Business as usual...

Transparency is looking more like an empty promise…or business as usual.

1st the Spend(ulus) bill is drafted, completed, and rushed through the legislative branch before anyone can read it, or sufficiently debate it. Why do you think BHO tried to scare us? Same reason he applied such an aggressive date for passage, so we wouldn’t have time to read and decode the legalize in this few thousand page document; now get ready for Universal Health Care.

lead by Sen. Ted Kennedy, lobbyists (remember these guys?), and key legislators are all meeting behind closed doors writing the proposal now without any public or cross-party input. It’s also rumored that anyone leaking details will be barred from future meetings. However, information has been leaked.

One initiative is to require all Americans to carry health insurance; splitting the enormous cost between corporations and the public. The estimated cost is around $50-65 billion a yr.

Those who do not carry health insurance will be fined.

This is eerily similar to the existing state law in MA (Sen. Kennedy’s home state). I was required to prove my health insurance status at the end of the year when filing my state income tax.

Before enacting federal legislation, I would want to at least take a look at a few things: (Business 101, Fiscal Responsibility for Dummies, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Governing a Nation)

How successful has this been in states that currently require individuals to carry health insurance?
– Not very, look at MA, any significant improvement in the health and lives of the people? Hmm, their wallets are lighter, does that count?

Who stands to gain?
– Lobbyists, the Healthcare industry, and the Insurance industry as their cost of doing business are now passed on to you ensuring their long-term profitability.


What is the long term impact, if we continue?
– 1st, we set a precedence that all of our civil matters can be legislated by our government. To me Healthcare is simple. You are either insured, or you are not. If not, unlucky you, as if you cannot, or are unable to pay for your medical services, you will likely be taken to court and have wages garnished, liens applied, etc, etc…(In reality, you will be able to negotiate a lower rate as the Industry just wants to collect something for the services rendered. Fight it! Or juts claim bankruptcy, rumor has it a good portion of your elected officals have ;-))

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not at all heartless. I have no issues with the government competing with the insurance industry and providing an affordable, comparable product for those that cannot get healthcare from their employer. Competition is good. So long as we buy it by choice, not out of a requirement.