JavierSpivey

USGovernmentPeriod6
October18,2014
Mr.Shin

WithSuchGreatObamacare,WhoNeedsEnemies?
IfanythingcanbearguedaboutObamacare,itcanbeagreedthatithascausedquitethe
uproar.Thedefenseheavyfootballgameliberalpoliticianshavehadtryingtohelpitgrowhasbeen
constantlyfoiledbytheRepublicanpartyateveryturn.TofocusonthemicrogasmofObamacarein
NewYork,itisunclearifitwilladvanceorstopinitstracksdependingonthewinneroftheupcoming
gubernatorialrace.DemocraticcandidateandcurrentgovernorAndrewCuomohasadvocatedstrongly
forObamasnewdirectionforpublichealthcare,evengoingasfartoproposenewlegislationtohelp
supportitinthestate(Blain1).AstorinohasexpresseduneasinessoverCuomosrelentlesssupport,but
hasremainedveryvagueabouthisexactopinion.Hehasgoneasfartocallitpointless,butleavesone
toinferthathemaynotdeemitworthyoftimeandtaxpayerdollarstogothroughtheelaborateprocess
ofrewindingallofCuomosefforts.However,oftheAffordableCareActhesaid:Theycreateda
wholenewproblemtofixsomethingthatcouldhavebeendoneamuchdifferentway.Youshowmea
massivefederalbureaucracythathaseversavedmoney(Barbosa2).WhileCuomohasfocusedon
Obamacare,Astorinohasavoidedit,andwithoutadebatethetwosopinionsonhealthcarehaveleft
thepublictobealittleconfusedonwhichdirectionthestatewouldheadinthefieldaftertheelection.
CuomosavidsupportofObamacareisclearlyillustratedbyhisrecentattempttoimplementa
healthcareexchange,intendingtodrivedowncostswhilehelpuninsuredNewYorkersfindcheapplans
thatworkforthem(Kaplan3).UnfortunatelyforCuomo,theRepublicanmembersoftheSenate
preventedhimfromincludingtheexchangeinNewYorkStatesbudget.NewYorklawstatesthatthe
statemustplaceaninsuranceexchangeby2014lestthefederalgovernmentintervene.Determined,
CuomoevadedtheconservativeblockbybringinganexecutiveordertotheStateHealthDepartment.
Withoutregardingitasstateentitybyitself,Cuomowasabletobringhisplantolifewiththehelpofthe
department.Cuomospersistenceandperseverancehascomeoffasbrashtyrannicalactionstosome
however.KingAndrewshouldntbeoutcreatingnewbureaucraciesonhisown,saidMichael
Cannon,adirectorofhealthpolicyattheCatoInstitute(Kaplan2).Ifthepeopleselected
representativessaytheydontwanttocreateanewgovernmentbureaucracy,thenthegovernment
doesnthavethepowertocreateanewgovernmentbureaucracy(Kaplan2).Manyconservatives
haveopinionsreminiscentofCanon,andarehopingAstorinocansteerNewYorkawayfromthe
directionCuomoistakingthestate.
Astorinohasplentyofplansforhealthcarereformwerehetobecomegovernor,butironically
hasmentionedlittletonothingonthefutureofObamacare.Whenthetopicisbroughtuptohiminan
interview,oneisalmostremindedofSarahPalindodgingKatieCouricsquestionslikebullets.Astorino
hasheadlinedhiseffortswiththereformofMedicaid,claiminganalarmingamountofmoneyisunfairly
takenfromtaxpayersforit(Barbosa1).Astorinohasproposedveryintensecutstotheprogram,
upsettingsomeofhiselderlysupporters.ThisisnotthefirsttimeAstorinohasupsetpotentialvotersby
hinderinghealthcarebudgets.In2011asWestchesterCountyExecutive,heissuedoneofthefirst
vetoesintenyears,preventingnonuniongovernmentofficialsfromcheaperhealthcarebenefitsand
Westchestercitizensfrompayinghighertaxes(Barbosa2).Thatbeingsaid,Astorinoattractsalmostjust
asmanyfollowersasheloseswithhispassionforcuttingtaxesdown.
CuomoandAstorinooffertwoverydifferentpathsforNewYork,anduntiltheelectionitis
quiteunclearwhichroadNewYorkerswillchoose.Regardinghealthcare,thosethatareinsupportof
theAffordableCareActwillsidewithCuomo,andthoseinfavorofcutsandlowertaxeswillstand
alongsideAstorino.Thoughtheyaretwodifferentsides,theyarenotpolaropposites.Bothpoliticians
standbytheirbeliefsinordertodowhattheythinkisbestfortheirpeople,andthatisasimilaritythat
deservesagreatamountofrespect.

WorksCited

Barbosa,Victor."AstorinoDiscussesHealthCare,Cuomo sWork,duringMeetinginMassena."
WatertownDailyTimes.WatertownPublishers,15Apr.2014.Web.12Oct.2014.
Blain,Glenn."ObamacareWorksinNewYork,NoNeedforReprieve:Cuomo."NYDailyNews.
DailyNews,18Nov.2013.Web.14Oct.2014.
Kaplan,Thomas."CuomoActstoAdvanceHealthLawinNewYork."TheNewYorkTimes.The
NewYorkTimes,12Apr.2012.Web.16Oct.2014.
Vielkind,Jimmy."TheRobAstorinoPlausibilityTour|CapitalNewYork."TheRobAstorino
PlausibilityTour|CapitalNewYork.CapNY,3Mar.2013.Web.10Oct.2014.