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This law is like a runaway train

The new national health insurance law, known popularly as “Obamacare,” has become something like a runaway locomotive – doing an enormous amount of damage but with no one willing – or able – to ease off on the throttle. But don’t expect President Barack Obama to agree to suggestions that the so-called “individual mandate” be postponed for a year.

A near meltdown of the Obamacare website had one pleasant side-effect, from the president’s standpoint. It diverted attention from the many basic flaws in the law.

Once you understand Obama does not consider them to be flaws, the White House position becomes clear.

Already, just a bit more than month after Obamacare kicked off officially, hundreds of thousands of Americans have learned it will be detrimental to them. Some are finding their health insurance premiums will skyrocket. Others have been informed they cannot keep the insurance coverage they have.

Eventually, millions of individuals, families and small businesses will find that under Obamacare, health insurance will cost them more – out of their own pockets.

Again, Obama knew four years ago, before the law was enacted, of the havoc it would wreak. How else can “free” insurance be provided to the millions promised it? The harm coming to many Americans as a result of Obamacare is essential for the program to work.

Most Democrats in Congress understand that as well as the president does, but support him on this health care law either from blind party loyalty or because they agree with the philosophy it represents.

A few are more concerned about their constituents’ physical and financial health. Some are seriously considering a proposed one-year postponement of the “individual mandate” – the requirement that every American buy government-approved health insurance or pay a stiff penalty tax.

But without that mandate, millions of people will choose not to comply with the law. It simply is not in their best interests.

So Obama – who already has granted big businesses a one-year delay in complying with the law – is unlikely to go along with delaying the individual mandate.

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