The four-year siege between the eleven rebellious Southerners and the Federal government of America led the outbreak of the Civil War starting from 1861 up to 1865. There were many reasons stating the reason of the war. Tensions had been rising between the Northern and Southern factions for many years because of the differences in their economies. In the South, farmers grew crops such as tobacco and cotton on large plantations, using slaves to cultivate the entire land. Trade in black slaves from Africa began in the early 17th century. For years, the whole United States practiced slavery, but it mostly disappeared in the north. In the South, however, demand for cotton and tobacco increased and the planters needed more slaves to do the heavy work of cultivating the fields. A way of life developed based on whites being able to buy and sell black people as a commodity since the society deprived African-Americans their rights.
Ever since the history of the civil war, the American society is constantly changing throughout the years. Many Americans believed that the war has already ended long ago. To begin with, the American Civil War seems to be a symbol of a practical joke nowadays as the present society once again faces the same issues of long ago. However, little is known that the war has not yet ended and the modern American government is again brewing another distress for the nation. The Obama care fight was started by the Republican parties as a means to counter the authoritarianism ideologies that envelopes the Obama government. The battle against the Affordable Care Act or commonly known as the ‘Obama Care’ was evident in all newspaper headlines. Nevertheless, the Democratic Party envisions to establish a more convenient and affordable healthcare privileges for the poor people because they believe that empowering the entire nation through affordable healthcare programs will create a booming economy in the future. On the contrary, the Republicans believed that investing on the said healthcare program will lead to more economic problems, higher taxes quite opposite to what they intended to establish based on their core mission. The current society is dealing with a fight versus the economic power redistribution hidden under the existing cultural norms. The slavery issues is pretty much related to the health care law seen by many to be the root cause of a very deep political conflicts. The Civil War ended in a victorious battle against the military forces of the Southerners, making the issue of slavery was formally abolished and prohibited in 1865. Prior to this were thoroughly spent on the reconstruction of society badly damaged by the war along with the newly found freedom of African-Americans. During the yesteryears, the outlined reformations were not carefully followed. Banks were created to allow the former slaves to re-establish a secure life with their own families. The Freedmen’s Bureau was established in order to provide assistance for the impoverished white people and African-Americans for them to re-establish their life in the society. However, despite the attempts of the government to provide a decent aid for the new freed black people, the program remained very shortly until the society abolished the program. Similarly, the Obama Care plan envisions the same thing and have the same beliefs to provide a decent healthcare for all the American people, making the history repeat itself once more.
“Under the current repayment requirements, families whose incomes below 200 percent of the FPL will be required to pay back up to $600 in premium tax credit overpayments; families with incomes between 200 and 300 percent of the FPL are required to pay back up to $1,500 in overpayments; families with incomes between 300 and 400 percent of the FPL will be required to pay back up to $2,500 in overpayments; and those making above 400 percent of the FPL will have to pay back the entire amount of overpayment regardless of the amount. Individuals will be required to pay back up to half the amount families owe.” (O’ Leary et al. 20).
The taxes imposed prior to the Obama Care plan does not help the American citizens to gain access to the affordable health care plans they need; rather, this seems to be more of a burden than an aid to help the people recover from their illnesses. The national economy of America has been slowly progressing and only few jobs are present to employ hundreds of thousands of Americans without a permanent jobs. Instead of helping the people to recover, the money which are meant for making their lives comfortable will be spent for paying taxes for the benefit of the so-called affordable health care plan. In addition, according to Jim Downs, an associate professor of History and American Studies in Connecticut College, stated that in the nineteenth century, the expansion of the federal government’s powers provided medical aid for its newly freed citizens as their response for the medical crisis. Nowadays, the Obama administration intervened the rightful access to affordable medical support due to high taxes. The federal governments of both past and the present realizes that in exchange for the citizenship rights, living without medical support should be faced. The history repeats itself, and the evidence of this is clearly seen on the present society being divided again by political ideologies.
Works Cited
Baker, Dean. 'Obama care Secret: If You Quit Your Job, You Have a Plan – And Keep Wages Up'. The Guardian. N. p., 2014. Web. 17 Apr. 2014.
Downs, Jim. 'July 4th and the Roots of Obama care'. Huffington Post 2012. Web. 17 Apr. 2014.
Gates Jr., Henry Louis et al. The Oxford Handbook of African-American Citizenship. 1st Ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2012. Web. 17 Apr. 2014.
O' Leary, Ann et al. The Promise of the Affordable Care Act, the Practical Realities of Implementation: Maintaining Health Coverage during Life Transitions. 1st ed. Berkeley: Center for Labor Research and Education University of California, Berkeley, 2011. Web. 17 Apr. 2014.
The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. The Freedmen's Bureau, 1865-1872. The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. Print.
