by Doron Tauber
As most of you probably know, the Universal Healthcare bill passed in the House of Representatives by an extremely slim margin. Tension rises in the Capital and all over the country over what’s going to be decided by the Senate in their upcoming vote on the plan. A majority of the country still disapproves of the proposed plan, but that’s never stopped Washington from passing outrageous bills in the past. Is this bill all of what it’s cracked up to be? Politicians on both sides of the aisle have told us that the bill will be “deficit neutral”, but of course we’ve heard that before. How can you spend almost $1-Trillion without being completely destructive to our economy. We’re already over 11 Trillion dollars in debt, so can we really afford to dig ourselves deeper into this hole?
Polticians don’t even read the bills these days. They don’t care about the Constitution, as one Congressperson said, “almost none of what we do is authorized by the Constitution”. The Healthcare Bill would mandate all citizens to have healthcare, and if one decided that they did not need it, they would recieve jail time. Also, if you happen to have a private healthcare plan worth about $8,000, you would recieve a roughly $1800 fine. How about that! A fine for having private healthcare that’s “too good”. We all know why they’re doing this. They don’t know how to pay for the bill otherwise. Explicitly in the House bill, it is proposed to be payed for by crippling new taxes on the so-called “rich”, which basically refers to anyone making over $150,000 a year. Congress doesn’t even bother telling us that they’re doing what’s allowed to them by the Constitution, because they know that there’s absolutely no case for single-payer healthcare in the Constitution, which at one point in our history was the “Supreme Law of the Land”.
What happens after they take away our choice of doctors and coverage? The Federal Government has already infiltrated the auto and banking industries. Our fabulous and trustworthy Government now determines who gets loans, what kind of cars we can buy, and soon, what kind of healthcare we are allowed to buy. Ford, one of the few car companies who did not take stimulus money, is now doing just fine. GM, however, is sinking deeper and deeper into the hole dug for them by the Fed. When you try to get the Government involved with private industry, there is no profit. The Government does not understand the Free Market system. All they understand is regulation and subsidation.
In the past, we’ve trusted them with our mail and our trains. How’ve those worked out? Our Postal Service is dismal and Amtrak has been in a downward spiral since the ’70s. If the Government can’t even get me an envelope on time, how can we trust them to give us healthcare? The plan still leaves 17,000,000 people uninsured in the country. Isn’t that what we’re doing this to avoid? The system they’ve proposed takes away private choice in our own lives and leaves itself open to abuse and corruption, as is everything in Washinton. If Universal Healthcare is so great, why are people pouring into American hospitals from Canada and Mexico? In the United States of America, the 5-year survival rate for Prostate Cancer is 100%. In Canada, it’s 95%, and in Britain, 75%. The overall 5-year cancer survival rate in America is 66%, compared to a 47% rate in Europe and a 53% rate in Canada. That’s including al cancer sufferers, not just those with private healthcare. So why do we need to socialize?
The Government just wants to “get its foot in the door, then, little by little, it inches in, until it’s all the way into our lives” as one Congressman said. We’re slipping away from our roots of a Democratic Republic into the dark abyss of Soviet-era Statism and Fascism. The Framers warned us that this might happen. They told us that they’d given us a Republic, and we are all individually responsible for its upkeep. The power of the Individual is what has made this nation strong and prosperous, not the Federal Government telling us what we can and cannot do with our own lives and our own money. “Profit is evil” is what they tell us. “To hell with the Constitution” they say with a laugh. When Nancy Pelosi was asked what in the Constitution allowed the Government to take over Healthcare, she laughed and said “are you serious? Are you serious?”. Is this what we really want from our elected officials? Keep the door closed, and the Fed out of your life. They have no place in my life, your life, or anyone’s life. Why don’t they deal with their own problems before saying that they have the solution to ours.
I don’t think that’s true. I happen to believe he was born in the U.S., but he has to some extent ducked the question regarding his birth and the release of his birth certificate. I think that many of the birthers are just people who hate Obama’s ideology so much that they will look for any possible excuse to go after him. This is similar to the “Impeach Bush” movement during his presidency. Of course, that’s not to say that none of the birthers are racist. I’m sure many are. Possibly even a majority.
but it’s not a causal relationship. it’s not “because you doubt his citizenship, then you are racist”. some people just don’t think he was born here. I do. I disagree with him ideologically, but I am most certainly not racist, and most of the Tea Party members are not as well.
But would anyone ever question a white president’s birthplace?
Exactly, these accusations are innately racist. There is no legitimate argument for the birthers, so they have about the same amount of credibility as do creationists.
there was a dispute as to John McCain’s citizenship status as well. because he was born in the Panama Canal Zone, there were quite a few people saying that he wasn’t qualified to be president. inquiring as to the eligibility of someone to be president isn’t racist
when exactly did prominent democrats challenge mccain’s citizenship?
it was a big story during the campaign
then why did nobody ever hear about it?
There was some dispute, but not that much. But that’s not the point. Radicals on both sides of the line do make ridiculous accusations about anybody they don’t like on the other side. Remember the whole “Impeach Bush” movement? It’s not because he’s black. It’s because they’re desperate to find something wrong with him because they hate his politics that much.
Most Republicans are not birthers. As much as most of us dislike Obama’s policies, we still show him the respect a President deserves, which is more than can be said regarding the average liberal’s attitude towards Bush during his administration.
Yeah, except for the people who specifically say, “I hope he fails.”
Hm.
Bu I don’t want to get into an argument, politics are dumb. Why can’t everyone just look at everything from every angle and decide what is best for the country?
The only people who hope he fails are people like Rush Limbaugh, who are VERY radical.
That is not true at all. I am more conservative than I am liberal, but the tone of the criticisms towards obama by the fringe elements (yes I acknowledge they are fringe) have come to dominate the right. I have to somewhat agree with President Carter that some of this has racial undertones.
Of course the ad hominem criticisms towards Obama come from the right. That’s because he is part of the left. The criticisms of Bush came from the left, because Bush was part of the right. It is probably true that some of this criticism is racially charged, but only some of it. It would be unfair to assume that every birther is a racist. Most of them are just people who hate Obama’s politics so much that they want to believe anything that could get him in trouble. The reason it seems as though these are typical Republican positions is because the media and the government want to give the Republican Party as radical an image as possible.
I’m fine with serious, legitimate political disagreements with Obama, but when the tea partiers go out and use rhetoric like “you aren’t one of us,” or “go back to where you came from” and generate cheers from thousands of zealous supporters its hard to believe this isn’t racially charged. I don’t mean to say all tea partiers or republicans are racist, absolutely not. However, it is simply naive to say that the birther movement or obama witchdoctor pictures are based on political differences.
So are you saying that not all Republicans and Tea Partiers are racist, but all birthers are?
Pretty much yes, the only real reason people would challenge the legitimacy of Obama’s citizenship is based on deep racial prejudices. It is absolutely disgraceful how few republican and conservative leaders have come out in condemnation of these blatantly racist and alarmist rallies.
What concerns me is the mob mentality of the tea party supporters. It’s the same crazed mentality that led to the red scare “hearings”, the Salem witch trials, and lynchings. Regardless of political associations, emotionally charged groups acting without a logical or rational basis are dangerous.
His rhetoric here is much more Libertarian than Republican.
A libertarian who hasn’t read the constitution.
Yeah, but I just wanted to point out in response to the original comment that this is not Republican. We tend to respect the government.
Joe Wilson?
Not your typical Republican.
who is the modern typical republican?
the birther?
Yeah man! Totally riotous, dude! The Feds, man, it’s all about the Feds. The United States Federal Government doesn’t know how to run a country. They want to be oppressive and make the average citizen suffer by giving them free healthcare. Man! It’s like 1984 up in here. Big Obama is watching! Rock on man! Spread your word to all that will listen, star child!
Doron, I feel it necessary to point out your bias to keep someone from taking all you’re saying too seriously. You are stubbornly Republican. You are very wealthy. These are a few things anyone reading this must take into concern.
Also, some of your rhetoric realllllly bothers me; its okay to disagree, but please, no egregious negativity. If you have such problems with a government trying it’s best, go move to Mexico. With some of the money you have, you can probably get yourself an entire state to play with or something.
“…never stopped Washington from passing outrageous bills in the past” – like what? The point of a multi-party system is that outrageous bills don’t get passed unless a majority of the representatives approve. “Outrageous” implies the half-baked brain-child of some madman. Such people are NOT present in the highest tiers of our government. THAT’s what America’s forefathers tried to protect us from, and they are still succeeding. We already know that you think the entire system is flawed and look at Democrats are socialists. This does NOT represent socialism; it is a proven fact that America is woefully neglected by an outrageously expensive health care system, and therefore reserved for those with the means to buy it, and the less fortunate of the country are left out to dry by exorbitant fees and wasteful policies. The health care plan embodies the government of America doing what it was created for: caring for those that they are elected to represent and serve.
Another rhetoric issue: “Polticians don’t even read the bills these days. They don’t care about the Constitution, as one Congressperson said, ‘almost none of what we do is authorized by the Constitution’”
Are you flippin’ SERIOUS?? This is almost infuriating. This is a totally unbased, borderline slanderous accusation. You almost seem like you don’t believe in DEMOCRACY. They don’t blindly vote on bills! Even if you want to play it like that, they have staff who are familiar with the representative’s agenda and highlight important points of bills for the representatives to consider. These representatives then make an educated decision based on what will get them re-elected, i.e. representing the governed! Before you write another one of these attacks on government, I want to see you write how you think it works now in all of its glorious, corrupt, manipulative detail, and what YOUR ideas are. I almost get the idea that you think some shadow men in a smoke-filled back room are running the country. You’re stuck 2 years in the past man. Furthermore, your quote from an anonymous congressperson (there’s like 500+ of them, without citing, I’m going to write this off as made-up, along with your other quote) is ridiculous, and even if placed in context where it might make sense, it still represents a matter of semantics. Part of the checks and balances process is that even if an unconstitutional law is passed, it is given ample opportunity for review by the esteemed Supreme Court. Also, as for semantics, the Constitution states that the legislature:
“…make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof”
If you want to take it literally, you’re right, the constitution doesn’t grant the specific power for the Congress to enact health care legislation. But aside from that, I can’t imagine why anyone would denounce much of the action of Congress as unconstitutional, and even if you can produce this quote in context, I would be very intrigued as to its original purpose. (why would a congressperson denounce their OWN actions as unconstitutional…unless they had abstained on the vast majority of Congress’s unconstitutional actions)
I highly doubt the health care bill carts people off the jail for refusing health care…and why would anyone? What would someone without healthcare object to? Yearly check-ups are just so awkward??
Another rhetoric problem: health care holders of an $8000 dollar policy are FINED $1800. Once again, even as you present it surely out of context, it’s called a TAX. You fine someone for something ILLEGAL!
Government spending 1 trillion dollars: this might be true, but it’s not like the money disappears into thin air. Its 1 trillion dollars in subsidies that make the health care bill possible. It’s not socialism: that would be the government taking possession of the healt care industry and providing health care as it sees fit. Private enterprise is still maintained.
Another part is just down-right hilarious. “Explicitly in the House bill, it is proposed to be payed for by crippling new taxes on the so-called ‘rich’, which basically refers to anyone making over $150,000 a year.”
Several things strike me as comical. First, yes, your rhetoric, which perfectly reflects your wealthy circumstance. “Crippling”! One of the perks of being RICH is that you are NOT POOR. Are you trying to tell me a tax is going to cause fore-closures on McMansions across the country? Second, “basically refers to anyone MAKING OVER $150,000 A YEAR”. I did a little research. Want to know what the median household income in America is? Just under $40,000. Over $150,000 is not “basically” rich, it is FABULOUSLY rich. I’ll be the first to say, quit yo’ whinin’.
No case for single-payer health care? Which was once the “supreme law of the land” (whatever that means)? If there was no argument, why did the bill pass only marginally? This, compared with the health care plan approval polls which reflect similar statistics, further reinforces my belief that our representative democracy is working just fine.
They won’t take away private enterprise. That’s illegal.
“Our fabulous and trustworthy Government now determines who gets loans, what kind of cars we can buy” Has someone been telling you what cars to buy? What on earth are you talking about? And REALLY??! The government determines who gets loans??! NO!!!! I could’ve sworn they were giving them out to the winners of organized monopoly board game tournaments!
You’re right, Ford didn’t take bailout money. They were, however, the single largest beneficiery of government stimulus money. In June, when the General Services Commission spent $287,000,000 in stimulus packages, the most money went toooo….(drum rollllll) FORD AUTO COMPANY!!! While not “bailout” money, the stimulus bought 17,205 cars to lower the price and make the cars more affordable.
As for you accusations of incompetence, I really don’t know what you’re talking about. The post office is EXTREMELY efficient. The cause behind Amtrak’s downward slide is also obviously not one of management: the train has been replaced by the airplane. The plan leaves 17,000,000 uninsured, yes, but these are the people who already HAVE insurance.
People who have the MONEY come to American hospitals. In fact, I’ve heard stories of field trips from the old-folks home across the border to Canada because the drugs in America are TOO EXPENSIVE.
“The hell with the Constitution’, they say with a laugh” ARE YOU SERIOUS? This is just slanderous.
Your final statement represents your total ignorance of government’s purpose. The government’s problems ARE our problems! This is what government is for, and let’s let them do their job to the best of their ability, and if they aren’t up to par, congressional elections are coming up.
by your last paragraph do you mean to argue that health care reform is unconstitutional?