Health care gets a shot in the arm by Obama

President Obama’s health care dreams received a double shot yesterday; both the Senate and the House put health care legislation on their respective floors.

Trying to beat the summer recess in August, Obama encouraged legislators that the time is now to overhaul the country’s health care industry; a program which covets one sixth of the U.S. economy.

The President admitted to reporters in the Rose Garden that if health care was not passed soon it would “fall apart.” According to insiders, the rush to get this through the House before the break is to keep legislators away from voters who are already turning on the bill.

According to the latest Rasmussen poll, 49 percent of Americans oppose health care and 46 percent favor it. Just two weeks ago the numbers were flipped as 50 percent were in favor and 45 percent opposed health care.

This is tracking well with tax advocacy groups who say that the longer this is out there the more it begins to stink.

“We find new things everyday,” says Leslie Eastman of So Cal Tax Revolt Coalition. “The bill will give money to ACORN, to pursue neighborhood surveys such as asking your weight or reporting your bad habits to the Centers for Disease Control for further analysis. Leaving the CDC to decide what your treatment options will be.”

The President said that, nurses and the American people were on board and seeking new ways to deliver health care. However, it appears the American people do not favor the sweeping change the White House is proposing. Conveniently left off the list were doctors and businesses, both groups oppose health care that includes a public option.

The House’s version of the bill differed from the Senate. Most notable differences included how to pay for it. The House prefers to slap families who earn more than $250,000 per year with anywhere from 1 to 5.4 percent surtax to pay for the plan.

The Senate balked at increasing taxes and left that out of the bill altogether, deferring it to the Senate Finance Committee.

Adam Smith, known as the father of modern economics, points out that “a government that raises taxes in a recession is making the same mistake as a shop keeper raising prices during a sales slump.”

Syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer concurs, “To raise taxes in a recession is crazy.”

Senator Jim DeMint R-SC stated that “John Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, cut taxes to get the country out of a recession.” He went on to explain that increasing taxes has never worked in U.S. history.

Here in lies the problem. Legislators in both houses passed markers and not real bills today and it’s important to note that every vote so far on health care is partisan- not one GOP member voted in favor of these proposed health care bills.

The tax increases the Democrats are proposing would push at least four states well past the 50 percent mark, in fact in Oregon, New York, California and Rhode Island top-earners would pay close to 60 percent of their income in tax!

Wow.

Back to reality, the government can only soak the rich so much and continue to collect taxes before they move their money off shore.

Also, neither the House, nor the Senate addressed the real problem with health care and that is reform and fraud. This is where the Congressional Budget Office thinks the country has the best chance for cost savings.

Taxpayer advocacy groups would just like the legislators to slow down and read the bill. Let Freedom Ring’s Responsible Health Care Reform Pledge ensures that House and Senate members read the entire bill and make sure it is posted on the internet for at least 72 hours before they vote.

Many Congressmen and Senators, 37, have already signed the Let Freedom Ring petition; Eric Cantor R-VA and Duncan Hunter R-CA are among the current signers.

“Health care reform must be a priority but that doesn’t mean we need to unwisely rush this process, only for the sake of getting something done,” Congressman Hunter said. “While I do not support a public-option, it is important that we have sufficient opportunity to thoroughly examine this proposal and consider its potential consequences for taxpayers, businesses and consumers.”

Included in the health care package is a boatload of new inter-governmental agencies, with names like; Office of Minority Health, Office of Civil Rights, Health Advisory, Health Workforce and Health Choice Administration.

Many claim this is government control pure and simple. Republican legislators admit this will ultimately lead to health care rationing.

For more stories; www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner