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Health Care Result: The Solidarity of Americans May be Strengthened (Trouw, The Netherlands)

“In a country where freedom of the individual is worshipped in an almost religious manner, it has now been established that in some cases, it is necessary and constitutionally permitted to compel citizens to show solidarity with one another. … This makes the U.S. a little more civilized, perhaps even a bit more European. Which incidentally, is not to say that Europe is, in all cases, more civilized than America.”

EDITORIAL

Translated By Marion Pini

June 29, 2012

The Netherlands - Trouw - Original Article (Dutch)

The fact that the U.S. Supreme Court has not rejected compulsory health insurance is a major victory for President Obama. But it is especially good news for the approximately 30 million Americans who go through life without such insurance. They will no longer be at the mercy of the law of the jungle.

The ideological shift that lies behind the decision is of great significance. In a country where freedom of the individual is worshipped in an almost religious manner, it has now been established that in some cases, it is necessary and constitutionally permitted to compel citizens to show solidarity with one another.

Posted by Worldmeets.US

That the Supreme Court achieves this by defining the obligation to be insured as a tax is a technical matter. Fundamentally, this is about the acceptance by the Court of Obama’s premise: that together, the healthy and the ill make an insurance system possible.

SEE ALSO ON THIS:  

Le Temps, Switzerland: U.S. Health Law: Another ‘Moral Victory’ for Obama  

Telegraph, U.K.: Why Health Reforms Could Determine Future of U.S. Politics    

Guardian, U.K.: Hyperbole and Health Care: Critics Respond    

Estadao, Brazil: New U.S. Health Care Differs Sharply from Brazil and Europe  

Folha, Brazil: Stop the Presses! Barack Obama Has Been Resurrected!  

Frankfurter Rundschau, Germany: Obama Made History - Whatever the Cost  

Financial Times Deutschland: U.S. Health Reform a Foreign Policy Win

L'Express, France: Astonishing: U.S. Republicans Turn Backs on History  

The Telegraph, U.K.: It's a 'Dark Day' for Freedom in America

The Times, U.K.: Win on Health is Obama Win Around the World  

The Times, U.K.: Now, Change Really is Coming to America

Estadao, Brazil: Americans 'Blind' to 'Extraordinary Progress' Under Obama  

Folha, Brazil: Brazil 'Envies' America's Public Health Care Debate

This makes the U.S. a little more civilized, perhaps even a bit more European. Which incidentally, is not to say that Europe is, in all cases, more civilized than America.

Indeed, for Republican opponents of “Obamacare,” it is precisely Europe that is the specter. They see compulsory insurance as a form of state intervention that amounts to “European Socialism” - and they can hardly imagine anything worse. They believe that if the government can compel citizens to take out insurance, there will be no end to it. They argued during Court sessions that soon they will force us to buy broccoli.

That this attitude is greatly damaging to society is less important to opponents than the freedom of the individual. This sentiment that thrives among conservative Americans is so strong, that the fight isn’t over yet. The Republicans - lead by presidential candidate Mitt Romney – vow to repeal Obama’s health insurance reform at the first opportunity.

The Supreme Court has not ruled in their favor, but the voters have the last word. As far as they are concerned, there is now even more reason to send Obama home in November. But they will have to do so with a president whose position is now undeniably strengthened. Because of the ruling of the court, Obama can point with pride at having resolved an issue that has ground down many of his illustrious predecessors. That is no small feat.