This week marks six months since Congress passed the healthcare reform bill in what has become all-too-typical legislative chicanery. Those in power crafted a mammoth piece of legislation and rammed it through Congress under a dire sense of emergency. Insisting on time enough to read the bill was dismissed as dangerous and crazy in a time of crisis. We were told that if we really wanted to see what was in the bill we would have to pass it first. I cannot imagine the Founding Fathers intended that Congress legislate in this manner. I would think if a member is not absolutely certain the entire legislation meets constitutional muster, the default vote should be “no” in accordance with our oath of office. But now that Congress has had six months to read the new law, there is a significant amount of buyer’s remorse on Capitol Hill.
The more constituents learn about the law, the more angry they become. 60% of Americans are now to be said in favor of repealing the entire thing. Unfortunately, it is much more difficult to repeal a law than it is to pass a bill. I wrote a while back about the egregious provision to require businesses to issue 1099s for all transactions over $600 as a way to partially pay for it. I have co-sponsored legislation to fix this issue, yet this is just the tip of the iceberg.
First of all, in spite of the administration repeating over and over that this legislation would not increase costs for Americans, they are now saying they knew all along that it would. The Congressional Budget office estimates that American families will see their premiums rise by an average of $2,100 by 2016. The Wall Street Journal has reported that the cost of compliance is forcing some insurers to increase premiums by up to 20% as soon as next year. Also, in spite of repeated claims from the administration that we could all keep our plans and doctors if we liked them, the administration’s own officials are now predicting that won’t be true for up to
117 million Americans who will lose their current plans.
Major insurers are also dropping child-only plans because of mandates and price fixing on such policies leaving parents with fewer choices for their children, not more. In addition, in spite of claiming this law would contain government costs, not increase them, administration actuaries now predict it will increase healthcare spending by over $300 billion. This additional spending comes along with doctor shortages, fewer choices and more taxes, perhaps, worst of all, increases in labor cost because of health insurance mandates are discouraging employers from hiring new workers and even triggering more layoffs.
Anyone with a basic understanding of Austrian economics could have predicted the unintended consequences of these new healthcare policies. Central planning never increases choices and quality or cuts costs as promised. Price controls and government mandates always create artificial scarcity. Healthcare is not a right or privilege. It is a product, like food or clothing. As with any good or service, the free market regulation of supply and demand provides the optimal quality to the maximum number of people.
Once we realize the problems we are trying to solve today were created by government intervention beginning in the 1960s, we can begin to put patients back in control of healthcare, rather than third party oligopolies and government bureaucrats. The sooner the better.
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You have no point.
The government doesn’t have anything to give that it hasn’t first taken from another.
That’s taxation.
That which a person receives without labor, another bust labor without receiving.
You lost me :-/. If you can’t give a fair enough reason why National Health Care is wrong, then stop arguing. Because you haven’t proven your point. And if you’ve got no point, then we’re finished.
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Your exception doesn’t change the point I was making. The government doesn’t have anything to give that it hasn’t first taken from another. That which a person receives without labor, another bust labor without receiving.
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The preamble also says, “promote” the general welfare, not “force”.
I’m very offended you would volunteer me to pay the same taxes you want to cheerfully pay for the “greater good”. It’s called the “greater good” because your doing evil to achieve it. It results in more bad stuff happening.
By the way, there is no such thing as “society”, there are only individuals.
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The preamble also says, “promote” the general welfare, not “force”.
I’m very offended you would volunteer me to pay the same taxes you want to cheerfully pay for the “greater good”. It’s called the “greater good” because your doing evil to achieve it. It results in more bad stuff happening.
By the way, there is no such thing as “society”, there are only individuals.
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I absolutely don’t mean that at all. I mean the government not giving anyone anything, because everyone can’t live at the expense of everyone else. Equality is a myth. Most of the power needs to be in the hands of individuals. The government’s only job should be to maintain freedom and punish actual crimes, that’s it. People left to their own devices will flourish and achieve prosperity, not self-destruct.
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I absolutely don’t mean that at all. I mean the government not giving anyone anything, because everyone can’t live at the expense of everyone else. Equality is a myth. Most of the power needs to be in the hands of individuals. The government’s only job should be to maintain freedom and punish actual crimes, that’s it. People left to their own devices will flourish and achieve prosperity, not self-destruct.
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I’m sure, when they run out of real food, so they provide the people cardboard to eat. Keeping freedom is important. Socialism is self-destructive.
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I’m sure, when they run out of real food, so they provide the people cardboard to eat. Keeping freedom is important. Socialism is self-destructive.
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Put simply, the government currently houses 2 million convicts. As your comment stated, it isn’t the role of government to house people.
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I’m not sure if I understand what you wrote. Can you put it another way?
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I have read it, I have a framed replica in my dining room. It doesn’t mean what you seem to think it does.
We do have socialized medicine for some of the groups you listed, and this is just as wrong and should take steps to undo past mistakes.
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No, but the government does provide shelter that are paid employees of the federal, state, county, and cities.
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Relevant. When something to come to existance needs to be produced first
You mean like an M1A2 Abrams MBT? You know, I’ll never buy one personally, but I do like the fact that our tax dollars payed for them. It’s alot like a single-payer healthcare system. We may not always need it, BUT I’LL BE GLAD WHEN I DO!
That’s exactly the case here: either you buy healthcare or someone buys it for you.
I’d GLADLY pay for your healthcare if I could.
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In addition to everyone being forced to pay for a few people’s health care, they are forced to buy their own health care or be tormented by the IRS.
We are already forced to pay some level of taxation. Federal, state, county, and city taxes. Now, I’m not fan of the income tax. But I am in favor of a FLAT TAX and the elimination of the IRS. A single-payer system needn’t an IRS to exist.
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In addition to everyone being forced to pay for a few people’s health care, they are forced to buy their own health care or be tormented by the IRS.
We are already forced to pay some level of taxation. Federal, state, county, and city taxes. Now, I’m not fan of the income tax. But I am in favor of a FLAT TAX and the elimination of the IRS. A single-payer system needn’t an IRS to exist.
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Ron Paul = win
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I regret that I have but one thumbs-up to give for my country. Go Ron!
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A product can also be necessary to survive, but it’s still a product. What does that mean? It depends on how it’s delivered, either through a market system or through a centrally planned system. Prices are determined by supply and demand or through price-fixed control. Which is more EFFICIENT at delivering these necessary products, THAT IS THE QUESTION. Saying otherwise is dishonest and misses the point.
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These gangsters in govt do not deserve to breathe our air, so we must forbid it, physically!
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Ron,
Thanks for your candid information. You are right, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out this this thing is against everything our founding fathers stood for. From the inception to its signing. Whomever voted for this, and the President when he signed it should be ashamed.
But….then again, they don’t work for us anymore….do they…..
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Please run for president Mr. Paul. You have mine and my entire families vote.
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This has nothing to do with the subject but just want to say that I am slightly pissed that after making contributions to Dr. Paul online my info was sold to a bunch of wacky right wingers who constantly send me info and ask for donations. Whoever sold my info over at your campaign…not cool
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All,
ObamaCare has nothing to do with Health or Care… Its Government power and control.
This is a Progressive Socialist frontal assault on our Free Economy, Capitalism and Private Property Rights. OUR Government is engaged in a systematic usurpation of our Liberties.
Make no mistake… We the People are under attack
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This is where I disagree with Dr. Paul.
Healthcare is NOT a product. Healthcare is a NECESSITY.
I agree with everything else. But the reason for America’s miserable state of medical affairs is solely due to the corporate takeover of hospitalization and medicine. What Dr. Paul fails to legitimize is Austria’s National Healthcare System.
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Obviously the big issue is the continually skyrocketing costs, and since Obamacare does nothing to address that, I think the best thing for the American people at this point would be to televise an honest discussion between various hospital officials, insurance people, and doctors and see what can come from that in regard to controlling costs…No government people necessary.
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Why are we having health care for non-emergency purposes which will increase premiums amd Doctors and physcisians and paitence should make the decision which health care is best for them! Not the Government!
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I agree that you need to free up healthcare by reforming the tax code and getting rid of government granted state monopolies but there needs to be a public option in case someone falls through the cracks.
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My college class asks that we pick certain article so we can read it and educate the class. Well I think I have picked my article for this project.
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Health insurance for catastrophic needs only. No insurance for toe-nail cutting!
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Once again, thanks to Dr. Congressman Ron Paul the truth comes out.
When will the American people demand laws that will hold our elected officials accountable for their lies and deception?
Our country is basically governed by a dictatorship. I want the congress to strip the President of all powers not granted in the constitution. Repeal the Patriot act. Restore balance to Government!
Get it DONE!
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This whole thing is insane. If you put a bandaid on a gaping wound, it solves nothing. This is what Obama is doing. Instead of re-tooling the system, he is throwing around money flamboyantly! Does this mean those who can’t afford insurance are getting medical they so need? No! I myself need medication that I can not afford and Obama has done nothing for everyday people!
It’s all greed and politics when you look at the grand scheme of things. I would really love for this country to care more about its people. That we can be like our neighbors up north and treat people in need of assistance without risking losing all their assets to pay for it. Instead we can borrow (notice I didn’t say pay) billions of dollars to blow up people abroad, but we can’t even devote our resources to helping ourselves. That is just pathetic.
Even if healthcare were never free, at least it could be better controlled along with all the other ungodly amounts of money our government is flushing away so carelessly. If the government focused on its core duties and left the rest of us alone, prices would most likely be lower. For healthcare, a pooling system makes sense for those who seriously cannot pay, but WANTS to get better to be a productive memeber of society. Not having the government stick its nose into every aspect of our private lives.
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How about making a concise summary of the current health care system, then compare it to the passed reform and to the changes that Dr Paul wants to make?
I think is the best way to gather informed support, to make the needed changes, and for the public to keep track of the whole apparatus and money. Particularly if you want to legalize narco stuff, which is expected to alter the assigned budget, and may create the need for additional safety bureaucracy.
I hope any one from this group is willing to work on this info: I would be willing to pay for a concise book on the subject.
Can you please mention this to any medical doctor on board?
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I also, like user: “Female Immigrant” above want a good comparison based on certain facts and figures.
I think it will be great for all of us to make such a table and we can discuss over those point by point, fact by fact. Instead of hearing many varied discussions that don’t even focus on any specific point of a huge field such as Medical Care, it would be better if we all could perhaps give all we can and know and decide based on the facts in comparison.
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Ron Paul for President 2012!
The time has come, End The Fed, Restore the Republic, Legalize Liberty!!
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I meant to like your comment, not dislike. Demopublicans and republicrats do not have our interests in mind when voting on things such as health care because they are being influenced by lobbyists. To restore our republic, one of the first things that need to be made illegal is lobbying (legalized bribery)
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Obamacare is not only hurting hospitals, it’s also hurting Health Clinics which will be forced to deny paitents including the uninsured medical service! “Repeal and Replace Obamacare”!
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I’m glad I don’t participate in the conventional disease care system. Thank goodness for alternative HEALTH providers!!! I would gladly pay them cash for my visit then pay for “health” insurance any day. I’m healthier now than ever before because of it!
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