Political swings to the right are always a risk for the USA’s Social Security and Medicare systems. Guaranteeing a safety net for the disadvantaged, accepted unquestioningly in Europe, appears to be an anathema to a certain type of Republican.
The Social Security Administration was set up on 14 August 1935 by Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Leo Sun and Mercury are catching the downbeat tr Saturn opposition this year and the disruptive tr Uranus square in 2023 – which does suggest some tensions and changes. There could be a major overhaul in 2026 with tr Pluto square the Uranus.
Medicare was set up in 1965 on 30 July, another Leo, and is on high alert and edgy over coming months with tr Uranus opposition the Neptune; with a major shock and jolt coming sometime this year from Solar Arc Mars square the Uranus and worse by 2024 with a dead-halt Solar Arc Mars square the Pluto.
The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), 23 March 2010 looks to be under immense pressure with a frustrating, trapped tr Pluto opposition Mars in 2024/25. With an undermining tr Neptune Saturn conjunct the Sun in 2025 and square the Pluto and Moon by 2027. That looks to be a damaging run from 2024 to 2027.
PS. I am not that familiar with the US system so this is just from the foundation charts themselves.
Chris Romero , Costa Rico also has the advantage of being the most peaceful nation in South America. I think you would be on to a winner there. You have the advantage of having your cousin living there too. I have never been but have seen plenty of programmes on the telly about it.
Larryc, you have my sympathy, and I hope that you are successful in getting to live in the European Union. In the meantime many Americans live in Mexico, Costa Rica and Panama for free or very cheap medical care and they are considered to have a very high standard.
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@ Linda,
One of my cousins became a citizen of Costa Rica back in January 2001 (right after George W. Bush became President).
She had first moved to Costa Rica back in 1988 as a high school exchange student at age 17. She ended up moving back to Costa Rica in 1996 after completing her Master’s Degree in English and began working with Peace Corp. as an English teacher there.
I keep in touch with my cousin often via Facebook, Twitter, Email, Snapchat, and phone and she tells me she loves her life in Costa Rica. She’s surrounded by beautiful landscapes, friendly people, and has access to a better dental and healthcare system. She’s also made friends with many locals and other American expats over the years and is married to a Costa Rican man (who’ve I’ve met twice at some family reunions we’ve had in Miami)
I too am thinking about settling in Costa Rica if things get too bad here in the U.S.
I do have citizenship to Spain (which I was able to acquire in the early 2000s) since both of my paternal grandparents were born in Spain. However, I can’t see myself moving too far away from the U.S. since most of my immediate family are here. I’d prefer to stay in the Americas.
Costa Rica is just a hop, skip, and a jump away from my state (Florida).
Thanks, Linda. EU medical insurance is required…and VERY affordable compared to the complicated plans here in the US.
Without Medicare, I have nothing. Several years ago, prior to qualifying for medicare, a kidney specialist refused to treat and diagnose me for bloody urine unless I had procured an insurance plan accepted by his office. I told him that available insurance policies would cost more than my disposable income. The doctor refused to be moved from his opinion, so I began addressing him as Doctor Dollarsign, in front of his staff. Pissed him off to no end. His rage was visible on his face, and I enjoyed the moment immensely. There was no happy ending.
Moving to Europe would only help me in the long run…no matter what American patriots might otherwise think.
I guess the only way to avoid all of this is to make sure we get out the vote – for Democrats.
I just have to hope that we have enough intelligent and informed voters to turn out this November to ensure these gloomy postulations do not manifest.
As for Medicare, things seem to be going well for that at the moment (at least). Biden announced that recipients will be paying lower premiums beginning next year for the Medicare Advantage and Part D plans. Many are happy about that.
If the GOP retake the House of Representatives in the midterms, one of the things they’ve threatened to do is make cuts to Social Security and Medicare–they just hate any social program that benefits ordinary, non-wealthy working people. And, if Biden vetoes these attempts (which he would), they will threaten to blow up the U.S. and world economies by refusing to negotiate to raise the debt ceiling.
Their attempts to destroy Obamacare during the previous administration failed by one vote in the Senate, but their allied groups are always challenging aspects of the law in court. One of their long-term goals is to remove minimum required coverages and regulatory oversight, so that their cronies in the insurance industry can revert to the previous free-for-all system where they could charge what they wanted but not guarantee coverage.
Truly, the GOP has become the party of greed and sociopathy. I am hoping against hope that they experience a painful defeat on Election Day, Nov. 8, and during the subsequent vote-counting–and that they fail in their efforts to muddy the waters and steal the vote afterwards.
@ al22,
I knew about the GOP threatening to hold the economy hostage over this. However, that would only backfire on them. Most voters want to keep their benefits and if the GOP is issuing them an ultimatum with the economy, they GOP will likely be the ones penalized.
No way will Biden give into those demands. Even if it means the economy
Problem is many American voters don’t even know this is in the wings because The GOP has again no platform except for Rick Scott’s 12 point plan. In that plan under #19 it states they wants to “sunset social security and Medicare and subject it to annual congressional re-authorization. Unfortunately even senior voters in Florida are mostly Republican. Voters here in Florida just worry about stupid stuff like gas prices.
None of this sounds good. I hope these changes and overhauls mean these systems will be improved in the near future rather than be destroyed.
@Chris, we may have to go through a horrendous crash and further loss of rights in the US before the masses wake up and reject what the right-wing Republicans (or as I think of them, Rethuglicans) represent — if we still have our democracy and the right to vote. As a Californian I can see the potential breakup of the union.
@ Nicole, well, Marjorie did say these were the foundation charts…and I would have to agree that these programs have always looked stressed and under siege.
The Republican Party has been trying to do away with Social security since it first began and Obamacare has always been something they have opposed.
In other words, the more I read this, I don’t see Marjorie’s reading as an actual prediction that these programs will be dismantled- she appears to be simply pointing out that Republican opposition isn’t likely to end anytime in the near future.
Also, the Republicans cannot make any changes with Biden as President even if they regained both houses. He would veto anything they put before him.
Agreed! It’s unsustainable for Blue states to be subjected to minority rule
And the UK govt. has ground the NHS into the ground, and not just neglected social care but obliterated it, with a view to handing both to these post war jewels to avaricious US corporations. Tell us it will not happen?