The utopian idea of free health care for all is almost unreal for most Americans.
Spear headed by the Obama Administration, the proposed Health Care Reform bill is adorned with elaborate propaganda from the right and gutsy rhetoric from the left.
But even the infamous ‘death panel’ wisecrack made by lame duck Gov. Sarah Palin, R-AK., earlier this summer, wasn’t enough to sway the most ill informed Americans against Health Care Reform.
Emotions seemed to boil over at town hall meetings this summer and the public continued to debate the issue, but now it looks like both sides are slowly beginning to ceasefire.
Dubbed “Obama Care,” by Capitol Hill’s right wing extremists, this bold new legislation is receiving impartial scrutiny nationwide especially concerning its price tag.
According to economists and lawmakers, Health Care Reform is expected to cost taxpayers upwards of $1 trillion within the next 10 years, and that is only a polished estimate.
Other estimates have placed costs between $900 billion and $1.6 trillion
Perhaps unbothered by the long-term effects of Health Reform are those who will be affected the most, Americans under the age of 35.
As eerie as it seems, those Americans born between 1977-1995, or Generation Y, will make up the bulk of taxpayers by the time this measures’ trillion dollar price tag materializes.
Ironically taxpayers most astonished by this figure are those over age 50, or close to retirement age, according to most major media outlets.
According to a Gallup Poll taken on June 24, Americans age 50 and up are most skeptical concerning the range of coverage provided by a publicly funded plan, and especially its cost.
Realistically, older Americans or at least those opposing the bill according to most national polls won’t have a lot of time to reap the benefits of a government run health care option.
But history provides us with explicit examples of how older generations have had conflicting views with their younger counterparts (i.e. The Civil Rights Movement).
Since the Obama Administration is hell bent on passing some type of legislation through Congress by the end of this year, now is as good a time as any for Americas’ fresh faces to voice their support or opposition to Health Care Reform.
After all, it is our generation that will be responsible for balancing the nation’s deficit over the next 75 years in the likelihood that this legislation is enacted.
The looming bipartisan support for Health Care Reform is a clear indicator that it’s here to stay.
It’s probably safe to say that Baby Boomers’ can take annihilating this projected law off their bucket lists.