History Made This Week

History was made this week when President Barack Obama signed health care reform into law.
In spite of the nay-sayers, the Tea Party movement, talk show attacks, racial slurs and all the rest, this most difficult piece of legislation is now the law of the land.
Because of it, an estimated 32 million Americans who have up to now been unprotected against the cost of being sick will now have access to health care.
The plan is designed to reduce the deficit by one trillion dollars over the next 20 years.
Some of the benefits of the plan will take some years to kick in, but these things will happen immediately:

Small businesses will receive significant tax cuts, this year, to help them afford health coverage for all their employees.

Seniors will receive a rebate to reduce drug costs not yet covered under Medicare.

Young people will be allowed coverage under their parents' plan until the age of 26.

Early retirees will receive help to reduce premium costs.

Children will be protected against discrimination on the basis of medical history.

Uninsured Americans with pre-existing conditions can join a special high-risk pool to get the coverage they need, starting in just 90 days.

Insured Americans will be protected from seeing their insurance revoked when they get sick, or facing restrictive annual limits on the care they receive.

All Americans will benefit from significant new investments to train primary care doctors, nurses, and public health professionals, and the creation of state-level consumer assistance programs to help all patients understand and defend our new rights.

I am grateful that the president did not give up and give in. I am grateful that he forged ahead in spite of the most despicable opposition. It may have cost him politically; time will tell. But at the end of the day, this president will be able to say that he did what he pledged to do, and in so doing, ended a journey that has been going on for nearly 100 years.
Health care is not a privilege. It is a right. I know that Republicans are up in arms and are going to work to repeal this law, but in my heart, I don’t think they will be successful.
The passage of this bill just says to me that if and when we are faithful to God, when we combine principles with passion, as Vice President Joe Biden said when describing President Obama, God shows up and shows out.
To God be the glory.
Have a good week.

Pastor Smith