An equally monumental issue
Sure, the Supreme Court’s decision is important. But …
Obviously the court’s decision on Obamacare will be monumental. Because it deals with two clearly defined foes, pitted against each other. One believes the Constitution tells us what government can and cannot do to us. The other believes that concept is old-fashioned. We might call them the “play-it-by-ear crowd.”
But there is an equally monumental issue at play beyond the court: A clear majority of Americans do not want Obamacare. They have not wanted it from the start. The more the President pitched it, the less they wanted it. They remembered that the more their moms pitched spinach, the more they hated it.
Now, politicians sometimes shove new laws down our throats. Laws a majority don’t want. But these normally deal with small aspects of our lives, economy and society. Obamacare deals with a huge chunk of our economy. It affects every one of us. And since a majority of us does not want it, our elite lawmakers ought to listen.
The reason folks reject the plan are clear: Many believe it is wrong for government to force us to buy something. In this case, healthcare insurance.
Many believe we have enough government already. The plan adds hundreds of new bureaucracies to the jungle in Washington. It adds many thousands of new bureaucrats. That includes 4000 new IRS agents to chase down the fees and taxes. Just what we need, eh? Anyone who looks at a map of these bureaucracies and how they connect must believe the map is a joke. It would confuse even Rube Goldberg.
Many dislike the lies and sloppiness. Congress’s budget office and the President promised the plan would cost an extra $900 billion. Now they say it will cost twice that. And the CBO always, always under-estimates costs. Medicaid cost 10 times what the CBO promised. Folks don’t like that deceit.
The President solemnly promised insurance premiums would go down. They have gone up. A lot. He promised no one would lose health insurance from an employer. Now government reckons at least 3 million will. For starters. Folks don’t like stuff like this.
To lots of folks Obamacare is like a house built by a guy who only knows how to build with steel. The powder room is stainless. The bathrooms too. The floors as well. Because this guy knows only steel. The guys who designed Obamacare know only government. You ask them to solve a problem and their only material is government.
In other words, we could do better. Sure, we can improve healthcare in this country. But we can do so without armies of new bureaucrats. We can do so without increasing government’s powers. Without allowing government to gorge on more of our economy.
How can we do this? Let us have government lay down some rules. Some standards. Some requirements. Then let individuals and businesses and hospitals and doctors operate within those rules. In this way, government fulfills its responsibilities. It protects its citizens. By laying down rules that accomplish this.
If this sounds naïve to you, consider the IRA industry. And the 401k and 403b industries. Hundred million workers. Trillions of dollars. All the players perform within guidelines from government. Guidelines that protect workers’ money. There is no big IRA or 401k department in Washington. There is no army of bureaucrats spewing out mountains of regulations.
We could do the same with healthcare.
Why, then, did the President and Congress create the stainless steel monstrosity they did? Virtually none of them have worked in the private sector. Virtually all are millionaires. Their government healthcare plans are free or cheap – and comprehensive. Their pensions are so rich they would make you gag.
In short, they are a pack of elites. And they never bothered to climb down from their plateaus to ask us lowly peasants what we might want in healthcare reforms.
Maybe if the Supremes kill this monstrosity our leaders will go back to square one. And at square one perhaps they might listen to a few voices from outside their beltway bubble.
They could do a lot worse than this. That is the problem. They already have.
From Tom ... as in Morgan.
For more columns and for Tom’s radio shows and new TV shows (and to write to Tom): tomasinmorgan.com.
Obviously the court’s decision on Obamacare will be monumental. Because it deals with two clearly defined foes, pitted against each other. One believes the Constitution tells us what government can and cannot do to us. The other believes that concept is old-fashioned. We might call them the “play-it-by-ear crowd.”
But there is an equally monumental issue at play beyond the court: A clear majority of Americans do not want Obamacare. They have not wanted it from the start. The more the President pitched it, the less they wanted it. They remembered that the more their moms pitched spinach, the more they hated it.
Now, politicians sometimes shove new laws down our throats. Laws a majority don’t want. But these normally deal with small aspects of our lives, economy and society. Obamacare deals with a huge chunk of our economy. It affects every one of us. And since a majority of us does not want it, our elite lawmakers ought to listen.
The reason folks reject the plan are clear: Many believe it is wrong for government to force us to buy something. In this case, healthcare insurance.
Many believe we have enough government already. The plan adds hundreds of new bureaucracies to the jungle in Washington. It adds many thousands of new bureaucrats. That includes 4000 new IRS agents to chase down the fees and taxes. Just what we need, eh? Anyone who looks at a map of these bureaucracies and how they connect must believe the map is a joke. It would confuse even Rube Goldberg.
Many dislike the lies and sloppiness. Congress’s budget office and the President promised the plan would cost an extra $900 billion. Now they say it will cost twice that. And the CBO always, always under-estimates costs. Medicaid cost 10 times what the CBO promised. Folks don’t like that deceit.
The President solemnly promised insurance premiums would go down. They have gone up. A lot. He promised no one would lose health insurance from an employer. Now government reckons at least 3 million will. For starters. Folks don’t like stuff like this.
To lots of folks Obamacare is like a house built by a guy who only knows how to build with steel. The powder room is stainless. The bathrooms too. The floors as well. Because this guy knows only steel. The guys who designed Obamacare know only government. You ask them to solve a problem and their only material is government.
In other words, we could do better. Sure, we can improve healthcare in this country. But we can do so without armies of new bureaucrats. We can do so without increasing government’s powers. Without allowing government to gorge on more of our economy.
How can we do this? Let us have government lay down some rules. Some standards. Some requirements. Then let individuals and businesses and hospitals and doctors operate within those rules. In this way, government fulfills its responsibilities. It protects its citizens. By laying down rules that accomplish this.
If this sounds naïve to you, consider the IRA industry. And the 401k and 403b industries. Hundred million workers. Trillions of dollars. All the players perform within guidelines from government. Guidelines that protect workers’ money. There is no big IRA or 401k department in Washington. There is no army of bureaucrats spewing out mountains of regulations.
We could do the same with healthcare.
Why, then, did the President and Congress create the stainless steel monstrosity they did? Virtually none of them have worked in the private sector. Virtually all are millionaires. Their government healthcare plans are free or cheap – and comprehensive. Their pensions are so rich they would make you gag.
In short, they are a pack of elites. And they never bothered to climb down from their plateaus to ask us lowly peasants what we might want in healthcare reforms.
Maybe if the Supremes kill this monstrosity our leaders will go back to square one. And at square one perhaps they might listen to a few voices from outside their beltway bubble.
They could do a lot worse than this. That is the problem. They already have.
From Tom ... as in Morgan.
For more columns and for Tom’s radio shows and new TV shows (and to write to Tom): tomasinmorgan.com.
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