The Case Against Universal Healthcare: Alternatives

13Nov09
Social security is the single largest entitlement program in this country. It accounts for 21 percent of the federal budget, as much as we spend on national defense.

The Social Security system didn't set out to sabotage people's ability to plan for retirement, and chew away at American prosperity.

But that's exactly what it did.

An idea is only as good as its execution, which is usually where government fails. Universal Health Care will be just another albatross upon this nation as in a generation or two it outgrows its bounds due to increasing human lifespan (just like social security). It cannot be allowed to pass.

So what do we do? How do we satisfy those who claim our health care system is broken, and provide viable market driven options for the uninsured?

There are a lot of viable proposals floating around mostly untouched by the left. Tort reform, medical savings accounts, tax credits to purchase catastrophic coverage, tax write offs for doctors who provide care pro-bono.

You want to give consumers choice and competition?

There are 1300 insurers nationwide and while there's nothing keeping an insurer from establishing a line of business in every state, it's hardly cost effective for them to do so. Get the interstate commerce committee out of the way, and allow state insurance commissions to open sales across state lines as they did with auto insurance. You'll see insurers scramble to compete with one another on price and service.

The plan set forth by the Republicans is less sweeping than that of their Democratic colleagues, but serves to address the rising costs of health care in an effective and fiscally responsible way. It's not a perfect plan, but would prove less damaging to the American economy than Universal Health Care. The Congressional Budget Office confirms it will provide access to affordable coverage to millions, lower existing health care premiums by as much as 10 percent over 10 years while at the same time reducing the deficit by more than 68 billion dollars, without hiking taxes.

I'm no fan of Republicans. They profess to believe in free market principles, but abandon them at the first sign that they can increase their power by growing government. They're mostly cowards who'd sell their ideals down the river in the name of political expediency. But we as Americans had better embrace those cowards for the time being. It's up to us to steel their backbone until we can put a viable third party in its place.

We're stuck between those who advocate for socialism, and those who let it prevail from weak resolve. It's time to stop the ideological games, and let all who treasure liberty stand in unison against the rise of socialism in this country.

Call your Senator, your Representative, your President. Tell them that if they want Universal Health Care so much, they're welcome to emigrate to Cuba.