Honest discussion needed

Posted 1/31/17

In one of his first official actions as President, Donald Trump signed an executive order that stated his administration would seek “prompt repeal” of the Affordable Care Act, popularly known as …

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Honest discussion needed

Posted

In one of his first official actions as President, Donald Trump signed an executive order that stated his administration would seek “prompt repeal” of the Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare. The order also granted federal agencies authority and discretion to relieve the “burdens” of the Affordable Care Act from individuals, insurers, businesses and state governments. The executive order does not by itself repeal the Affordable Care Act. It could, however, hasten its demise by making insurance even more expensive as younger, healthier Americans opt out without penalty, leaving a greater percentage of older, sicker people in the risk pool.

The executive order also gives states the flexibility to add restrictions for eligibility in Medicaid, such as a requirement that poor adults seek work in order to qualify, which could leave some of our most vulnerable citizens without medical coverage. The Republicans have so far been ineffective in communicating their plan to ensure Americans have access to necessary medical services.

Locally, the Republican majority City Council passed an ordinance, sponsored by Mayor Allan Fung, to prohibit curbside panhandling by restricting “distribution to and receiving from occupants of vehicles.” To clear ACLU constitutional challenges, the ordinance is framed as one of traffic safety, enacted to reduce distracted driving. Representatives of the administration, however, have discussed the need to move the panhandlers in particular away from growing retail and business districts.

And while the governor has been out promoting free tuition and jobs, jobs, jobs, the state continues to have a chronic “skills gap,” a mismatch between the jobs that are available and the education and preparation of our citizens for those jobs.

Penalizing people for being old, sick, homeless, chronically unemployed, poorly educated or addicted does not make for a healthy society.

What’s missing here, and what is critically needed, is an honest discussion about our responsibility as a people to protect the social fabric of our community, and an action plan that moves beyond pushing the problem out of sight.

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  • davebarry109

    These panhandlers are largely drug addicts. I know this because I've been around them when they OD with your money. An honest discussion about the poor? The poor here in America are middle class elsewhere. There is no amount of money we can give them that will make everyone happy. The discussion should be about what level of support do we give the most unfortunate. Do we owe them luxury or basic existence. If they have food and shelter and access to emergency medical, is that enough?

    Look at RIPTA. Too many people riding for free meant RIPTA cannot make enough money to pay for itself. Should people ride for free? Discounts for seniors, the handicapped and destitute? Yes. Free? No. One thing we know for certain....when you give people free stuff, you cannot take it away. That is what is happening with Obama care now. He knew once the dems gave people care they never had before (at the expense of many of us who lost our doctors/plans) it would be very hard to change. Look at welfare. Many people demand their welfare/ebt cards. There is no shame. Just the opposite. They demand money.

    Wednesday, February 1, 2017 Report this

  • Justanidiot

    RIPTA is mainly funded by the gas tax, the more riders RIPTA has the fewer cars are on the road paying tax. The more it gets used, the less RIPTA makes. RI could have the best public transit system in the USA but its funding model is something that you would find in a high school class on teaching public policy.

    Sad.

    Wednesday, February 1, 2017 Report this