President Obama and the Democrats are almost apoplectic in their desire to rush pending Health Care legislation through to completion. These new regulations would control approximately one-sixth the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the U. S. economy which, according to several sources, was between $2.2 to 2.4 trillion in 2007 and expected to rise by nearly 7% in 2008.
In a speech from the Rose Garden today (7/15/09), the President attempted to push lawmakers by saying, “Deferring reform is nothing more than defending the status quo -- and those who would oppose our efforts should take a hard look at just what it is that they're defending.” But why would any rational person who was truly concerned for the well being of the citizens of this country want to rush through legislation that could affect such a large portion of the economy? Mistakes made here could be devastating to millions of people who need health care. Additionally, anything that adversely affects such a large portion of the economy can affect the economy as a whole...please see Housing Crisis for example. Wouldn’t it make sense that an issue of such gravity be handled in a careful, deliberative manner, taking all views into account and drawing from expert opinions from every side of the issue?
According to polling done by the Gallup organization passing Health Care reform is important to 56% of Americans…a majority, but by no means an overwhelming majority. The issues surrounding health care are complicated and many. By large majorities, Americans say that they want to be able to have any test or treatment their doctor deems necessary (93%)…Choose any doctor or hospital (88%)…Have option to keep their current health plan (77%). At the same time, they want to have coverage regardless of employment or health status (86%), and to have health care more affordable (83%). These issues are not all easily reconciled, balancing them will take time.
The President and the Democrats trot out all of the normal, emotionally charged statistics to back their claim that we are in a health care crisis. Particularly they point to the last U.S. Census data that shows that nearly 47 million were uninsured as of the 2006 census. Taken at face value, this seems like terrible thing, but once the data is broken down you begin to see a different picture. For example, 10.2 million of this number is made up of non-citizens. 8.3 million are between 18 – 24 years old, a group that typically chooses not to spend their money on insurances. Another interesting group is the 9.2 million with household incomes of $75,000/year or above. Now that number does not seem nearly as tragic, does it.
What in the history of the Federal Government or the career of Barack Obama recommends them to be able to run health care any better than the private sector? I submit that, in fact, the opposite result is indicated. Government never has to compete…if they fail; they just raise taxes or print more money. More Americans (45%) trust doctors and hospitals to address the problems than either the Democrats (33%) or Republicans (10%). Beyond the trust issue, the Federal Government has long been known as a paragon of inefficiency. While large corporations can have their own level of bureaucracy, they seldom pay $2,000 for a toilet seat or hammer. Companies are responsible to their stock holders and must compete against other companies to survive…unless they are a bank or auto manufacturer, I guess. The government mostly exists to further its own size and power.
With all of the things that have and can be said about the Health Care issue, my biggest question remains: What’s the rush? Why is it that not backing President Obama’s plan is defending the status quo? Why can’t there be a careful and measured approach to such an important issue? Unless, the true motives are something different than a concern for your health and well being.
Sources:
http://www.gallup.com/poll/121664/Majority-Favors-Healthcare-Reform-This-Year.aspx
http://www.census.gov/prod/2007pubs/p60-233.pdf
In a speech from the Rose Garden today (7/15/09), the President attempted to push lawmakers by saying, “Deferring reform is nothing more than defending the status quo -- and those who would oppose our efforts should take a hard look at just what it is that they're defending.” But why would any rational person who was truly concerned for the well being of the citizens of this country want to rush through legislation that could affect such a large portion of the economy? Mistakes made here could be devastating to millions of people who need health care. Additionally, anything that adversely affects such a large portion of the economy can affect the economy as a whole...please see Housing Crisis for example. Wouldn’t it make sense that an issue of such gravity be handled in a careful, deliberative manner, taking all views into account and drawing from expert opinions from every side of the issue?
According to polling done by the Gallup organization passing Health Care reform is important to 56% of Americans…a majority, but by no means an overwhelming majority. The issues surrounding health care are complicated and many. By large majorities, Americans say that they want to be able to have any test or treatment their doctor deems necessary (93%)…Choose any doctor or hospital (88%)…Have option to keep their current health plan (77%). At the same time, they want to have coverage regardless of employment or health status (86%), and to have health care more affordable (83%). These issues are not all easily reconciled, balancing them will take time.
The President and the Democrats trot out all of the normal, emotionally charged statistics to back their claim that we are in a health care crisis. Particularly they point to the last U.S. Census data that shows that nearly 47 million were uninsured as of the 2006 census. Taken at face value, this seems like terrible thing, but once the data is broken down you begin to see a different picture. For example, 10.2 million of this number is made up of non-citizens. 8.3 million are between 18 – 24 years old, a group that typically chooses not to spend their money on insurances. Another interesting group is the 9.2 million with household incomes of $75,000/year or above. Now that number does not seem nearly as tragic, does it.
What in the history of the Federal Government or the career of Barack Obama recommends them to be able to run health care any better than the private sector? I submit that, in fact, the opposite result is indicated. Government never has to compete…if they fail; they just raise taxes or print more money. More Americans (45%) trust doctors and hospitals to address the problems than either the Democrats (33%) or Republicans (10%). Beyond the trust issue, the Federal Government has long been known as a paragon of inefficiency. While large corporations can have their own level of bureaucracy, they seldom pay $2,000 for a toilet seat or hammer. Companies are responsible to their stock holders and must compete against other companies to survive…unless they are a bank or auto manufacturer, I guess. The government mostly exists to further its own size and power.
With all of the things that have and can be said about the Health Care issue, my biggest question remains: What’s the rush? Why is it that not backing President Obama’s plan is defending the status quo? Why can’t there be a careful and measured approach to such an important issue? Unless, the true motives are something different than a concern for your health and well being.
Sources:
http://www.gallup.com/poll/121664/Majority-Favors-Healthcare-Reform-This-Year.aspx
http://www.census.gov/prod/2007pubs/p60-233.pdf
