At the close of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, as the delegates were leaving, a woman asked Dr. Franklin, “Well, Doctor, what have we got – a Republic or a Monarchy?”
His response: “A Republic, if you can keep it.” Benjamin Franklin and those delegates had spent months crafting a carefully balanced government, based on the idea that government was at best a necessary evil. Government needed to be controlled and kept in check if men were to remain free. Their checks and balances carefully pitted one branch of the government against another, keeping any from being able to amass too much power and control. The net result was the carefully crafted governmental framework known as our Constitution. This great and noble experiment, America, has been able to demonstrate to the world that freedom is the natural order of men. By our example we have helped other nations and countless individuals to aspire to our level of freedom. The world is a better place because of those men and their work. The call of freedom, once but a spark in the North American wilderness, has inspired people everywhere to cease being subjects and to become citizens.
As Americans, each generation has a duty to preserve our beloved Republic and pass it to the next generation unsullied and hopefully stronger than it was when handed to us by our fathers. For the first time in our nation’s short history, a generation may be failing at this task, this sacred duty. We are about to pass over to the US government complete power over our health and our bodies and their care. We are moving from a medical free market (complete with its faults) to a command economy where decisions are made by politicians (and by extension, their bureaucrats).
There has yet to be a successful command economy anywhere. They all collapse, sooner or later from their own inefficiencies. No government agency, no bureaucrat can allocate resources as efficiently as a market. Because of this, our children and their children will be forced to beg for their medical treatment from an indifferent government bureaucracy. We are shackling future generations of Americans with a government that will literally have power of life and death over its citizens. Can we still call these people citizens when they will have to petition their government for necessary services like a beggar with an empty bowl? No. We’re going back to being subjects.
The delegates that argued for days in those hallowed chambers in Philadelphia over whether the new government should allow a federal bank would never have conceived of something like this.
What is the motivation of those who are pushing this perversion of a bill through our legislature?
Deficit reduction is the most common reason claimed, but not even the Democrats even believe that. This bill creates a huge entitlement for future generations that will only increase costs. The increase in demand for services (when everyone finds that they’re free) will not be balanced by an increase in services provided (actually, the number of doctors is likely to decrease). Less supply and more demand always results in increased costs. Always. The only way we can avoid that is to ration services. Who is going to be in the position to do the rationing? The same government that our Founding Fathers went to such pains to try to limit. Is this power over the citizens, this supreme elevation of a bureaucracy, the reason that certain elements of our government are so willing to break rules and twist procedures to see this horrid legislation become law? Is this just about governmental power over the citizens?
Isn’t that enough reason to be suspicious?
We have millions of people dying because they don’t have health insurance. A statement often heard, but never vetted or proven. Our society has spent untold billions of dollars creating a medical safety net. Medicaid is available in every state. Nobody is dying because they can’t afford care. Any medical professional would rather treat a small problem successfully than have to deal with a larger one later, regardless of how much money the patient had for their treatment.
In spite of your beliefs, your tax money will be used for abortions. Even if you consider it murder, your government knows best.
Health insurance companies will be forced to accept anyone with pre-existing conditions. This will only increase your premiums. How can it do anything else?
The shady deals and payoffs in this 2000+ page bill are embarrassing, even to the supposed beneficiaries. This legislation has had one good side effect – the people are now paying attention. We don’t like what we see.
We’re going to be forced to purchase and pay for medical insurance – even if we do not want to. The government will decide what type of insurance we have to purchase. Coverages, limits, everything will be decided by the government. Do you want a high-deductible policy so you can save money? It won’t be an option. The IRS will be in charge of enforcement. The legislation does include the penalty of jail time. This was the payoff to insurance companies – that’s why we aren’t seeing the “Harry and Louise” ads that we saw in 1993, the last time that the government tried this type of grab. The fools don’t see that this legislation will eventually spell the end of private insurance companies. They’ve been bought off with dreams of money from young, healthy people that will be forced to buy their products.
The final vote is scheduled for this weekend. We can still stop this.
Call your legislators 877-SOB-USOB (877-762-8762 is the Capitol switchboard, really!). Two-thirds of America doesn’t want this to happen – make sure that they know that. Remember in November – we’ll treat them the way that they treated us, regardless of whether they succeed.
Keep informed. Michelle’s blog is an excellent source.
Sorry about the overly political topic here – I’m just SO p*ssed.
Greg
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