For the last three weeks, the conservative media and Republican Internet sites have been up in arms about the monstrosity that is the de facto nationalization of the American health-care system. It goes without saying that the Obama health-care bill is an ideological nightmare as well as a masterpiece of budgetary fiction, and there can be little doubt that it will significantly reduce both the quality and availability of health care while increasing its cost for the average American. Increased government intervention has never been the harbinger of either improved service or reduced expense.
A postscript to today’s column: It appears I was correct in assuming that Obamacare would pass. “On the cusp of succeeding where numerous past congresses and administrations have failed, jubilant House Democrats voted 219-212 late Sunday to send legislation to Obama that would extend coverage to 32 million uninsured Americans, reduce deficits and ban insurance company practices such as denying coverage to people with pre-existing medical conditions.”
Welcome to Third World America. It is now upon you. I now wait with no little amusement for Republicans to clean up in the November elections, then, in the name of pragmatism, completely fail to repeal anything. And in an impromptu Mailvox, RC says we shouldn’t think too much of the past, but must instead figure out how to repeal what has become the law of the land:
“You make good points. However, Bush was pre-occupied with the attack on America and the wars pursuant–not trivial matters. Yes, I agree he was not strong enough on domestic policy. With regard the initial bailout–we were told world-wide financial collapse was in the offing. True, I did not like it–but–how could we take a risk that large? No. Never has such a huge bill been passed without the consent of the governed and on a partisan basis. Ron Paul was not in a position to carry the day. For now–we need ideas on reversing this legislation.”
In answer to his question, I replied that it is hardly risky to bet that politicians and bankers are lying when their solution to the world-wide financial collapse of which they are warning is to give those very same bankers billions of dollars. In like manner, you can’t expect the same Republican party that laid the foundation for this national debacle to be capable of fixing it.