Main
Index of the Weekly Forecast & Review
Notice
to our readers: There
will be no March 30 issue due to Holy Week.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
© Copyright 2010, The Ultrapolis Project – May be used freely with proper attribution. All other rights reserved.
ObamaCare
Crosses Precipice, & President Obama Skirts the Abyss
President Will Benefit, But Will We? Either Way It’s Here to
Stay
The
Healthcare Reform to Be Heard ‘Round the World
Last week gave a razor thin edge to the odds in favor of ObamaCare passing this year, and so it has. Understandably, folks of liberal sensibilities are ecstatic, and those of conservative leanings are aghast. This is a transformative piece of legislation that will have a profound effect on this country for the rest of our lives, if not for centuries to follow, squarely putting the nation on the path of a more paternalistic socialism similar to what we have seen in many Western European countries. It’s true; those countries have prospered for the last forty years, with only moderate occasional rollbacks on the lavish social benefits the citizens of those countries enjoy. And, for the most part, those same citizens like it the way they have it. However, here’s what is different with an American adoption of the Western European model: American defense spending. Since World War II, Western Europe has benefited from the American juggernaut that has secured its freedom, allowing it to spend on services what it otherwise would have to spend on defense. Secondly, these same countries have benefited from the flow of medical advances originating from the more profit-driven medical industries in the U.S. That flow is about to dry up. Can the U.S. sustain the military might that has given us the Pax Americana we currently enjoy, and also provide the level of benefits to all its citizens and aliens (legal and illegal – they will get coverage as sure as it will rain again in Houston)? We expect something is going to give.
One of the problems we often see with the ideological left is the refusal to consider the negative consequences of any social policy they deem ‘good.’ From their perspective, if it’s fair and ‘good by their standards, then a downside cannot exist. Yet, it is also true that conservatives have in many ways brought this upon themselves (and the rest of us). Between the high corruption, the free-wheeling pork barreling, and high-fives to Wall Street greed during the 2000’s, they surrendered all their moral authority in the eyes of a public increasingly frustrated by a sense that nothing ever changes in Washington. Well, now something has, and it is earth-shaking. Tremors of consequences that will rattle all the way from Tokyo to Kiev with increasing severity as the years pass.
One cannot fault the gloating and self-congratulation of Obama administration and the House leadership. They achieved their goal, and it is a major victory; and in their eyes, it is a moral one as well. We cannot fault those who succeed at doing what they, within reason, see as right.
The fight is not over from the right, but now it’s a rear-guard action. Several states are already set to contest the constitutionality of this new law. Their case will go to the Supreme Court, but it will almost certainly lose there. The only hope for conservatives and libertarians is a major anti-Obama turnout in November, giving Republicans and conservative Democrats the votes needed for repeal, but this is a long-shot. While we see Republican electoral gains in 2010, we don’t see repeal.
Obama’s
Learning Curve Begins its Ascent
As for President Obama himself, this can only help. In fact, it saved his presidency. The worst potential negative consequences of this law that could affect his political standing won’t be felt for some time. At the same time, having achieved this major feat can only help him among liberal Democrats and those fed up with waiting for action from our government on healthcare reform, and gain him back some respect across the board as someone of consequence.
Upon his election, to the puzzlement of many, we predicted two years of political ineffectiveness and missteps that would likely end with the November 2010 elections. Until now, from Iran to Gitmo, to New York civilian trials for terrorists, to health care, this is what we have seen. The growing frustration with the president’s ineffectiveness has been drawing fire even from his friends on the left. The New Republic, probably one of the last liberal publications of reasoned discourse, published two editorials in quick succession this year expressing outright fear that their endorsed choice for president might actually be incompetent. On February 18 they stated that “for the first time” they were “nervous that he isn’t up to the task.” That was followed by their March 11 observation that Obama “thus far, has failed… We await this president’s learning curve.” We were not surprised by this period of failure (they shouldn’t have been). But now, with eight months still to go, is this the premature end of that period? We think not. While the president’s learning curve should certainly be on the upswing by now, we predict a few more corrective lurches to one side or another before the president finally gets a steady hand on the nation’s helm.
More on this subject in the coming weeks.
Alleged Child Murderess Joins Mickey Mouse’s Family Shop
$200,000 Disney Jackpot for Interview With Accused
Daughter-Killer Casey Anthony
Disney subsidiary ABC News paid $200,000 to Casey Anthony,
the woman accused of murdering her infant daughter and noted for then
immediately going to out parties and nightclubs and having a wonderful
time. Just mention “Jesus” in a song,
and people flee for the hills in abject horror.
But kill a child and party, now that’s entertainment.
Reader Survey Results Start in April
With April 6 Issue, Weekly Focus on Survey Answers Begin
Starting with our April 6 issue, we will begin revealing
the results of each of the questions of readership survey, each week focusing
on a set of questions. Our thanks to all
who participated in the survey.
