Obamacare ‘Time-Bomb’ Puts Democrats in Further Peril Heading Into the Mid-Terms – Opinion

While you may not have heard about it given all the other news dominating the political sphere the last several months, there is an Obamacare “time-bomb” set to go off right before the mid-term elections.

In another self-inflicted wound, Democrats shot money out of their backside in order to provide extra Obamacare subsidies last year as part of their “American Rescue Plan.” That spending package ended up forming the basis for the current inflationary boom that is crushing the country. It’s okay, you still got $1,200, right?

The increased subsidies that were granted are about to end, and Democrats do not have a plan for how to prolong them or how to avoid being retaliated against.

Democrats have begun to sleepwalk towards a political time bomb, which could be set off before November’s midterm votes.

In order to reduce monthly premiums, President Joe Biden increased subsidies last year. This was done in an effort to make individual health plans more affordable and lower the cost of insurance for millions. This was a key part of stimulus legislation that Democrats believe will improve Obamacare access and expand the middle class.

However, if Democrats fail in a reconciliation act to provide financial assistance beyond the year’s end, this temporary program could be canceled. In this scenario, 13 million Americans who benefited from the program will see steep price increases of up to hundreds of dollars. This is despite a severe stretch of inflation.

The stupidity and incompetence of Washington politicians is on full display. They could have quickly figured out that it was impossible to pass another huge spending bill with the Senate divided 50-50. Instead, they pushed through their $2 trillion COVID “relief” bill along party lines, ignoring the landmines they were planting in their own path, with multiple hand-outs expiring in the coming years. Joe Biden’s arrogant decision left his party with nowhere to go.

With the “Build Back Better” agenda dead at the hands of Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin, there isn’t another vehicle to push through an extension of these subsidies, nor should they be extended anyway. Most people don’t want to pay exorbitantly high prices so that a few, in this instance, 13 million, can get more government benefits through a silly vote-buying program. Most Americans are giving when it comes to entitlements, even to the detriment of the nation’s long-term well-being, but there’s always a limit. I think we’ve reached it.

Democrats are faced with the dilemma of trying to explain to voters who have been genetically predisposed to support them, why they suddenly see their premiums for healthcare so high. Their inability, even though they control the Senate, House and White Houses, to explain why their healthcare premiums are so high could affect turnout among the key electoral pools. And while the Democrats will no doubt try to blame Republicans for not helping them pass an extension, that’s just how things work for an incumbent party.

The ride ends and you have to pay the bills, financially as well as politically. That’s where we are as a nation, with inflation destroying the middle class and the stock market collapse. Democrats believed they could ignore the rules and make their own utopia. That hasn’t happened, and now they will be left holding the bag, as they should be.