Understanding health care reform: Political controversy

The problems that ultimately led to health care reform are widely agreed upon. Health insurance isn’t available to enough people. The quality is often poor and what it lacks in quality it makes up for in exorbitant costs.
However, whether the Affordable Care Act is the right solution is a completely different story. Republicans and Democrats were at odds with each other on both the principles behind the legislation and the content within it.
The health care debate incited partisan passion — and anger. In the last months leading up to the final vote, lawmakers reported more than 40 threats — includ

While emotions have been tempered somewhat over the course of the last year, disagreements still abound and many believe that health care reform will play a key role in the 2012 elections.
Contrary to popular belief, Republicans and Democrats are not always polar opposites on every issue.
In some respect, there can be a myriad interpretations of political ideologies as many as there are members of each respective party. Nonetheless, both Republicans and Democrats have standard platforms. And our current political atmosphere is certainly one that is polarized.  

So what is the great divide that separates the two parties on this issue?
Traditionally, the cause for such great contention actually springs from a belief that is shared by both Democrats and Republicans. Both parties want what they feel is in the best interest of Americans. Both parties want to alleviate suffering and poverty.
Their major differences arise in the means chosen to pursue the ends.
In 1835 and 1840, Frenchman Alexis de Tocqueville published his observations of American life and politics in two volumes titled
Tocqueville marveled at the extent to which Americans took care of each other. He was used to a way of life where the state provided for many of the needs of its citizens. America stood in stark contrast to France in that its citizens were continually banding together to provide for the poor and needy among them rather than looking to the government.
In many ways, this is the Republican viewpoint. Take care of the poor and the needy, yes, but limit the extent of government involvement.
Democrats on the other hand pursue the same goal, but differ from Republicans on the extent of government involvement. Take care of the poor and needy, but use the government as a tool to do so.
This is at the heart of the debate over health care reform.
Democrats and Republicans share the same roots. They both desire what is best for Americans. Yet they branch out in different directions when it comes to the methods used to accomplish that goal. An over-simplified explanation of the critical difference is that Republicans believe in less government involvement while Democrats believe in more government involvement.
Unfortunately, the battleground of politics is one where differences are highlighted more often than commonalities.

Consider the hotly contested public option that was stripped from the final legislation. Democrats wanted the government to run its own insurance program. More Americans would be able to obtain insurance and it was hoped that the government could manipulate lower costs in the private sector as well with its economies of scale.
In this battle, Democrats attacked Republicans for not caring about the welfare of needy Americans, while Republicans volleyed back allegations of socialism. Lost in the debates was the fact that both parties recognized and lamented the plight created by the unsustainable rising costs of health care.
Republicans agree that something needs to be done to solve the health care crisis. They just disagree about how that should be done. In reference to theAffordable Care Act,presidential frontrunner
It’s a huge power grab by the federal government,” Romney said in a story by Kaiser Health News. “It’s going to be massively expensive, raising taxes, cutting Medicare. It’s wrong for America.”
Here the central divide between Republicans and Democrats is illuminated. Romney doesn’t claim that there is nothing wrong with America’s health care system, but rather disagrees with the role and extent of government involvement.


The Affordable Care Act represents a piece of legislation with less government involvement than is desired by Democrats, and more government involvement than is tolerable by Republicans.
When health care reform finally garnered the necessary votes in both the House and the Senat
This legislation will not fix everything that ails our health care system. But it moves us decisively in the right direction.”
Republicans disagree. House Speaker in an article on www.cnsnews.com, admits a solution is necessary, but asks, “If we agree this law needs improving, why would we want to keep it on the books? ” So what does that mean for the future of health care reform?