The price of ignorance

Obamacare, the supposed signature accomplishment of President Obama, has failed royally since day one. The national media calls it the “Lie of the Year ’13!”

Obama’s promise of “you can keep your doctor…” never came to fruition. In fact, most folks lost their trusted physicians, hospitals, and insurers.

The promised reduction by President Obama of $2,500 failed too. It had a complete opposite effect as more people learn they’d be paying more yearly and even more in hidden taxes ahead. The public clearly doesn’t like Obamacare.

A recent editorial in the Washington Times said, “The president’s scheme has produced higher premiums, higher deductibles and higher co-pays. Millions have lost perfectly good coverage plans and access to their trusted doctors. The administration couldn’t even create a functional website, despite spending $1 billion to build and promote one.” Has the NMI sought exemption? Nah!

Here at home the announcement of Nobamacare implementation was met with a full round of applause at the Legislature. The applauding ignoramuses didn’t know that the Affordable Care Act has drained families of their last pennies, nickels, and dimes.

Nobamacare, specifically, the effect of the ACA, raised health premiums here by 40 percent. It also raised health deductibles between $500 and $1,000 depending on options taken—high or low—fees you pay at CHC. Furthermore, it increased cost of medication by 40 percent. Add to this the 2 percent insurers charge clientele in service fee. I’m sure the increase has triggered higher hospital fees, too.

The most adversely affected are retirees in the lower rung of the pension pay scale. You add the pension cut of 25 percent with the increase in health premium of 40 percent for a total of 65 percent reduction in family income or buying power. This doesn’t include power bill increases or the cost of living of some 20 to 24 percent. Imagine the instant impact in the reduction of income for those earning the minimum wage that cuts it down to $2.40 an hour. Total reduction in your buying power is about 85 percent.

Most destructive federal policy

Appalling the imbecilic support from both the administration and the Legislature who never saw beyond boastful servility. Legislators were enamored by the half-cocked explanation from a supposedly masterful mouthy ignoramus.

Kilili played hermit crab avoiding the highly explosive issue. Would not a town hall meeting do justice focusing why he must seek NMI exemption given its devastation here amidst salaries and wages that have remained stagnant for over 10 years? This requires some sense of vision, doesn’t it?

Even more despicable is the grand sense of detachment and disconnection how this most egregious federal policy has literally rendered families here completely helpless. Most, if not all, are in the abyss of misery in abject poverty. And nobody sought exemption?

A lot of retirees have pulled out of their health insurance policies when they found out that the new increase leaves nothing for family sustenance. This grants them leeway into Medicaid. The next domino effect is the increase in the number of recipients. It means the quick depletion of Medicaid funds shortly.

Even more troubling is when depletion of federal funds translates into the NMI financial obligation. With bankruptcy the daily narrative is this possible? What about those who don’t qualify for Medicaid assistance?

Some 52 percent of NMI workers fall within the federal definition of poverty level income. This is the group that is egregiously displaced by Nobamacare. How do they deal with their healthcare needs? Do they wait at home until close to death to seek medical assistance at CHC as a result of embarrassment being penniless?

Understandably, Kilili doesn’t care because members of Congress and staff are exempt from Nobamacare. We’re not! Why the disengagement and disconnection? Is it an issue of caliber of policymakers between here and Washington?

The descent of greed

A thoughtful writer said, “Greed is a desire—rapacious, wanting that knows no bounds. It rules through ‘elite’ groups taking control of society at large or segments of it.”

Greed is found in the Saipan casino law where the license is limited to a single applicant or recipient. It instantly compromises healthy competition and funnels control of the industry to a single firm. This isn’t in the best interest of our people.

The embryonic beast is a pyramid of political and economic dynasty set to control and unleash endless scams, especially among local politicians. It slowly extends its tentacles of corruption to casino employees (people assigned to do soft and hard money count) and eventually security and police officers. When the circle of influence pans out as envisioned, we can kiss our future adios.

Many would be sighing with resignation, “Greed rules” powerfully. It would be a tyrant that controls our way of life. We’re left powerless and must somehow fend for ourselves. A lot of backstabbing would occur among our people—those who wish to recapture our way of life—versus those that rest comfortably in the deep pockets of casino bosses.

By then, whatever we wish to do is controlled and dominated by a few, the monopolistic influences that would work religiously against the common good. This is more the reason to repeal the law!

The ‘will of the people’

The concept of the “will of the people” is often misunderstood, misinterpreted, therefore carried forward into the nether land of misunderstanding in perpetuity. However, it comes in two forms: direct and indirect.

When the people of Saipan took the casino issue and voted it down twice, make no mistake such action is the “direct will of the people.” The Legislature, however, voted by the people is an instrument of “indirect” will of the people. It’s subject to change in an election year.

The will of the people isn’t limited to term. Senators are elected every four years as well as the governor. Neither is an initiative limited to two years.