Question RE: Mandates

[Proud Liberal Dem]

I've been following the HCR debate pretty closely and I hear a lot here about how awful the mandates are and how people are going to toss the Dems on their a**es come November once they *discover* that they now are REQUIRED to purchase insurance as a result of HCR passing.
My question is, is this really that likely to actually happen- that people are really going to be incensed over having to purchase health insurance coverage? :shrug: Any polling data from any of the major organizations about this? A lot of people already pay for insurance- (PRIVATE) insurance and many more people whom have wanted to purchase insurance but haven't been able for various reasons will likely purchase coverage (and probably be happy that they'll be able to-perhaps for the first time in years) no matter who offers it. We have had a PRIVATE run system of health insurance for a long time in this country and, although I wager that most people are generally unhappy about private insurance companies as they exist now, private insurance is what is familiar to most people right now and what most people expect to be paying into for the foreseeable future.
We can pontificate all day about insurance companies being "cartels" and/or criminal syndicates and while I tend to agree with those sentiments and personally support the adoption of a single payer system, I understand that the average person may not share our perception of the private insurance industry nor support the adoption of a single payer system at this time, so why does it seem to be assumed that people will be so upset about being required to purchase a product that a lot of people might already be wanting to buy- from private insurance companies? Sure, there will undoubtedly be some people- probably some from here- whom will opt to pay the fine instead of the insurance but I would wager that most people will want to have some insurance and won't mind paying for it- even if they are buying it through a private insurance company, which, as I pointed out earlier, most people already do and don't expect that to change significantly in the near future.
So, are Dems REALLY screwed if they pass a bill with mandates (and no PO)?

[Cleobulus]

1. Yes if people cannot afford to use the coverage(such as myself)...

Or have difficulty affording premiums or various other problems that can arise. Also, while most Americans do have Private Insurance, they loathe Medical Insurance companies.

[Luciferous]

2. Because a lot of insurance plans provide shitty coverage, and people don't want

to be forced to buy insurance that won't cover them when they need it. And those that can afford the "good" insurance plans usually already have insurance. So you are forcing poor people to buy into worthless plans, but apparently it's all okay because the government will subsidize it all :puke:

[leftstreet]

3. Most insurance coverage is through employment

No one has really 'polled' the notion of mandated private insurance purchase.

Politicians would likely have shit themselves over any such polling.

:-)

[obxhead]

4. Once I'm mandated to purchase insurance I can not afford

Why yes, you bet your ass I will be motivated.

[Mimosa]

5. Dems show they are OWNED if they pass a bill with mandates (and no PO) n/t

[girl gone mad]

6. I saved over $100,000 by paying out of pocket for medical care in my 20s..

so, yes, absolutely, a lot of people are going to be very angry and quite rightly so.

[defendandprotect]

7. Obviously, we need a Plan B . . .

[Skittles]

8. do you not get it?

LOTS OF PEOPLE WITH INSURANCE CANNOT AFFORD TO USE THE HEALTHCARE - to now be FORCED to pay these greedy bastards is just plain CRIMINAL and does NOTHING to change what is TRULY WRONG with healthcare in America

[subterranean]

9. No one will be required to purchase health insurance this November

or in 2012, for that matter. So I don't think there will be much anger in the upcoming elections from people who are suddenly forced to buy health insurance. Even when the mandate does kick in in 2014 or whenever, for every person who's angry about being forced to buy health insurance, there will be someone else who's thankful that they finally CAN buy it.

I'm currently uninsured. Will I be upset when I have to start buying health insurance? That will depend on the cost of the plans available, and whether I feel they are worth that cost. Either way, I certainly won't vote Republican.

The biggest problem for the Democrats this November (in my opinion) will be the lack of enthusiasm among progressive voters, who have been largely ignored or taken for granted by the party since the 2008 election.