Healthcare, Obamacare, Affordable Care Act, ACA implementation, Glitches

TEMPORARY GLITCHES DON’T DIMINISH VALUE OF AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
By Mildred Robertson

It’s not like we didn’t know that there would be glitches in the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly referred to as “Obamacare.” It is the most ambitious social program of its kind in the last 50 years.

With just 3 short years and much opposition to the implementation of Obamacare, it is no small wonder that some of the millions of Americans flocking to the website these last several weeks have had some difficulty. To launch a program of this size and complexity, it would be naïve to expect smooth sailing from day one.

But as we turn on the nightly news, we hear pundits from the right and the left criticizing the program; some who have never even ventured onto the site to navigate the system and examine options. When have you ever experienced the rollout of a new computer program without glitches?

Many want to pronounce the program “dead on arrival.” This pronouncement would be pre-mature at best and diabolic at worst. This program offers hope to millions of uninsured Americans, many of them the working poor, who are forced to go without the most basic healthcare because of staggering healthcare costs. This, in the most prosperous nation on earth.

According to Cheryl Smith, a senior practitioner at Deloitte, a research and consulting firm, nothing like this has ever been attempted on this scale. In an article published by “Stateline,” a daily news service of the Pew Foundation, Smith said that people might compare the ACA rollout to Medicare Part D or to Medicare itself. But she says there is no comparison. “Nothing like this has ever been done on this scale,” she says.
 

ACA’s aim is to enroll 16 million uninsured Americans into health insurance plans or an expanded Medicaid. Health experts such as Henry Aaron of the Brookings Institute remind us that, “When you’re dealing with tens of millions of new clients, mistakes are inevitable.”

Let’s give the administration time to work out the glitches. That can’t be done in three weeks, or even three months with a program of this magnitude. I personally believe it will be worth the wait.

If you listen above the din of the naysayers, you will hear stories of people who have done the comparisons, and found that the ACA offers them real cost savings. You will find that previously uninsured working poor can finally afford to buy health insurance. You may even hear that ACA has spurred economic growth.

I anticipate the five-year anniversary of the implementation of ACA. I daresay it will no longer be called “Obamacare,” because it will be a huge success.

Obamacare, Affordable Care Act, North Carolina, Health Exchange, Medicaid

OBAMA’S HISTORIC HEALTHCARE INITIATIVE LAUNCHES DESPITE OPPOSITION

By Mildred Robertson

Today marks the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, better known as “Obamacare.” Under the Affordable Care Act, families with incomes falling between 100 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty level will qualify for subsidies to help them purchase health insurance coverage in the new health insurance marketplaces referred to as “exchanges”.

It is expected that up to 1.5 million North Carolinians will be shopping for health insurance on the new health exchange offered through the federal government. Although the state of North Carolina chose not to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, officials estimate roughly 70,000 new North Carolinians may enroll in Medicaid through the program.

Consumers will not have to determine their own eligibility for subsidies, and the same application used to apply for private coverage in the exchange will be used to determine eligibility for Medicaid coverage. Therefore, if you meet the income qualifications and apply through the exchange, you will be enrolled in Medicaid.

Because North Carolina turned down Medicaid expansion and declined $27 million in federal assistance to inform citizens about the new healthcare exchange, North Carolinians will pay more and have fewer choices than people in states that embraced the Affordable Care Act. Only two carriers will sell subsidized plans in the state; Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Coventry Health Care of the Carolinas.

Also, the state’s most vulnerable will still be left without insurance. Some people with wages too high to qualify for Medicaid, but who earn too little to qualify for credits on the exchange will be left uninsured.

In order to get the word out about the new health exchanges, federal grants have been provided to non-profits across the state to dispatch “navigators” to help citizens learn about and enroll in the health exchange. In North Carolina, some county social services departments will provide office space for these navigators.

For more information on the Affordable Care Act, or to enroll, go to www.healthcare.org.

Jonathan A. Ferrel, Florida A&M, Charlotte, NC, Randall Kerrick, Racial Profiling, Police Shooting

FERREL MURDER EXAMPLE OF “OPEN SEASON” ON BLACK MEN
By Mildred Robertson

I remember among my first lessons in kindergarten was that, when you were in trouble, there were a couple of strangers you could count on to help you…firefighters, and policemen. They were there to protect and serve you – right?

Well back in 1957, going to a predominately white school, that was a pretty accurate description for most of my classmates. Unfortunately, that is not a lesson Black children can take to heart.

It was a fatal mistake for Jonathan A. Ferrel, a former football player for Florida A&M, to assume that police had arrived to rescue him following his automobile accident on September 14, 2013 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Ferrel had climbed from his wrecked vehicle in northeast Charlotte, and walked to the nearest house seeking help. It was around 2:00 a.m. in the morning, and the lone woman who answered the door called the police. That was a reasonable action for her to take. I understand her reaction. It is the reaction of the police that must be called into question.

Ferrel, probably assuming that he would finally get the help he needed, ran toward the police. The police did not see a citizen in distress – they saw a Black man, a criminal, a suspect, running toward them.

There was no benefit of the doubt for Ferrel.

He was running toward them, so he had to be some kind of threat, right? So, it was okay to use lethal force, right? And so, another Black man, whose only crime appeared to be living while Black, had his life snatched from him by racism and ignorance.

Perhaps the Charlotte police learned something from the Trayvon Martin case. They quickly reversed their position that the shooting was appropriate and lawful, and concluded that 27 year-old police officer Randall Kerrick did not have a lawful right to discharge his weapon. They charged him with voluntary manslaughter and released him on $50,000 bail. It still remains to be seen, however, if Ferrel and his family will get justice in the end.

We recently celebrated the 50th year of the March on Washington and MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech, and we witnessed a man of Black ancestry win the highest office in the land. Yet, Black people across America are seldom judged by the content of their character, at least not at first glance.

This story and others like it are far too common. It is time that we stop lamenting the demonization of the Black man in America and do something about it. It will not be an easy task, because the news media and pop culture have created a caricature of what it means to be black that is accepted by most of America.

It is apparent that the states cannot meaningfully address this issue. It is a national issue, and a national response is required. Just as Lyndon B. Johnson found that federal action was required to ensure justice for the nation’s Black citizens back in the 60’s, it is time for the federal government to step up and address the issue of racial profiling that has resulted in the murder of numerous unarmed Black men under the guise of self-defense.

How many innocent Black men must die a violent death before someone says—ENOUGH! It is time the federal government declares an end to the open season on Black men.

Joe Scarborough Doesn’t Understand Dynamics of “Stop and Frisk”

By Mildred Robertson

I started Tuesday morning as I usually do, watching “Morning Joe.” Some days I can take it – some I can’t. This was one of the mornings when Joe’s pontifications rubbed me—more than usual—the wrong way. The panel discussed New York City’s stop and frisk law.

As has been occurring since the Trayvon Martin tragedy and ill-conceived verdict, a bunch of white men discussed what it must be like to be young, black, and well – existing. They rolled out the stop and frisk numbers, indicating that only 1 in 10 of the profiled individuals stopped actually even got a citation, let alone charged for a serious offense.

Joe pointed out that if similar stops were made in upper Manhattan, the numbers of those found actually committing a crime would probably not be that different. So, why, might you ask, am I particularly irritated with Joe Scarborough for this morning’s coverage.

It is because, apparently, he does not listen.

After hearing numerous African Americans, many his peers, explain to him how Black mothers and fathers must counsel their children to interpret any encounter with police as possibly a life threatening one, he still doesn’t get it.

The discussion turned to the fact that it is not the stop and frisk law that is so distasteful to African Americans. In fact, many who live in crime-infested neighborhoods appreciate aggressive policing. They just want that aggressive policing to be impartial, just and universal.

Joe goes on to say that aggressive policing wouldn’t work in upper Manhattan. Were he to be stopped and frisked on numerous occasions, he pontificated; he would demand the officer’s name and badge number. He’s a lawyer, you know. He knows his rights!

Again, Joe doesn’t listen.

Those words might work coming from his mouth, or the mouth of someone who looks like him. For my son, that might mean a beating, and perhaps a trip to the morgue. That’s the part he doesn’t get. That is the point of the outrage.

But not just outrage—pain.

It pains me that my 20-something year old son, running for a bus in Escondido, California, strapped with his college backpack was profiled by a police officer. I was pained that he suffered the inconvenience of being stopped. That he endured the insult of being called boy. That he suffered the humiliation of being asked why he was in the neighborhood – the neighborhood he lived in. That he had to PROVE that he lived there.

It was irrelevant that he was on his way to work. That he was running to catch the only bus that would get him to work on time. That he had his backpack because he was not going to be able to come home before heading off to school. The officer just saw a black man running in a white neighborhood early in the morning. To the police officer, it was obvious. He must be carrying stolen goods.

And Lord help, when my son told me the story, he said he told the police officer he was running to catch the bus so he could get to work on time, and because he was stopped, that might not happen. As a mother, my heart jumped in my chest. I told him to never do that again. I reminded him of Rodney King. By the luck of the draw, he didn’t get a “Rodney King” cop and he made his bus and made it to work on time.

My son told me he was sorry that his actions had upset me, but that he was a man, and that he demanded to be treated like one. I was proud—but terrified.

I remain terrified. Because I know who my son is, I fear his encounters with the establishment. Although my heart goes out to her, I don’t want to be like Trayvon Martin’s mother.

That’s what Joe Scarborough doesn’t get. My son was not raised in the hood. He is not a gang banger. He doesn’t carry weapons. He doesn’t sell drugs. But profiling can see none of that.

All it can see is that he is Black. That makes him suspect. That means he does not have the luxury of looking a police officer in the eye and saying "I need your name and badge number" without fear of repercussion. That means his rights, are not like your rights, Joe.

And therein lies the problem.

MSNBC Accusation Causes Call to Boycott Koch Products

Are They Funding Zimmerman Defense?

By Mildred Robertson

There is information circulating which indicates the Koch brothers have financed George Zimmerman’s lawyers and legal fees, an allegation they vehemently deny. What they do not deny, however, is that they are among the architects of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), which pushes conservative policy-making across the nation, including gun laws like “Stand Your Ground,” attacks on women’s rights, and assaults on voting rights.

It appears allegations about the connection between the Koch brothers and their possible involvement in the Zimmerman defense were first made on MSNBC. Now there is a push for people to boycott Koch products based on those allegations. People who oppose this injustice, are being asked to ban together with other like-minded people and boycott these Koch products:

·         Angel Soft Toilet Paper

·         Brawny Paper Towels

·         Dixie Plates, Bowls, Napkins and Cups

·         Mardi Gras Napkins and Paper Towels

·         Quilted Northern Toilet Paper

·         Soft & Gentle Toilet paper

·         Sparkle napkins, Paper Towels

·         Vanity Fair Napkins

While I do not know what the truth is at it relates to the Koch brothers financing of George Zimmerman’s legal fees, it appears to me that progressive individuals who believe in justice, equality and fair play should have already been boycotting Koch products.

I appreciate the hoopla, because it has helped me become aware of what those products are, so I can ensure that none of them turn up in my pantry.

Obviously, MSNBC hit a nerve, because the internet is full of messages with the Koch brothers crying foul. That means that this concrete example of why it matters how the Koch brothers use their money may make some people less inclined to give it to them.

Post Racial, Trayvon, Emmett Till, Rightwing View

What a Post-Racial Society Looks Like: Seeing Right from the Wrong Angle

By Mildred Robertson

There are just lots of things that are more difficult to do when you are Black in America. 

When we elected President Obama in 2008, pundits across the country declared America a “Post-Racial” society. Had not just a majority of Americans put on their color blinders and cast their vote for the son of an African? They hailed it as a new era in American politics and a precursor to a more just and equal society.

But America is not that easily explained.

While a majority of Americans were able to embrace the first “Black” president of the United States, little was made of the fact that he is just as white as he is black. That fact alone negates the theory that America has become colorblind. In America, it only takes one drop of black blood to make you Black.   Although he handily won the seat, millions of Americans still view President Obama as a usurper who has no right to the most powerful position in the world.

There are just lots of things that are more difficult to do when you are Black in America. 

Whether your name is Emmit or Trayvon, it just doesn’t pay to be young, Black and male in America. The simple act of admiring a beautiful woman, or walking to the corner store for skittles and tea could very well be a death sentence.

You might not want to jog to the bus stop while wearing a backpack and a hoodie either, particularly if you are running through a predominantly white neighborhood.

And then there is the issue of driving while black. You just can’t be a black male and expect to drive your Jaguar though a suburban neighborhood without getting stopped. Oh, forget the Jaguar.  Just driving through a suburban neighborhood can get you pulled over.

You can’t be Black, have kids, and be anything other than a “baby momma.” Ask Michelle Obama.

You can’t be a Black uniformed five-star General in an airport and not be mistaken for a baggage handler. Ask Collin Powell.

You can’t be a politician that shows anger when right-wing political operatives tell all kinds of outrageous lies about you and still expect to get elected. Ask President Obama.

There is nothing post-racial about America.

To be Black in America is to be different – to be judged more harshly—to be scary, angry, lazy, promiscuous, menial. The image has been seared on white America’s consciousness.

 That is what the six jurors saw when they elected to set George Zimmerman free. Of course, he was terrified of this 15-year-old child. So scared that he got out of his car, stalked Trayvon in the night, and shot him dead. That doesn’t make sense, the way I see it.

But those jurors did not see what I saw—what Black Americans saw. They did not view this case the same as many Americans who truly transcend the major prejudices that plague our society. They just saw right from the wrong angle.

It is the view they see of us—all of us.

Trayvon Martin, Black Male, George Zimmerman

Trayvon Martin Found Guilty of Being Black

By Mildred Robertson
 

I have been amazed to watch the trial of George Zimmerman in the murder of Travon Martin in Sanford Florida. It occurred to me this morning as I watched clips from the trial, that it is ludicrous that anyone would think that there is any way to justify the actions of George Zimmerman on that tragic evening. Who was on top, who threw the first punch – all irrelevant points.

The only misconduct that occurred was born in George Zimmerman’s mind as he profiled a young black man and determined him to be “suspect” based on nothing other than the fact that he existed, and had the audacity to exist in Zimmerman’s space. The only crime that occurred was that George Zimmerman stalked and then killed a kid who simply took a walk to pick up some skittles and a soda. The only thing Trayvon Martin could have done to avoid this tragedy is not to exist in the time and space that put him in Zimmerman’s path.

It takes me back to a dramatic scene in the movie “A Time to Kill” when the defense attorney asked the jurors to close their eyes while he graphically described the rape of a little black girl on her way home from the grocery store. After recounting the horrific acts committed against the child, he told the jurors, their eyes still closed, “Now, imagine she is white.” The moment was stunning as the jurors’ eyes popped open, and you could see that they understood.

That powerful moment is one that needs to be re-lived in this real life tragedy. “Now imagine if Travon was white.” Had he been white, it is doubtful that Zimmerman would have even noticed him.

But he did notice him. He did feel threatened by him, despite the fact that there were no grounds for his distrust. He then stalked and killed him, because this one was not going to get away. It was a series of actions set in motion by George Zimmerman’s verdict that a young man like Travon had no right to be in his neighborhood.

It is clear to me that many people get it. To be a black male in America is to be automatically a threat for people like George Zimmerman. There was nothing Travon could have done to change the situation.

Once Zimmerman determined that Trayvon did not belong; that he was not entitled to the freedom to walk through the neighborhood of an acquaintance, that covering his head from the rain with a hoody was intimidating, that having an unfamiliar face made him suspect; the scene was set for tragedy – a tragedy born in Zimmerman’s mind that resulted in the death of an innocent young man.

And he was innocent, despite what the defense would have us to believe.

The defense would like us to believe that Trayvon was dangerous. He liked to fight. He smoked dope. Zimmerman was right in viewing him as dangerous.

Whether they are true or not, these allegations are irrelevant. Even if Trayvon had a fight daily, and took a hit from a joint every day, it would not justify a death sentence. And that is what Zimmerman gave him. He served as the judge, jury and executioner of a young man who had done no wrong, and seemed to have no intent to do so. 

If there is any justice in our system of law, George Zimmerman must pay for this crime. Failure to do so will fortify the racist assumption that the mere existence of a black man makes him suspect and subject to capital punishment at the hands of a vigilante.