GOP Mama Talks HR 3200
When I was asked to write a Republican's point of view on the Health Care bill, my mind started to swell with all of the things I would like to bring up. I started to worry that I would be writing and writing and losing the interest of any readers who may happen upon my entry.However, I decided to just sit down, in silence, alone with my thoughts and feelings about health care reform and suddenly, my answer was screaming at me. This debate is a simple one, not one that needs thousands of words to describe why I like or don't like the bill (and boy, could I tell you LOTS of opinions on this one!).
Plain and simple, I don't like HR 3200 because the government has no business running the health care system. Just like it had no business bailing out the housing market. Just like it had no business bailing out the banks. Just like it had no business bailing out the auto industry. Just like it has no business bailing out the newspaper industry (just you wait, it's coming!).
No, the government has no business touching the health care industry. Time and time again, it's been proven that when the government attaches it's eager tentacles onto a private industry, it destroys the business and brings the American economy down with it. (helloooo Amtrak!)
In this day and age, in this horrible economy, the last thing we need the government to do is "Post Office" the health care system. My father worked for the US Postal System for 25 years, back when it was a thriving business. Now, my best friend works for the Post Office and is forced to work 2 eight hour days FOR FREE or she will lose her job. (oh, and did I mention that she "works" for 40 hours a week, gets paid for 24 hours and gets NO BENEFITS???) This what we want for the health care system. Right?NOT!
I am not saying the health care system doesn't need some fixing. Of course it does. But, right now, when we are printing money with nothing to back it, when we are borrowing from China and have NO WAY to repay, when the unemployment rate is continuing to sky-rocket, the last thing we need to be doing is putting ourselves TRILLIONS
more in debt with a plan that hasn't been read by most of our government officials, won't even effectively cover the millions of Americans without health care for at least 10 more years, and may or may not be better or worse than every other socialized health care plan in the world.I just don't like those odds.
Furthermore, the biggest problem I see with HR 3200 is there are so many questions about how effective it will be. However, the day it is passed, is the day we can never look back and I just don't like the idea of moving forward, full steam ahead, with blinders on.
PS I am certain that someone is going to comment that "Bush started it" and all I can say to that is, yeah, I know he did and I'm not happy with him either. However, the difference between what President Bush did and what the Obama Administration is doing now is HUGE ( fiscally, irresponsibly HUGE). You don't try to put out a fire by dousing it with gasoline....
That government is best which governs least. ~ Thomas Payne
September 6, 2009 at 10:57 PM
Thank you for your thoughts~you've written a very good first post! Of course, I agree with you so I may be biased :)
September 7, 2009 at 8:01 AM
Thanks. I had a feeling we might agree ;)
September 7, 2009 at 12:17 PM
Great post! I completely agree. The amount of damage Obama has done in such a short time is frightening!
September 7, 2009 at 4:21 PM
Both Republicans AND Democrats are pick and choosy about government powers. The truth is, the federal government has no business in any of those things (except the criminal process, which would still only include them if it was a matter of Constitutional Law or high appeals). The state government does have those powers, should the People decide to grant them, but I think that anyone who allows the government to run all of those systems is a fool.
The government is like a vampire-invite them into your life once and it's nearly impossible to take it back no matter how devastating the damage. I already reject the idea of government education, and I would gladly dispose of my own trash, protect my own home, and pay private businesses to take care of issues I didn't want to or weren't capable of tackling myself (fire fighting, policing, road building, etc)if in return it meant that the government stayed out of my affairs and I was able to enjoy Liberty as it was meant to be in this country.
They who would trade liberty for security soon have none and deserve neither.-Thomas Jefferson
September 7, 2009 at 7:34 PM
I couldn't have said that better Lib R Tea. I would also gladly pay the private sector to handle my affairs, rather than depend on the govt to do something for me (and usually half-@ssed at that)
September 9, 2009 at 9:30 AM
Our Guest Writer said:
i find it sort of strange how pick-and-choosey people are about what the government's responsibilities are.
apparently, it is to pick up our trash, and dispose of it, educate our children, (as broken as the system might be, i think americans would balk at the idea of having to pay expensive private school tuition,) maintain a strong military, send our mail, provide subsidies for people to recieve higher education, fight our fires, arrest criminals, protect unborn babies, and tell people who they can and cannot wed.
you can't even take out the trash without the government's help.
but heaven forbid we have universal healthcare, that is just too far.
Taxes are what we pay for a civilized society — Former Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes
September 9, 2009 at 9:31 AM
Alicia said:
First, I will say this. It seems that most of the people who wouldn't mind paying for private schools, or private businesses, are the ones who can afford it. I would much rather my kids get an education for free, instead of me deciding whether or not I could feed my kids that week or not. I could care less personally if the government is involved in things such as fire departments, as long as my house it being put when it is on fire.
I am Canadian, so American politics are a little confusing to me, I will admit. But as someone who has lives with universal health care all my life, the only problem i have with it is the ridiculous waiting times. But that is all.
Anyways, to save me a whole lot of typing, haha, I have to say, I agree with everything [Guest Writer] said.
September 9, 2009 at 9:44 AM
Our family makes less than $3000 above the federal poverty line, but we don't take handouts or expect anyone to give us anything. Additionally, we have worked our butts off just to make a little more than nothing-if someday, by sheer hard work, we manage to scrape together a decent living wage I would be absolutely furious if people tried to take what we have earned because they think they're entitled to it. We don't have magic powers. Nothing is handed to us. If we can do it, so can almost anyone.
The exceptions in my mind are people with profound mental handicaps, quadriplegics, people with terminal illnesses so painful they must be on mind altering levels of meds to stay comfortable, and minors under 16 with no family involved. To those people, society SHOULD be helping them-but the government still has no right to legally FORCE anyone to help them.
Not that Americans need to be forced. In 2006, Americans gave over $295 BILLION dollars to charity of their own free will. That is more than enough to take care of the fewer than 10 million people who fall into those categories.