Court's ruling on Obamacare a surprise

   On Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court handed President Barack Obama a major victory when it, in effect, validated the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, commonly called Obamacare.
   In summary, the Court ruled by a narrow 5-4 margin that the centerpiece of the law, the "individual mandate" requiring every American to have health insurance by 2014, was constitutional as a tax, though it was not allowed under the Constitution's Commerce Clause. The ruling has the effect of allowing the government to continue with the implementation of the law.
   As expected, reaction to the court's ruling was decidedly mixed. Democrats hailed the ruling as a victory for every American without health care. On the other side of the aisle, Republicans have made it a rallying point, and will try to use it to oust Obama in November.
   I must admit that I don't have all the facts about Obama's health care bill. Like most Americans, I have heard only snippets of what the legislation actually does. What I have heard, I like, specifically prohibiting insurance companies from denying consumers because of pre-existing conditions and allowing parents to keep their children on their policies longer. I like the fact that Obama had the courage to touch the proverbial "third rail" of health care. Whether you agree with his solution or not, at least he had the courage to think outside the box and try something different. The one thing I think we all can agree on is that the system, as it currently exists, isn't working.
   In light of the Court's ruling and the reaction to it, I believe the time is right to ask the question: What is the ultimate solution to our nation's health care woes?
   At one time, I thought universal (government-run) health care was the answer. I'm no longer so certain of that, but I do believe government DOES have a role to play. I'd like to see government set price caps on what it costs to go to the doctor. As it now stands, only those with a certain income, or those with damn good insurance, can afford to see their family physician regularly for so-called "preventive care." The end result, as we've seen, is people clogging emergency rooms so they can be seen for simple sinus infections. Or people who have become seriously ill because they have waited so long to seek help because they couldn't afford a doctor's visit. That's criminal.
   I'd also like to see government set some price caps on the cost of prescription drugs. Right now, it can cost hundreds of dollars a month for people to get needed medications for conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or even birth control. While it might be argued that some are paying the price for years of bad life choices, it's also true that many of these conditions are genetic. And does it really matter why someone needs the medicine? Every American has a right to a decent quality of life. They shouldn't be denied that because the cost of their medication is out of their reach.
   Perhaps what I'd like to see most of all is the adoption of an amendment to the Constitution. It would read: "Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to each senator and representative in Congress." Then, use that new amendment to strip them of their "golden parachute" lifetime health care that is so much better than what is available to the average citizen. Use it to strip them of their lifetime pensions that are equal to their full salary when they left office.
   That's part of the problem on health care, and many other issues. Our elected representatives are so far removed from the realities faced by average Americans, they have no hope of understanding the problems created by the laws they've passed. Right now, they have no real incentive to pass meaningful health care reform. And why should they? They, and their families are provided for until they die.
   Now, imagine what would happen if they were forced to find health insurance on their own while still in office, without the "golden parachute," and without the promise of a cushy lifetime pension. I bet they would begin to see the problem pretty quickly. And I bet they would work hard to find a real, workable solution.
   I believe access to affordable health care is a constitutional right (We are guaranteed the rights to LIFE, liberty and pursuit of happiness). And while it's true that the Affordable Health Care Act has some major problems, I believe it is a small step in the right direction. I can only hope that our lawmakers won't rest on their laurels or worse, restore the status quo. Obama has opened the door to a national dialogue on health care. It's a conversation that's long overdue.