Health Care Debate goes on

In the past several months, our country has a lengthy discussion regarding the status of our healthcare. Few will say that we should do nothing in improving our healthcare system. Even so, over 80% of respondants are satisfied with the coverage they currently have. With that being said, is it really necessary to blow up the entire system by including a public government option? This Administration would like us to believe that the government option would simply apply more options to the consumer and therefore drive down costs to us, the consumer. However, with the unlimited support of the government, the public option would soon bury the private insurers with the unlimited resources. Here are a few ways in which the government plan will eventually take over.

The first issue in discussion is the fact that this new bill proposed in both houses of congress would include a mandate for every individual to be covered. This does not respond to a free market system. Using my experiences as this example. From when I went off my parents healthplan at age 18, I did not have, nor see a reason to have myself covered. I just chose simply to not carry health insurance. I'd rather spend those couple hundred dollars a month saving up for something, or even buying something.

The second issue is for small business owners. If they have a choice of insuring their employees, or paying a mandated penalty for not insuring their employees, there is no reason to think they would pay the lesser. In most cases, they would pay the reported 8% penalty of not insuring their employees in order to save money. And when this is done, these employees would then be placed in the government run program. Of course this example wouldn't be the decision of all or even most small businesses necessarily, but it would be a decision they may consider. This would be especially so if a small business was barely surviving. Anything to cut costs.

Going back to the point of the government supporting a program that competes with private companies. Even the evil insurance companies. Look at the Post Office as an example. They are losing money, hand over fist, and yet are still operating. They are getting killed by businesses as UPS and FedEx in shipping, yet they will stay afloat because they are controlled by the Federal Government. In other words, no matter how much the ship is sinking, the government will still throw billions of dollars at it...... this is because this is "their" entity.

Of course there are several likeable solutions that many would consider a great change. The first would have to do with insurers being able to compete across state lines. After all, the more choices, the better rates us, the consumer will be seeing. As it stands now, if a state only has a couple options, there won't be any price wars for your business.

The second is medical malpractice reform, otherwise known as tort reform. The medical liability that Doctors and practices have to spend is out of control. There are so many who will try to sue, no matter if it's the fault of the doctor, or not. The preventive medicine practice costs everybody. It costs the practices huge monthly expenses, which therefore gets passed down to some extent to the insurers, and then on to the consumers. If we can get a handle on this, this would surely help. When the only ones who oppose this with force is the Democrat Wing Trial Lawyers, we know there is a huge problem.

France tells Obama he is weak

Read the following link regarding Sarkosy's disdain for Obama's foreign policy:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/09/29/sarkozys_contempt_for_obama.html

Europe's Conservative influence

Of all the talk about Europeans hating conservatism, they prove it in an awfully peculiar way. Let's look at these fast facts regarding recent elections:

• Germany-Angela Merkel has been re-elected in Germany. Some see her as the German equivalent of Margaret Thatcher. Merkel has always been a close allay of Bush.
• Germany- In addition to Merkel, the conservative party of Germany has gained a large amount of parliament seats, while the Labor Liberal party has lost seats.
• England- Liberal Gordon Brown of UK is seen as not being able to win re-election, drawing weak poll numbers.
• France- Nicolas Sarkosy is the conservative leader of the country. He's in constant attack of Obama, saying Obama is a weak-waffler.

General McChrystal

In an interview with 60 Minutes, US General leading Afghanistan General Stanley McChrystal has spoken with Obama only once in the last 70 days. That's just mind boggling to know that the war Obama "wants" to win hasn't found more time to speak with him. Most supporters of Obama will say that McChrystal speaks with Defense Secretary Gates, who relays them on to Obama to get reports. However, wouldn't it seem logical to talk to your field general first hand? This being Obama's personal pick to lead the Afghanistan fight. So this is his guy! In comparison, in the Bush Administration, VP Cheney spoke with his field commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan every other day.

On another note, McChrystal says that we need another 40K troops for a counter-insurgency strategy that will be needed to win this war. Without these extra troops, McChrystal says we cannot win and will continue shedding more blood. McChrystal asked for these extra troops on August 30th. The President has still not responded. And here we are on September 29th. Unfortunately, this is more of a political issue for Obama.

Proof #1- The left base of his party does not want more troops in Afghanistan no matter what. They would rather either go home, or only send special forces and drones in to try to kill the bad guys. If Obama allowed an additional 40K troops, this would tick off his political base.

Proof #2- Obama gave Afghanistan speeches on Jan 22, Jan 27, and two more in March saying our country will deploy a new counter-insurgency strategy. We did add 20K troops at the time. He was adament in saying this was the way to go.

Two final things- McChrystal is known as the country's expert on sending special forces and drones to kill in the dangerous areas. He is the one who ordered these in Iraq before our successful counter-insurgency strategy. Finally, wasn't it Obama who said a counter-insurgency strategy in Iraq would not work? Well, he is basically capitulating with this same strategy in Afghanistan.

Will history repeat itself?

Kings College

Jessica and I were treated to an amazing time in New York last week. This was all made possible by the generous offer of staying in Kings College corporate housing. Without this, the trip would not have been possible.

I was very impressed with the curriculum the college has put together. It offered many core Christian classes, such as the history of the Old Testament. Also, the school teaches a free market system, which doesn't get taught at many mainstream schools.

Polling of Doctors on Obamacare

Interesting findings from a recent Investors Business Daily Polling of Doctors regarding Obamacare:

• 2/3 of Doctors polled do NOT want Obamacare for many different reasons.
• Almost half would leave their practice or consider taking an early retirement.
• The Association of American Medical Colleges estimate that if Obamacare goes through, we'll be short over 150K Doctors by 2025.
• The majority of Doctors polled don't know how they would see an increased amount of daily patients if Obamacare were enacted.

More Universal Healthcare facts and thoughts

With the majority remaining against the so called public option (socializing medicine), here is my assessment as to why the President is getting pummeled on this issue:

• Congressional Budget Office says that we cannot afford this plan.
• Between 80 and 90% of the public have insurance.
• Of the 46 Million who do not have coverage, 9.7 are not US citizens, 17.6 make over 50K, and 14 million qualify for Medicaid. Not to mention some just would rather spend their money elsewhere.
• Democrats have not negotiated with Republicans.... Such ideas that are popular with Republicans and many Independents is the ability to cross state lines to get coverage, having tort reform, etc.
• Most Americans just don't want government so intimently involved with their healthcare.
• I'd imagine all pro-lifers give pause to government run health care when Democrats have refused to take out the revision of their plans funding abortions. To think that my taxes would help fund an abortion is a death blow to me.