Health Care Hell

I have to give the man some credit, Obama's ability to reframe nationalizing health care as a way to balance the budget is astonishing.  Forget that we have perhaps the best health care system in the developed world, and that other countries that depend on our services are shuddering at the thought that we could follow their example. While I don't think Obama has every actually admitted that he wants to nationalize the American hospital system, his Universal Health Care plan--while it sounds nice on the outside--would effectively do just that.

I'm not against providing care for the needy, but a government-run, taxpayer-funded system is not the answer.  If Washington takes over the health care system your health care may be paid for, but good luck getting it when you need it.  Just take a look at Canada and our friends across the pond that the American left is so fond of idolizing.  There is a reason so many of Canada's sick arrange for care in the United States.  It can be nearly unattainable in their home country. Imagine what people in the U.S. would say if a patient diagnosed with cancer was told to wait four to six months before receiving any treatment.

For those of you who may protest that we already have a somewhat socialized system through Medicare and Medicaid, I will not deny that fact, but many of our problems stem from those programs.  Since the government doesn't have to play by the rules of the market, these programs cause a ripple effect throughout the rest of the system.  We would be much better off if we left financing to financing experts--aka insurance agencies--and hospital care to doctors.

Should you doubt this, I would ask you to look at the lasik eye surgery and elective plastic surgery businesses.  These are two areas in which the government--thankfully--is still not involved.  In these two markets, there has been an explosion on innovation, prices have consistently dropped, and the standard of care is ever increasing.  Unfortunately it seems Barack and Co. are unwilling to hear any evidence against their cause, and are determined to force "universal" health down our throats whether we like it or not.

As if it is not enough to ruin health care, Obama felt the need to take a shot at basic economics in an attempt to convince people that socialized health care will save money.   Claiming nationalizing health care could balance the budget is absolutely ridiculous.  Socialized Health Care programs are an expense, not a revenue stream.  Additional expenses don't reduce debt, or shrink budget defecits.  Clearly the Democrats are capitalizing on American fear to usher in a new list of government programs.  Obama's Chief of staff said it best, "You never want a serious crisis to go to waste."  "You can see from early actions…that we are working through a list and paying down on the biggest commitments ... Commitments are being passed into legislative action already."  Universal Health Care isn't about compassion for the needy, it's about extending government control over American citizens.