Words Matter

This past week we heard daily about the U.S. Supreme Court hearing the latest legal challenge to the Affordable Care Act. You didn't hear those three words though and this brings us to one of my pet peeves and perhaps yours too. Calling something that which it is not.

Barack Obama's foes coined the phrase Obamacare as a derogatory and devisive term. Our illustrious media across the board joyfully siezed upon the word. I suspect out of laziness and ease of reference.

President Obama then turned this to his favor in the 2012 election and neutralized Mitt Romney's use of it as a club. He famously said he was beginning to like the sound of it. So now every media personality and politician uses it, for both good and bad.

There is no law or program in our country titled Obamacare. It would be a display of imperial arrogance to actually do such a thing regarding something so important. It is also not acceptable as a slang term, again this issue is too critical for such trivialities. Social Security was not called Rooseveltpension and Medicare was not called Johnsoncare.

To all who use this word, please stop. How hard is it to remember and say Affordable Care Act or ACA if you prefer.

In my next post I'll address my thoughts on ACA, what's wrong with it and how SCOTUS may rule.

Words matter and we certainly can do better.