Columbus Dispatch
July 4, 2012
In his letter, (Sunday, July 1), it is obvious that Benjamin Markowitz isn’t happy with the Supreme Court’s ruling that the Affordable Care Act is constitutional. He’s certainly entitled to his opinion.
But then he says the ACA will cost “Ohioans more than $600 million in brand new taxes.” He is not entitled to his own facts. The Court ruled that free riders who can afford health insurance but chose not to buy it must pay a penalty through the tax code so costs aren’t shifted to the rest of us. (Romney put in place the same policy in Massachusetts.) Only 1 percent of Americans are expected to pay this penalty. ObamaCare is actually the largest-ever middle-class health care tax cut, which will be worth an average of about $4,800 to each of 19 million Americans.
Mr. Markowitz looks forward to November for “a Republican president and Congress that is prepared to implement an intelligent, affordable solution to our health-insurance dilemma.” I would too. Why are they keeping that solution a secret? The Republican candidate instituted a plan in Massachusetts when he was Governor that is almost identical to ObamaCare but says that it wouldn’t work in every state. I still wonder what the difference is between the citizens of Massachusetts and Ohio or any other state.
ObamaCare is eerily similar to the plan that Republican President Nixon proposed a half-century ago.
Please, let’s hear the new Republican solution.
David T. Girves