Paul Sassone

What is the point?

Is the health-care debate about health care?

Or is it about taxes?

If the debate over whether and how to eliminate the Affordable Care Act is about how best to provide health care to Americans, then plans floated should focus on how to provide the best health care to the most people.

Of course, whatever replaces the Affordable Care Act should not wreck the economy or pile up deficits. But an American health-care plan must provide adequate health care to all Americans who need it.

And right here is the source of my confusion.

What the Republicans propose to replace the Affordable Care Act does no such thing.

The American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, the American Association of Retired Persons and other health-care providers vehemently oppose what Republicans are proposing.

These groups contend the GOP plan as revealed so far would eliminate health insurance for millions of Americans, decrease benefits and raise health-care costs and insurance premiums for millions more Americans.

The inevitable result of GOP health care would be death, illness and financial ruin for millions of Americans.

Is this the result we want? Is this a plan or societal suicide?

Is this reform or heartless abrogation of the government’s responsibility to foster and promote life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? For a society of sick people cannot have life, liberty or

happiness.

So, again I ask: What is the point, the end game, the purpose of the Republicans’ so-called health-care reform?

Republicans like to boast of their strong religious faith. I was taught that an integral component of religious faith is to help — to look out for — those in need, those who hunger and thirst, those without recourse.

What greater need is there than the need for adequate and affordable medical care?

And what greater good can one human being do for others than assist them in receiving the health care they and their family need?

The result of the Republicans’ so-called health-care reform is to trash a promising and pretty successful Affordable Care Act that continues to gain public support.

The payoff? Lower taxes for affluent Americans, I suppose — what always heads Republicans want list.

And for the rest of America?

Does the GOP care?

–What is health-care debate about?–