Health plan sweeter by another name?

It's unfortunate that the nation's new health care plan (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) is not labeled Iowa or Massachusetts Care, because as I understand it, the health plans used by these two states is quite similar to the new plan. For those who are opposing it, labeling it as Obamacare is a very good scary fear tactic.

After World War II, in order to save Europe from collapse, the United States funded what was called the Marshall Plan. The plan was actually created by officials in the state department and the Brookings Institution. President Harry Truman wanted to call it after Marshall. He knew that it probably would not be approved with his name on it (low popularity at the time), but who would be against it with Gen. George Marshall's respected name on it.

Had the present administration not come up with a “name by committee” but instead something simple, like I'M Care (Iowa-Massachusetts, catchy, tetchy), there might not be the threat of shutting down the government if Obamacare isn't removed from existence.

Gary Anderson

Cedar Rapids