The Case For Opening Primary Season To The Entire Electorate

Just to be clear on something, there's a lot of panic goin on in the Democratic and Republican Establishments about both Bernie Sanders & Donald Trump. I read an article on Right Wing News on how Trump could basically kill the GOP's chances for claiming back the Presidency in 2016 if he's either the party nominee and/or runs a third-party campaign. It also makes the point of saying that the public needs to quit funding these primary elections/caucuses and debates with their tax-dollars. This is interesting since it points out that these debates only bring out about 9% of the electorate out, and that both the Democratic and Republican Parties operate as private clubs. Right Wing News cited an article and video from Ben Swann that actually gives some credence to calling for the end of public financing of the primaries (both elections and debates), for the low turnouts they produce. While I don't entirely agree with the fact that there should be no public financing at all, I do however see their frustration with the low turnout and how it can be a waste of money if the point is to drive out both TheDemocrats & the Republicans' base supporters. Here's where I have some agreement, & I think we should open the process to the entire electorate during primary season. By expanding the electorate we can get a better idea as to the will of the people. The author of the RWN article, Terressa Monroe-Hamilton is right in saying that 9% is not a representative sample.

The Case For Updating Parts Of The Affordable Care Act

I think from how the Affordable Care Act was set up, we're still seeing problems in its operation. Billing patients is only one part of it, but it's a major one, especially on the side of premiums and claims. What I'm saying is that the law is particularly weak in overseeing companies like the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association are paying claims after collecting premiums, and not just pocketing premiums. This is a massive flaw within the system, and one that will get worse overtime. This was one of my many misgivings about the law having little teeth; designing the program around the insurance companies that have a history of scamming premium-payers. The insurance companies would not be liable for their own misdeeds since they are now de facto organs of the 50 states and the Fed itself.

Even now, the ACA does nothing to really help mitigate the monopolies of the health-insurance companies and their corrosive effect on prices, only subsidizing the monopolistic effects. I know of the greater goals that the ACA pushes forth for us, but as I said earlier it needs some major tweeking in order to work.