Hilbert Morales
EL OBSERVADOR
The American electorate’s support of President Donald J. Trump needs to be re-assessed. Many working class folks are wondering if and when the Trump Administration is going to get around to doing something about jobs and wealth disparities. These were addressed many times during the past election campaign. Three main issues are worrisome to ordinary working class folks:
A) Health Care Insurance public policy; B) Comprehensive Immigration Reform and C) Reduction of Federal Government’s capability to lead and guide both international and domestic public policy.
A) HEALTH CARE INSURANCE public policy: The 2010 Affordable Health Care Act (ACA or ‘Obama Care’) has been a consistent target for total repeal by Republican conservatives. California set up central state exchanges (Cover California) where individuals could obtain reliable comparison information about “HEALTH CARE INSURANCE COMPANIES” …their premiums and coverage policies. Each Insurance purveyor now had to permit youth to remain ‘covered’ under their parents policy until age 26 and no purveyor could deny ‘health care insurances’ to anyone because of a prior health issue. In addition Medicare/MediCal programs were expanded. For the first time reimbursements for mental health care services were included.
Trump’s campaign promise was to ‘repeal and replace ACA’. Never since 2009 has the Republican ideologues ever revealed the features of their ‘health care insurance plan’. The current repeal and replace Republican proposals end up insuring fewer working class individuals at higher costs. The analysis by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Management Office estimates that 24 million persons will remain UNINSURED. Republican Party’s own analysis projects that 26 million will be uninsured. This in contrast to the 2010 ACA’s achievements which provided health care insurance coverage to 20 million working class folks. It seems logical to not repeal and replace the 2010 ACA which never was implemented in all those RED STATES having Republican Governors, who did not set up their central exchange nor expand their state’s Medicare/Medicaid programs. Both of these actions were needed to ensure the very large numbers of participants needed to ensure ACA’s success in attaining broad population involvement and very high ‘insured participants’ necessary to ‘reduce personal premiums’. Only in a few BLUE states did that happen as in California.
ACA has serious omissions which need inclusion: 1) The trained professionals needed by hospitals, clinics, and physicians was never addressed. For years medical professionals trained in other nations MIGRATE to America to practice. 2) The prescription drug manufacturers need to benefit from ‘foreign’ competition and monitoring (which is not regulation). Competition is easily created: Just allow drugs produced outside of USA to enter the American health care market. and 3) Durable Medical Equipment needs to be monitored (not regulated). The government, not the health care industry, needs to promote excellent Public Health practices which have extended human longevity.
B) COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION POLICY REFORM: This issue will not ever be resolved until all those who benefit from the current exploitative practices are exposed. Trump, in his personal ‘white supremacist racist’ manner appealed to the ‘red-necks’ amongst us by pledging to build “THAT WALL” which will use resources better applied elsewhere (e.g.: infrastructural improvements). The U.S. Congress has the ‘power of the purse’ so all constituents need to communicate to their Senators and Representatives to simply not fund THAT WALL. What is being severely damaged by the Trump Administration’s approach is the bi-national relationship which has resulted in an estimated $10 billion of economic activity that benefits both America and Mexico. Trump has crafted ‘alternative facts’ which are not supported by studies (just read studies by the Pew Foundation and others). The continued focus upon expelling undocumented immigrants (of the 11 million, 50% are Mexican; 150 nations contribute to the other 5.5 million); most arrive here with a valid visa which is ‘overstayed’. The social trauma being generated is simply cruel, wrong, and reveals the ‘white supremacist’ leanings of this nation. It is time for those of us who are persons of color to vigorously push back by insisting that Trump be impeached or limited to one four year term.
C) SMALLER FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: The reduction of America’s democratic Federal Government’s capability to lead and guide both international and domestic public policy is despotically criminal. . Recently, in the Department of Justice, all federal prosecuting attorneys appointed by the prior Obama Administration were ‘simply dismissed’. In addition, the newly appointed Secretary of State dismissed several very experienced foreign affairs civil servants, resulting in the loss of critically essential ‘institutional memory’ . Trump withdrew America from the Trans-Pacific Trade Treaty and intends to renegotiate the North American Trade Agreement between Canada, Mexico and America. Much of this is being done without learning about the basis for these agreements. The Global Climate Change Pact is being set aside because of the inability to comprehend or accept prevailing scientific evidence that greenhouse gas levels (especially carbon dioxide) impact global warming. My serious concern is that much damage will be done by actions of this Trump administration whose advisory staff is very committed to the establishment of a ‘smaller federal government’. America is the superpower today (or was)…Too many Trump Administration actions are destroying what has taken 72 years to assemble since WWII. The outcome will be a serious decline in the ability of America to influence, guide, and lead as it has during the recent past when diplomacy rather than military actions became the first reaction to any international incident. Also, America’s role in the development of the future global economy seems to be decreasing. The outcome is that China or Russia will enter into markets currently dominated by American interests. That outcome is not good for America.
These are trying times which will pass by soon with our focused corrective actions achieved in solidarity. The Judiciary is doing its job; it’s time the U.S. Congress begins to become the deliberative body which leads America and all nations towards the desired era of future global peace.
