On Business: Obamacare

Many people have noted over the past couple years the wide array of great comics we're seeing these days. I talked to a couple people at CAKE who expressly said that the show has always had some excellent comics being shown, but this year, everybody seemed to have upped their game; there were now a bunch of really great comics in addition to the truly excellent ones.

I'd recognized this trend, but didn't give it much thought. What little thought I did afford the idea went to the internet; that is, the web has provided a lot more people the opportunity to showcase their talents, and social media has allowed others to quickly and easily share their discoveries. But yesterday, Derf Backderf pointed out another (in retrospect) blindingly obvious reason we're seeing so many great comics...

I stand by this. Obamacare plays a big part in the golden era of comics we're seeing right now. It's no coincidence.

— Derf Backderf (@DerfBackderf) June 25, 2017

What he's saying is that having access to healthcare has allowed a number of people who were not creating comics before to start creating them now. Whether that's because they didn't have to hold a regular, 8-to-5 job they hated just to have healthcare, or they could now afford to have medical issues taken care of that had prevented them from creating comics previously, or some other comparable situation. Basically, having access to healthcare allowed a large number of potential comic creators become actual comic creators.

The American Health Care Act, if passed, will effectively dismantle Obamacare (and Medicaid and Planned Parenthood and...). There is literally no health care professional who has supported this because it will -- and I say this with no hyperbole -- cause people to die. Not to mention the untold thousands who will be thrown into bankruptcy.

You know, one of the arguments anti-abortionists use to try to bolster their case: what if an aborted fetus would have been the person to discover a cure for cancer? What about these people who can't get health insurance outside of Obamacare? What if one of those people has the cure for cancer? Or you know what, let's keep it within comics. What if one of those people is the next Jack Kirby? Or Will Eisner? Or Winsor McCay?

Contact your representatives, regardless of which party they're in. If they already oppose the AHCA, congratulate and say you support their efforts. If they're backing the AHCA, tell them how/why they'll be killing their constituents. Call them, fax them, go to their offices, do whatever you need to do to make sure this bill does not pass.

Even if you don't want to do it on moral grounds, do it for the selfish reason that you want to see more great comics.

Related Items On Business