healthcare. Everyone should have health insurance whether you are lower, middle, or upper class. And if that means that the middle and upper class have to pay a little more on taxes than so be it, its the right thing to do. Everyone should be treated the same way. How would you feel if you went into debt from health bills and you cant afford them and you're just trying to get better from being extremely ill. Its not a good feeling, its not fair for those who have no money and try really hard to earn a living. How i would fix it is by having the upper class pay a little more for taxes, it wont be too bad because you'll go to sleep at night knowing that you greatly helped someone.

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  67. I think that obama's act for health care is both good and bad. It is good in the sense that everyone has the ability to be covered with health insurance even if they have a pre-existing condition. It can be also be bad because it forces people that make a higher income to pay more taxes to cover people in poverty that can't afford their own health care. I don't think that it is right to take more money from the people that have earned more for what they do. All in all, I think that I would disagree with Obama's plan because people shouldn't have to pay extra taxes for others.

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  68. To be completely honest, I really don't care much for politics. Obama's act towards health care sounds completely legitimate. Regardless on your social class, religion, race, and ethnicity, everyone deserves health insurance. It always needs to be there for people who desperately need it. I personally think that it's common sense though, and you can't really deny a person their right to get better because they don't have the financial income to take care of their bill. Although it is understandable how it is and isn't a controversy. The higher class say that they are paying higher taxes in order for the lower class to get health insurance. Although the majority of that statement is true, you also have to look at it from the other perspective. The lower class is struggling to provide food and income and so much more for their large or medium sized family. It really isn't as easy as thought. These people are really trying, they just need a little push and a little help here and there.

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  69. Romneycare (RC) and Obamacare (OC) are both mandated for individuals. If they deny buying the government insurance then OC and RC plans both have a penalty, even though they are different values. a diference between OC and RC is the mandate for employers to provide insurance for employees. Obamacare requires employers with over 50 employees to provide insurance to their employees. And Romneycare requires employers with 11 or more employees to provide insurance to their employees. both OC and RC have a penalty for not providing healthcare to their employees. A big difference between OC and RC is that the preventative care is free in OC's plan which includes free contraception. RC's plan requires a co-pay and coverage of contraception has not been mentioned. What i would do to fix this problem is give everyone healthcare since we are basically already paying for it. Everyone woud have healthcare and people who have healthcare dont have to pay for those who dont.

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  70. I feel that health care is in need of a change but the lower class shouldn't be punished because the people want change. If anything I believe it should focus more on the lower class while continuing to support the other social classes. I'm more supportive of Obamacare but there is still ways to improve and I hope that there's a way to make that happen.

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  71. For the 2012 Presidential Election, health care was a popular topic discussed by the citizens and candidates of The United States because it affects every single person whether they realize it or not. Through my research and prior knowledge on the issue, I discovered that Obama’s Obamacare is not very well admired in the USA. Many people agree with his plans and intentions to help the Nation, but others strongly disagree. Basically, Obamacare benefits the lower class, but it leaves the middle and high classes paying for everything out of their own pockets. Romney believes that everyone should be on their own and that each state should be able to have their own regulations concerning this issue. There are some good and bad things to both Obama and Romney’s future plans for the nation. Personally after doing a lot of research on the topic, I believe that each family should be on their own. If they can afford it, they should be able to have healthcare because they are working hard enough to make the amount of money that they do. They should not be punished because they have the money. Instead of just giving the less fortunate the health care, we should make them work to obtain it. However, I do believe that, if possible everyone should have health protection. I believe that some things need to change in order for something good to happen for our country.

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  72. Honestly, I didn't know to much about Health Care until Obama came into office. I remember it being a problem back then and it is still a problem today. My dad was strongly against Obama's "Obamacare" and I remember asking him about it. He told me how it helps people who don't have alot of money. Personally, I am against it as well. I don't think its fair that people should get health care if they don't work for it. My parents always taught me to work hard for the things that you want. Healthy Care is obviously a huge deal and helps alot of people. I think that so many people work so hard to earn everything that they have and it shouldn't just be handed over to people of the lower class. They should have to work for it as well. I think they should have some health "help" but it shouldn't be equal to families in a higher class. Hopefully, this Obamacare can be fixed into something more reasonable and can benefit everyone in the country.

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  73. I think that there is a lot of gray that pertains to the health care debate. I see that the Obama care gives families who have little to go and have health insurance but its at the cost of money made by other people who work and have scratched and clawed there way to where they are now. I think that the people need to see each hers point of view so they can understand each others situation. I hope that a common ground can be found in this debate so we can better our system so that everyone can benefit.

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