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Reader question: Please explain “ins and outs”, as in: the ins and outs of Obamacare. My comments: “Ins and outs” means all the details. In other words, the ins and outs of Obamacare refer to all the minute details of the American medical insurance policy enacted under the administration of former President Barack Obama. Its full name is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. I don’t know all the nuts and bolts about Obamacare, but the long and short of it, i.e. the gist and substance of it is that it gives medical insurance to more people and makes it less expensive or more affordable. “Ins and outs” as a phrase may have plausibly derived from sewing, the ins and outs referring to the needle goes into a piece of cloth from this side and comes out from the other side. When all the intricate “ins and outs” are done, a beautiful garment, say, is fully made. There are other theories regarding its origin, some less credible than others but so long as you understand its meaning and its spirit, you’ll be fine. So now, let’s read a few recent media examples to further observe “in and outs” in context and for you to learn when and how to put “ins and outs” in a sentence: 1. Now the media are just taunting us with their tall tales about Stephen Paddock, the alleged Las Vegas shooter. Reputedly serious news organizations are claiming that he made a living playing video poker. That’s like claiming someone made a living smoking crack. | 
