American Politics
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HealthCare.gov: How political fear was pitted against technical needs
Healthcare is one of the basic needs that must be satisfied. The American constitution entitles Americans to quality and affordable health and medical care. However, many Americans are not in a position to fully and sufficiently finance their medical and healthcare needs. Given the income inequality among the Americans, it is common to realize that a good number of Americans with lower income are often faced with financial challenges that limit their financial power to afford quality health and medical care. The creation of affordable medical and healthcare programs has been marred by political debates and campaign over decades in the American political history (Dye, & Schubert, 2011). It was news that the 2008 presidential elections and campaigns pitting Barack Obama and John McCain featured the creation of affordable healthcare programs for low income Americans who cannot meet their medical needs. The two different camps had different healthcare policies that would be essential in improving the provision of healthcare services to the Americans independent of their ability to pay. This marked the beginning of the affordable healthcare debate that was met by different reactions and opinions in the U.S.
The Obama’s campaign strategy focused on the middle and low income American particularly improving the quality of life for these groups who for a long-time had been marginalized. This proposed healthcare program was heavily criticized by the Republicans based on the idea that such healthcare program would even be more burdensome to the Americans that the then healthcare insurance policies. From the Republic’s point of view, the Obama’s healthcare policies would be costly to the tax payers especially the high class Americans who contributes a large proportion of the tax. The Democrats on their defense for the proposed healthcare program asserted that making healthcare more affordable to majority of the American through Medicare and Medicaid was a fundamental economic program that would result into general increased economic productivity of U.S at large (Dye, & Schubert, 2011).
After Obama had worn the presidential elections of 2008, the presidents went ahead to implement one of his campaign policies that earned him votes among the low and medium class Americans. The affordable healthcare programs and policies as promised during the presidential campaigns were aimed at reducing the medical burden on Americans, thereby improving the quality of life and healthcare provision. Through this medical policy, the White House passed the bill under the umbrella ‘Obamacare’. This medical and healthcare program was implemented in the American economy and had resulted into a significant improvement in the quality of healthcare for Americans in general with the low and middle class Americans being the main beneficiaries of the program (Dye, & Schubert, 2011). The program advocated for the creation of state subsidized public health insurance policies that brought together health providers and the health insurance firms. As expected, this policy was criticized both from the economic and political front. Politically, the Republicans were opposed to the program on the ground that it would be more costly to the upper class Americans who would dig deeper into their pocket through tax to finance the tax burden associated with the Obamacare, hence creating inequality (Dye, & Schubert, 2011).
Economically, Obamacare faced resistance from a section of economist who argued that increasing the funding on health and medical care particularly among the lower class would result into uncaring health behavior. For this reason, it would even be more costly to the federal government that old healthcare policy that was more individualized healthcare plan. On the other hand, differences emerged on the leadership of the Obamacare. Economists were opposed to the idea that the scheme be headed by Nancy-Ann DeParle who legislated for its implementation and approval in the congress house. Instead, they proposed that the scheme be led by non-political partisans with no political interest in the issue except to economic interest of the welfare. However, the President had already settled his mind on Nancy-Ann DeParle to be the front runner in the implementation of the Obamacare.
Kerry’s Cairo visit underlines differences between U.S., Egypt
Following the July, 2013 coup that led to the military takeover in Egypt and the forceful removal of democratically elected president Mohamed Morsi from power, the U.S government withdrew its financial and military aid to Egypt. The July 3 military coup was met with unrests and springs along the streets by the popular Arab and Muslim Brotherhood Movement. In response, the military begun a bloody dispersal of the rebelling Muslim brothers, a move that left more than 1000 civilians dead. It was after this uncalled for killing of the civilians that President Obama criticized the military crackdown in Egypt, a move that angered top Egyptians government officials. In response, the recent actions in Egypt resulted into the weakening of the long-standing decades of diplomatic and military cordial relationship between the U.S and Egypt (Dye, 2001). The U.S government was forced to cut its financial and military aid to Egypt. This marked a new beginning in the democratic relationship between these two countries that for decades have enjoyed good and positive relationship. The withdrawal of the billions of financial support to the Egyptian military forced the military-backed Egyptian government to rethink their position on human rights and democratic space. The rift further widened with as President Obama and his governments opted to cut the links with the Egyptian government including trade and economic ties. This harshly impacted on the economy of Egypt.
However, after months of political and economic crisis, the situation in Egypt has significantly improved with the country undergoing political changes. The Muslim Brothers spring and unrest on the streets calming down to give the military backed government an opportunity to restore peace in the economy. It U.S government, through the Secretary of States, Kerry made a brief visit to the Egyptian Capital in order to restore the once weakened diplomatic ties with Egypt. His visit came at the time when the ousted president was to face a trial in court. John Kerry’s visit to Egypt was significant in derailing Morsi’s planned trial. Following his visit, the U.S and Egypt re-established their diplomatic relationship, a move that would be important in the restoration of permanent solution to the problem and will further improved the economic performance of Egypt given the fact that the economic and trade suctions would be lifted.
References
Dye, T. R. (2001). Politics in America. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice Hall.
Dye, T. R., & Schubert, L. (2011). The Irony of Democracy: An Uncommon Introduction to American Politics. Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth.
