President Obama addressed a joint session of congress tonight to give his plan for healthcare reform Read the full text of his speech here.
What did he say that I don't like?
The president says he will pay for a public healthcare option by eliminating fraud, waste, and abuse. Government fraud, waste, and abuse is a critical problem in every government program. For decades, politicians have trumpeted reductions in fraud, waste, and abuse by establishing government oversight of government programs riddled with government fraud. It is the proverbial fox in charge of the hen house and it has not worked yet.
More coverage and better care without an increase in cost. Maybe I am just not idealistic enough, but this premise does not pass the smell test. Are we really supposed to believe that we can increase service by such a great amount with no net gain in cost? What's more, this comes from "Mr. Stimulus" himself. If this guy is good at anything, it's reading and spending. He has shown no capacity at all to save money.
Citizens will be required to have healthcare, like drivers must have auto insurance. Of course, he also said he expects only 5% of Americans to use the "affordable" public option. Here again, his numbers aren't adding up for me.
He said he will personally make sure that no government bureaucrat will have healthcare decisions. Of course, he will only be in office for so long. Make no mistake, his government program will continue to grow after he is out of office.
I really appreciate how he proposed to tell us that only 5% of Americans will use the public option we do not want. Why such huge sweeping changes for 5% of the population?
When he specifically addressed the public option, he 1. made certain to endorse it strongly, 2. told his "progressive friends" that it is just a tool. While some think this means he may abandon the public option, I interpreted his comments to mean that his limited public option is just a tool or stepping stone to get to a Canada-style government healthcare monopoly.
He also took that opportunity to effectively tell Republicans that he will open his door to them if they will get on board with him. He clearly stated that he has no tolerance or time for politicians who do not want to see his plan get passed.
While he was on the attack, he took a moment to single out politicians like Sarah Palin and talk show hosts like Glenn Beck who oppose the plan because the current house bill establishes a pay incentive for doctors to provide mandatory end of life counseling. This provision is found in the "cost cutting" section of the bill which points to "rationing of care." Do you know what else Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck have in common? Both are parents of disabled children--the very people who have the most at stake should this end-of-life-counseling policy take effect. It's one thing for pundits to take cheap shots, but I am appalled and ashamed that the President of the United States is attacking the parents of disabled children, fighting for the livelihood of those children.
For more discussion on Obama's lies as well as his flagrant use of scare tactics, check out TheBurningPlatform.com.
What did he say that I like?
While he did mention tort reform (limits on malpractice claims), he only said he would look into it. He did not endorse it as a desirable path toward reform. Not surprising since trial lawyers stand to lose a lot of money if tort reform happens--and trial lawyers support Democrats.
He also spoke of a federal healthcare marketplace. While this does allow for the possibility of purchasing insurance across state lines, it does so under the bureaucracy of another government oversight committee. Adding a layer of bureaucracy to healthcare--just what we need. I would prefer to see the capability to purchase insurance across state lines without additional government intervention.
What did he leave out?
The big unanswered question for me is, "How are we going to pay for this?" Unfortunately, progressive politicians do not care about how the bill gets paid. That has been a chronic problem with this administration since it took over the White House. Of course, the answer to is always the same when it comes to government programs--they are paid for by taxpayers.
