EXPLAIN OBAMACARE, ALREADY!

Do you remember the "shellacking", as he called it, that Obama and democrats got in the 2010 elections? It was in that election that the tea party got a toe-hold in US politics. I hate many things about the tea party and find it particularly moronic that their movement was born largely from a desire to protest health care reform. Our health care system is so pitiful that astronomical costs are the #1 cause of bankruptcy and they don't want to reform that system? Cuckoo! Anyhoo, the tea party elements of the republican party are now successfully shutting down the government to try and prevent Obamacare from happening. And I do believe that while there are some legitimate ideological differences that tea partiers have, many are racist gun owners who've been spurred by insurance lobbyists grass roots-looking websites into acting against their best interests from fear of death panels and pulling the plug on grandma. Many fall into line with what republicans view as their only winning strategy: Oppose Obama no matter what, even if it's actually good for the country. (Like the jobs bills that the GOP votes down constantly in favor of outlawing abortions.) Here's what I don't get. Obama explained his 2010 "shellacking" by saying that he hadn't fully explained his health care plan to people. Now, 51% of Americans polled still don't understand it and Obama is making the rounds as explainer-in-chief. But why would he not explain it earlier? Arrogance? Fear that we might not like what we heard about the plan? I totally don't get it. I'll freely admit that my current insurance plan is impossible for me to understand, so I'm one of those 51% and will rely heavily on my mom (a former nurse) to break it down for me. I'm hearing reports that we're all going to be pleasantly surprised by how low the premiums are once October hits. Wonderful! It's great that we are already experiencing the benefits of being not denied access to health care due to preexisting conditions like pregnancy or AIDS--since I currently have both of these conditions. But not what can most of us who already have health insurance actually expect after October 1st? I wish Obama had pushed harder for single-payer, but understand from most that Obamacare is a step in the right direction. What exactly does that step entail for most of us who already have insurance?