My Healthcare Reform Rant

Like about 90% of America, I'm talking about health care reform.  The Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives, on a late night Sunday vote, passed their sweeping plan.  Some celebrated, some mourned.  I'm in the second group.  This bill is a major loss for all Americans, and if attempts to defeat it before it goes into full effect (in 2014, conveniently in time for Obama's re-election campaign) fail, the damage may be irrevocable.

"But what about all the wonderful things in the bill?"  For argument's sake, I'll say that there are. (No I don't believe there are, but like I said, this is for the sake of argument)  Even if economic impossibilities like forcing insurance companies to accept everybody, regardless of their health conditions are a good thing, the biggest problem in this bill is the federal mandate that all citizens purchase health insurance.  This mandate goes against all of the principles of the Constitution.  There is nothing put forth in the Constitutional powers of any part of the Federal government that give them the authority to force the citizens to purchase anything.  Look at your history, and you will see that it required an amendment to those original powers to allow the Feds to tax our income. 

That is a massive problem.  As I said, even if the other parts of the bill were good, no good is worth this kind of shredding of the basis of our freedoms.  Hopefully some of you will say "What about W's Patriot Act?"  Go for it, I will tell you that was a reactionary bill shoved through by both the President and Congress without the much needed thought that should have been put into it, and faces many of the same arguments.  Back on track, giving the Federal Government the power to force the citizens to purchase a good or service is not democracy, a representative republic, or capitalism.  It is tyranny.  It is not rule by law. 

Have we reached a point where Americans no longer value the principles that made this the greatest nation on Earth?  Have we reached a point where "feel-good" actions, regardless of their infeasibility, are more important than our freedoms?  According to Obama and the Democrat party, yes.  According to most public opinion polls, we have not.  Despite much celebration from some loud groups, there is still resistance.  States are readying lawsuits and even amendments to their state constitutions to defend against this attack on freedom. 

Our argument is not, nor has it ever been that there are not improvements that can be made to our health care system.  Our argument is that first, more government intervention is not the solution, and two, that improvement does not require throwing out the principles of our nation.  Federal mandates to purchase anything, whether it is health insurance, smart cars, or anything else is exactly the type of tyranny that our Founding Fathers fought against, that brought so many millions of people to Ellis Island with tears in their eyes, that drives people to struggle across the Gulf of Mexico to reach Florida from Cuba.

If you are reading this and support the current heath care plans, please think about the cost, not just in money, lost jobs, lost industries, lost progress, if for no other reason than that those are theoretical.  Very likely, but still theoretical.  Giving any president or congress, republican or democrat, the power to force the citizens to spend their money on anything was not the intention of our Founding Fathers, and is a dangerous path to tread.  It is the path to tyranny, period.  If a central government can order the purchase of anything, and we lay down and accept it, that government can order anything.  They can order that what medicines and treatments are available to you.  They can order what products are available on your store shelves.  There are already tons of federal regulations on those things, barely held in check only by the people's power of free speech and voting. 

And those same powers are the only way we are going to hold onto what is left of those Constitutional fundamentals.  This bill is unconstitutional.  The People don't want it.  But it was still passed.  It was passed to cheers of "Yes We Can".  It was passed by more buyoffs and questionable deals than any bill in recent memory.  That reveals a great deal about the mindset of those presently sitting in power in D.C.  And what it reveals is not pretty to anyone who believes in the foundations of this nation.