Organizing for America | Jon Zeitler's Blog: Creeping Republican Healthcare Reform

Jon & Jennifer | Report to Admin

By Patrick from Vista, CA Feb 18th 2008 at 9:08 pm EST

I've read your comments, all of them and you seem to be the only genuine participants. I would urge that both of you read over my brief statement in the Blog which I created today and should you "fit" the category of person which I'm trying to reach, that you correspond directly with me at pjallittle@shaw.ca

Thanks.

Socialist Health Care | Report to Admin

By John Oct 20th 2008 at 9:14 pm EDT (Updated Oct 20th 2008 at 9:14 pm EDT)

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Read More: Health Care

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On March 1, the Hawaii Medical Service Association began enrolling children in the state Keiki (child) Care program. The grand plan was to provide medicine for every child between birth and 18 years old who didn't otherwise have coverage.

But then parents who could afford coverage began dropping their private plans and placing their children in the program. Gov. Linda Lingle's office, seeing a sure disaster ahead, pulled the plug on the patient last week, citing "budget shortfalls." There simply isn't enough money in the state treasury to fund it.

This was no cold-hearted decision. No, it was a rational, fiscally responsible policy judgment that both restores some degree of lost liberty and provides a much-needed lesson on the economics and wisdom of building a health care program that socializes costs.

Supporters are predictably outraged. But the only people who could be justifiably upset are those who would have been forced to pay their tax dollars for a service that should be an individual and family responsibility.

As socialist health care programs go, Keiki Care was small scale. Officials designed it to accommodate about 3,500 children. It never got that big. By the time just 2,000 children had enrolled, it had become obvious that it was not going to work.

Imagine if the plan included all children in Hawaii. Or all 1.3 million Hawaiians. It would have been a fiscal disaster.

Yet allegedly credible politicians and empty-headed dreamers want to forcibly socialize health care for the entire U.S. and provide coverage for 300 million Americans.

They tell us repeatedly that such a system will actually lower medical costs. Of course it will — but only if health care is rationed, less high-tech care and advanced drugs are used, and people lose the right to choose their own doctor.

Every government that has experimented with such universal health care plans has experienced similar ailments. Britain? Long wait times and shabby care. Canada? The same. Sweden? Its problems are, not so remarkably, similar to those in Britain and Canada.

All three have cost-containment problems, as well, and all have to address the sometimes deadly nature of their lengthy wait times to see a doctor or to have vital surgeries, a hallmark of universal care.

Severe problems begin when large numbers in universal-care nations begin to help themselves to the "free" health care

Socialist Health Care | Report to Admin

By John Oct 20th 2008 at 9:17 pm EDT (Updated Oct 20th 2008 at 9:17 pm EDT)

------------------------------ ------------------------------ --------------------

Read More: Health Care

------------------------------ ------------------------------ --------------------

On March 1, the Hawaii Medical Service Association began enrolling children in the state Keiki (child) Care program. The grand plan was to provide medicine for every child between birth and 18 years old who didn't otherwise have coverage.

But then parents who could afford coverage began dropping their private plans and placing their children in the program. Gov. Linda Lingle's office, seeing a sure disaster ahead, pulled the plug on the patient last week, citing "budget shortfalls." There simply isn't enough money in the state treasury to fund it.

This was no cold-hearted decision. No, it was a rational, fiscally responsible policy judgment that both restores some degree of lost liberty and provides a much-needed lesson on the economics and wisdom of building a health care program that socializes costs.

Supporters are predictably outraged. But the only people who could be justifiably upset are those who would have been forced to pay their tax dollars for a service that should be an individual and family responsibility.

As socialist health care programs go, Keiki Care was small scale. Officials designed it to accommodate about 3,500 children. It never got that big. By the time just 2,000 children had enrolled, it had become obvious that it was not going to work.

Imagine if the plan included all children in Hawaii. Or all 1.3 million Hawaiians. It would have been a fiscal disaster.

Yet allegedly credible politicians and empty-headed dreamers want to forcibly socialize health care for the entire U.S. and provide coverage for 300 million Americans.

They tell us repeatedly that such a system will actually lower medical costs. Of course it will — but only if health care is rationed, less high-tech care and advanced drugs are used, and people lose the right to choose their own doctor.

Every government that has experimented with such universal health care plans has experienced similar ailments. Britain? Long wait times and shabby care. Canada? The same. Sweden? Its problems are, not so remarkably, similar to those in Britain and Canada.

All three have cost-containment problems, as well, and all have to address the sometimes deadly nature of their lengthy wait times to see a doctor or to have vital surgeries, a hallmark of universal care.

Severe problems begin when large numbers in universal-care nations begin to help themselves to the "free" health care provided by the government.

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