WK 4 Reflection

The Affordable Care Act was enacted in February of 2010. Acknowledging that the law was controversial and hotly disputed at the time would be a gross understatement. Since the time that the law was debated in Congress, enacted, and its regulations promulgated, bitter debates along mostly partisan lines have ensued. Challenges in the courts have been plentiful.

Despite all of this, the law (including some changes in enforcement) is still law. Please read the following two short articles, along with the Policy Snapshot beginning on page 3 of the Meacham text. Then answer the questions below.

(1)

(2)

Reflection Questions:

(1) Assuming you are old enough to remember, how did you feel about the implementation of the Affordable Care Act in 2010? Were you supportive of the law or did you disagree with it? If you are too young to have formed an opinion back then think about whether, knowing what you know now, you would have supported the law?

(2) Take a second look at the Charts About Public Opinion. The first chart presented notes that more people have a positive view of the law than did in the past. Why do you think this is true?

(3) Think about the Affordable Care Act in the context of policymaking. That is, think about the problem, potential solutions, and political circumstances that converged to cause health care insurance to rise to the level of a “window of opportunity”. The Policy Snapshot will likely help you to get started on this response, which should be your longest response.

As always, please be sure to draft and edit before you submit your document. Be sure to explain your reasoning. And, of course, please don’t submit work that is not your own – including references and quotations is fine, but the majority of your response should be your own writing.