Truman. Johnson. Obama. | The New Republic
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act extends the promise of affordable care to the rest of the country--a promise that will be fulfilled, one way or another, by the government.
It will not happen today, tomorrow, or even in 2014, the first year of full implementation. And you can expect plenty of problems along the way. But history tells us that first we we agree to an obligation--and then we spend some time, maybe a long time, meeting it. Medicare grew to cover more and more benefits; Medicaid grew to cover more and more people. The same will happen with this act, I am sure.
In the meantime, life will get a little better for most people and a lot better for a few. The sick will get some care. The fearful will know some serenity.
And somewhere LBJ will be smiling. Harry Truman, too.
