By expanding government control over health care, the Democrats
have created a moment of clarity: everything will now
become the government's fault. That may not be
strictly accurate in a policy sense, but it should become the
case in a political sense. Critics of the system blamed
every dropped policy and denied treatment on nonexistent
free markets. Now it really will be
a government-controlled system, and every dropped
policy and denied treatment can be placed at the doorstep of the
federal government.
Uncle Sam will be forcing us to purchase from a reduced number of
policies, deciding on what benefits must be included and many
(like Health Savings Accounts) which can't be, enriching
insurers, doctors, and drugmakers by making more people buy
insurance, deciding on "comparative effectiveness" and ultimately
likely turning those assessments into mandatory national
standards, cutting back on Medicare payments, forcing reductions
in Medicare coverage, hunting down people who don't buy
insurance, raising taxes, and more.
Our job will be to point out every negative consequence.
Lose your HSA? Thank Barack Obama. Face higher
Medicare levies (sorry, I mean"contributions")? Thank Nancy
Pelosi. Have a harder time finding a doctor for
Medicare? Thank Harry Reid.
Drugmaker profits increase? Thank the Democrats.
Treatment options no longer available? Thank Health and
Human Services. Health insurance premiums going up?
Thank Uncle Sam. Health care costs going up faster than
before? Thank President Obama & Co.
We need to make this point at every opportunity. Every new
tax. Every new benefit cut. Every lost policy.
Every inadequate treatment. Place the blame where it
belongs, on Washington.
Moreover, as costs rush skyward and Congress inevitably debates
how to cut costs, Republicans should allow industries which
backed this monstrosity to receive their just desserts. No
doubt, the Democrats will quickly dump their PhRMA allies--who
spent $100 million on advertising to enlist government to force
the rest of us to buy more pills--overboard in a desperate search
for revenue. Republicans should stand back and enjoy the
action. Those who helped create a government-controlled
system should be forced to bear the full consequences of doing
so.
Government controls the mail and constantly jacks up price while
diminishing service. Where are the people in the streets calling
for the head of the postmaster general?
Government owns 2 automakers which are flailing about. Where are
the people in the streets demonstrating against lousy cars from
Chrysler and GM?
Government owns education. Where are the people in the streets
protesting the moron production line the Democrats have
established?
Government owns the mortgage industry. Where are the people in
the streets protesting mortgages as political patronage?
Government owns student lending. Where are the people in the
streets complaining about favoritism toward political
constituents in college financial aid applications?
Government owns energy. Where are the people in the streets
complaining about skyrocketing utility costs and more frequent
brownouts?
This notion that at this late stage in American decrepitude "the
people" will rise and overthrow these socialist tyrants is
orthogonal to reality.
Your people, sir, are a great big stupid beast, content only to
feed at the public trough until starved to death.
Roy| 3.22.10 @ 1:11PM
Couldn't have put it better myself.
My freedom is a matter of self-interest, but your freedom is a
matter of principle. And even if the free market would do
something better, I don't care, so long as for me personally, it
is "free".
Pecos Pete| 3.22.10 @ 8:43AM
teflon: I agree with you.
Russia/China drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and our dumbos smile
and contemplate their navels.
Gasoline at $3 per gallon and rising.
Bankrupt state governments.
Public employees earning more than those in private industry,
plus unfunded gold benefits.
The pig is at the trough.
JP| 3.22.10 @ 9:51AM
From here on out I refuse to refer to health care by any other
name other than ObamaCare. I suggest all conservatives do the
same. They broke it -now they own it.
maire| 3.22.10 @ 11:00AM
You're kidding, right? They will just blame it all on GWB, and
the North American Pravdas/Izvestias will be their mouthpieces.
Where have you been the past 9 years?
Honestly, do you think they care? Are they held responsible for
the disasters of Medicare and Social Security?
Just blame evil, racist Republicans. Works every time.
While a massive reform effort, these bills are really going after
the easy issues and while avoiding needed but messy health care
cost control. Access to insurance has now improved so now it is
time to get unchecked health care costs contained.
The number one factor in healthcare cost is comprehensive
coverage. How many people would undergo elective procedures if
they had to pay full freight?
Number two is defensive medicine occasioned by the plaintiff's
bar which bankrolls the Democrat Party.
Guess which reforms are waaaaaay off the table?
What will happen instead is Obama will impose price controls, the
classic dodge of the socialist. Simultaneously, he will be
creating a healthcare black market as exists in every country
with such a system as he seeks to impose. The rich and
well-connected---i.e. the Democrat nomenklatura---are the only
people who will benefit under such "reforms", the rest of us
being kulaks.
Tell| 3.23.10 @ 10:38PM
The number one factor in healthcare cost is comprehensive
coverage. How many people would undergo elective procedures if
they had to pay full freight?
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saleboter| 3.22.10 @ 7:23AM
Don't blame DC blame the DEMOCRATS.
Teflon93| 3.22.10 @ 8:20AM
This is dangerously naive.
Government controls the mail and constantly jacks up price while diminishing service. Where are the people in the streets calling for the head of the postmaster general?
Government owns 2 automakers which are flailing about. Where are the people in the streets demonstrating against lousy cars from Chrysler and GM?
Government owns education. Where are the people in the streets protesting the moron production line the Democrats have established?
Government owns the mortgage industry. Where are the people in the streets protesting mortgages as political patronage?
Government owns student lending. Where are the people in the streets complaining about favoritism toward political constituents in college financial aid applications?
Government owns energy. Where are the people in the streets complaining about skyrocketing utility costs and more frequent brownouts?
This notion that at this late stage in American decrepitude "the people" will rise and overthrow these socialist tyrants is orthogonal to reality.
Your people, sir, are a great big stupid beast, content only to feed at the public trough until starved to death.
Roy| 3.22.10 @ 1:11PM
Couldn't have put it better myself.
My freedom is a matter of self-interest, but your freedom is a matter of principle. And even if the free market would do something better, I don't care, so long as for me personally, it is "free".
Pecos Pete| 3.22.10 @ 8:43AM
teflon: I agree with you.
Russia/China drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and our dumbos smile and contemplate their navels.
Gasoline at $3 per gallon and rising.
Bankrupt state governments.
Public employees earning more than those in private industry, plus unfunded gold benefits.
The pig is at the trough.
JP| 3.22.10 @ 9:51AM
From here on out I refuse to refer to health care by any other name other than ObamaCare. I suggest all conservatives do the same. They broke it -now they own it.
maire| 3.22.10 @ 11:00AM
You're kidding, right? They will just blame it all on GWB, and the North American Pravdas/Izvestias will be their mouthpieces.
Where have you been the past 9 years?
Honestly, do you think they care? Are they held responsible for the disasters of Medicare and Social Security?
Just blame evil, racist Republicans. Works every time.
altruance| 3.22.10 @ 5:07PM
While a massive reform effort, these bills are really going after the easy issues and while avoiding needed but messy health care cost control. Access to insurance has now improved so now it is time to get unchecked health care costs contained.
http://www.altruance.com/2010/.....ity-check/
Teflon93| 3.22.10 @ 5:32PM
The number one factor in healthcare cost is comprehensive coverage. How many people would undergo elective procedures if they had to pay full freight?
Number two is defensive medicine occasioned by the plaintiff's bar which bankrolls the Democrat Party.
Guess which reforms are waaaaaay off the table?
What will happen instead is Obama will impose price controls, the classic dodge of the socialist. Simultaneously, he will be creating a healthcare black market as exists in every country with such a system as he seeks to impose. The rich and well-connected---i.e. the Democrat nomenklatura---are the only people who will benefit under such "reforms", the rest of us being kulaks.
Tell| 3.23.10 @ 10:38PM
The number one factor in healthcare cost is comprehensive coverage. How many people would undergo elective procedures if they had to pay full freight?
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