It seems most opinions printed by The Bulletin are critical of President Barack Obama and the Affordable Care Act. Perhaps this suggests most people in Central Oregon are unhappy with Obamacare, or maybe it’s just that the critics are more diligent writers. A recent example is the In My View column on Aug. 28 in which Keith Sime offers the usual commentary in an effort to support his favorite local politicians.

He claims that the ACA is “a government takeover of one-sixth of the U.S. economy” and that it was “forced through … with legislative sleight of hand.” He also asserts that “Obamacare is more unpopular than ever.” Actually, it was passed with the required congressional majority, was deemed constitutional by the Supreme Court, and is more popular each year as more of its provisions take effect. Also, President Obama was re-elected in 2012 while continuing to support the ACA of 2010.

In surveys, most people like the provisions of the ACA, such as the ability to get health insurance despite pre-existing conditions, or the right to keep your kids on the plan until they are 26, or the removal of caps on benefits when you have a serious health problem. We are finally catching up to the other modern countries that have protected their residents from going broke due to illness or injury. But I do admit that a small percentage of people will have to change insurance plans or doctors as companies and employers adjust to the new requirements.

Note that there is no “takeover” of American health care, and the ACA is not a government health plan. Private insurance companies provide coverage under the ACA and continue to make big profits under it. But they have to comply with new rules that give the clients — you and me — more favorable terms in the policies. A better example of a government health care program is Medicare. Ask our senior citizens if they would rather go out and shop for coverage on their own — the solution offered by Rep. Greg Walden and Dr. Monica Wehby. Ask the insurance commissioners in each state if they would like to remove their state regulations on health care insurance companies. Ask the millions of Americans who now have affordable health care coverage if they would like to go back to the old system. Their responses would range from “No” to “Hell, no!”

And now for some facts: Neutral sources such as PolitiFact, FactCheck and Snopes have been checking the truth or fiction of statements on the ACA for several years. They report: (1) The ACA reduces the growth of spending in Medicare without cutting essential services. (2) Millions more Americans will have coverage. (3) Health care costs will go down for over 90 percent of Americans. (4) The ACA is not “loaded with taxes” that raise costs. (5) Doctors are accepting new Medicare patients and patients with ACA-compliant plans. (6) Doctors will continue to make our health care decisions.

Of course, if one gets his or her information from biased sources such as Fox News, the Koch brothers’ PAC or the Heritage Foundation they might draw different conclusions. Glenn Beck says, “Half the U.S. population will lose their health insurance.” (False.) Rush Limbaugh says, “Obamacare is the largest tax increase in history.” (False.) Ann Coulter says, “No medical school graduate will accept Obamacare patients.” (False.) Bill O’Reilly says, “You might go to jail if you don’t have health insurance.” (False.)

Maybe those people have a greater interest in their corporate sponsors and personal finances than they do with the well-being of millions of us common folk. It’s no wonder some of the letter writers repeat many of these falsehoods. The Affordable Care Act is the law of the land despite dozens of attempts by lobbyists and Republican politicians to defeat it. It provides a start to reforming our expensive and inefficient health care system.

— John Flynn lives in Bend.