History Repeating Itself?

Just a couple of weeks ago I posted about a piece for the Chicago Tribune, Obama's home newspaper, telling him to slow down on cap & trade instead of shoving it through like the House did. Now, the same newspaper is telling him yet again to slow down, this time on trying to ram through the healthcare monstrosity. What is it about this guy and needing to get things done in a hurry? These 2 bills put together represent a HUGE, not to mention mind-bogglingly expensive, shift in our national culture and identity. I've yet to hear why it absolutely has to be done yesterday. If the bill is good, it should be able to stand up to prolonged scrutiny. If not, then we don't want it.

Again on healthcare, like cap & trade, I have 2 problems with the path we're going down. I agree with the article that Washington is moving WAY to fast on a bill that affects so many. However, I also disagree with the whole idea and premise, at least as it's currently being presented by the Dems.

To me, having a government-run option is a deal breaker, period, and I'll explain why. In business, when you are not allowed to write the applicable laws governing you as you go and you are not allowed to tax the public to cover revenue shortfalls, you will lose every time to the organization that is, in this case, the government.

Another deal breaker is the idea of taxing employer-paid health insurance to pay for the government option. Even though Obama has said that he will "allow" you to keep your current health care if you choose to (who the hell is he to "allow" you to choose your own care anyway?), when you take away the tax incentive, many companies will be forced to abandon their benefit plans and their employees forced to go to the government option.

This will produce a snowball effect that will, in the end, eventually snuff out the private health insurance system as we know it. The end game is that we'll all be on the government run system, except for those with enough money to pay for private care in cash like over in the UK. Trust me, you don't want that.

In fact, if you'd like to know how great the system will be for you, try calling your Congressman or Senator. Better yet, call those who support this bill. Call Nancy Pelosi. Call Ted Kennedy. Hell, call the White House. Ask if it is written in the bill that lawmakers and the President will be required to participate. If the answer is no, that should tell you that what they are peddling is inferior to what we have now. It's really as simple as that.