View source for Myths/Obamacare/is a luxury we can't afford

{{hdr/myth|Obamacare is a luxury we can't afford.}}
==Myth==
The argument seems to be that when the economy is tough, we should spend less money. Therefore Obamacare -- which must be expensive, right? -- is something we can't afford right now.
==Reality==
Leaving aside the austerity myth, this argument is based on several bits of misinformation and misperception &ndash; the most obvious of which is that Obamacare is expensive and will increase the deficit.
===The CBO Analysis===
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated the legislation would ''reduce'' the deficit by $143 billion over the first decade and by $1.2 trillion in the second decade.

'''Repeat''': Obamacare ''decreases'' the deficit. If you ''repeal'' it, you ''increase'' the deficit.

If you don't believe the CBO's analysis, who do you believe -- and why? Have they explained how the CBO's analysis is wrong?

Even assuming that the CBO estimate is somehow inaccurate, if the GOP would just be willing to reinstate Reagan-era tax rates for those who ''can'' afford a little extra -- you know, that top 1% of earners who just got their tax cuts extended by that "socialist", Obama -- any possible underestimate of the cost would be taken care of.
===Additional Effects===
The CBO analysis doesn't even take into account the expected economic benefits from having a healthier population -- a kind of "trickle down" that actually ''works'', unlike the Bush tax cuts.

Even if your sole interest is seeing the insurance companies profit, Obamacare fills that need too: ''Forbes'' magazine [http://blogs.forbes.com/rickungar/2011/01/06/more-small-businesses-offering-health-care-to-employees-thanks-to-obamacare/ has observed] that insurance companies are seeing a boom in new policies, including many from small businesses which previously hadn't been able to offer insurance to their employees.

Gee, large ''and'' small businesses benefiting -- isn't that what Republicans are supposed to be in favor of?
===Links===
* '''2011-01-22''' [http://www.firstfocus.net/sites/default/files/StateCost_Dorn_0.pdf FirstFocus reports] that "A worst-case scenario [for the impact of the Affordable Care Act on state budgets] will thus see states realizing net budgetary savings of $40.6 billion during 2014-2019. In a best-case scenario, those gains will reach $131.9 billion."
==Notes==
This was adapted from [[htwiki:User:Woozle/blog/2011-01-13 1110 Obamacare myth the first|the HypertWiki]].