One of the key Buddhist themes is Ahimsa, meaning ‘non-injury‘ or ‘do no harm.’ Quoting directly from the Insight Meditation Center, “… the importance of upholding one’s personal well being is so great that the Buddha emphasized “one must not give up one’s own welfare for the sake of other people’s welfare, however great.” In saying this, the Buddha clearly meant working toward one’s highest spiritual welfare ...”
Well, the spiritual welfare of others was discarded in yesterday’s Senate approval of their Tax Bill.
Three Republican senators who bucked their own party in recent months to effectively save Obamacare voted for a tax bill that would gut Obamacare. The GOP Senate tax bill would repeal Obamacare’s individual mandate, which requires most Americans to have health insurance of some kind or pay a tax penalty. At a minimum, at least thirteen million more Americans will likely be unable to afford insurance.
Maine Senator Collins was one of the original three.
Senator Collins, a holdout against the GOP’s first Affordable Care Act repeal touted changes she claimed to have secured in the Senate tax bill, including deductions for unreimbursed health care costs. Collins also said she reached an agreement with Senate Leader Mitch McConnell to pass two proposals designed to offset the elimination of the individual mandate that requires most Americans to buy health insurance.
The New York Times Editorial Board eloquently summarized the Collins sellout.
She (Collins) traded away her vote for an inadequate deduction for property taxes and empty promises from Mr. Trump and the majority leader, Mitch McConnell, that they would help shore up the A.C.A., which they have repeatedly tried to sabotage.
In separate Twitter posts, Collins justified her vote.
Very pleased @SenateMajLdr committed to support passage of two impt bills before year’s end to mitigate premium increases: Alexander-Murray proposal to help low-income families afford insurance & my bipartisan bill to protect people w/ pre-existing conditions via high-risk
And second:
I received assurances today that no reduction in Medicare will be triggered by tax bill. See exchange of letters.
While these letters makes Collins feel better, McConnell offers no assurances. In response to Collins, McConnell wrote:
There is no reason to believe that Congress would act again to prevent a sequester, and we will work to ensure these spending cuts are prevented.
What GOP Senators, Collins included, won’t tell you is that the passage of these subsequent ACA mandate repeal bills is doubtful as House Republicans, including the House Freedom Caucus, have already said repeal bills will not be supported. All Collins did is what most legislators, leaders and business leaders do – she found a way to clear her conscious. “Well. I gave it my best shot.”
So, what’s the future? Bleak. Ultimately, the largest healthcare benefits will go to the wealthiest and those that have the most comfortable health care arrangements. The biggest losses fall to poorer Americans who rely on government support or must live with no support.
Bottom line … the GOP healthcare replacement plan is ‘death.’ If you’re lower middle-class or poor, die.