Schwarzenegger's Health Care Socialism

RealClearPolitics ^ | January 10, 2007 | Ross Kaminsky

[RWR8189]

Before I get into what I hope to be a well-reasoned and economically sound discussion of Arnold Schwarzenegger's new "universal health care" plan, please bear with the following outburst: Arnold's plan is some of the most muddle-headed, idiotic, socialist crap I have ever seen from a serious politician, much less from a Republican.

The highlights (lowlights?) of the plan:

* California employers of 10 or more workers will be required to offer health insurance or else pay 4% of their payroll into a state insurance coverage program.

* All children will be covered by insurance, either private or through the state, including illegal alien minors.

* Doctors will pay 2%, and hospitals 4%, of their gross earnings to the state to subsidize insurance for low-income Californians.

* The state will then increase Medi-Cal reimbursements by $4 billion annually

* Requires health insurance companies to "spend 85% of every premium dollar on patient care".

Despite Schwarzenegger and his minions repeatedly claiming that this is a market-based solution which does not rely on new taxes, the facts show otherwise.

In an interview on PBS's "News Hour", CA Health and Human Services Secretary Kim Belshé described the plan as about "shared responsibility". The LA Times says that the plan "gave each sector some benefits that are offset by new burdens." These are words that Karl Marx would hear gladly. They mean nothing more than "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need." The idea that somehow health care (or any other big industry) is somehow immune from market forces and human nature has been so repeatedly and dramatically disproved over the past few generations that it is truly shocking and depressing to see serious people still arguing for socialist policies.

[Ben Mugged]

Arnold Chavezenegger

[BuffaloJack]

What did you expect? The man's wife is a Kennedy.
If he doesn't kiss up to social programs he will sleep on the sofa; and he'll continue to sleep on the sofa until the Socialist State of California (SSC) comes to exist.

[massgopguy]

Perhaps Arnold should watch a rerun of 60 Minutes expose on the fraud in the Medi-Cal system. I believe it was in the 30% range.

[pleikumud]

There will never be enough taxpayers to pay for all the "free" medical care people are willing to accept. No one is entitled to "free" medical care, any more than they are entitled to free housing, free food, free clothing, free cars, free retirement, or free anything. Socialized medicine will reduce the number of available and qualified doctors, increase waiting times for treatment, and reduce the quality of care.
I wonder if Arnold and Teddy Kennedy plan to wait in line for their medical care in the event socialized medicine is the law of the land.

[Calpernia]

He isn't, nor was he ever, a Republican. He is a Log Cabin Republican, which is a closeted Democrat.

6/29/2006

Candidate Hankwitz on Governor’s Participation in LCR Fundraiser

Posted by: Michael

Press Release:

The only openly-gay male Republican running for Congress in the United States, Peter Hankwitz made the following comments on Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s remarks to the Log Cabin Republicans of California tonight at the Hollywood Renaissance Hotel:

“I applaud Governor Schwarzenegger’s decision to participate in tonight’s Log Cabin dinner. As a Member of Congress, I will fight for equal protection of Americans—both social and economic.

I will also work in partnership with Governor Schwarzenegger to make sure that the San Fernando Valley’s Representative in Washington will bring home our fair share for the State of California and the San Fernando Valley, something my opponent clearly cannot do. “

Hankwitz is running against entrenched incumbent Congressman Brad Sherman in the San Fernando Valley’s 27th Congressional District.

According to the California Targetbook, in the 2003 Recall election Governor Schwarzenegger won 54% of the votes and Republican Candidates won 2/3 in the 27th Congressional District. If Schwarzenegger is going to win in November, he will have to carry the 27th Congressional District again—and potentially lift “Schwarzenegger Republican” candidates like Peter Hankwitz with him.

[proudofthesouth]

I've never trusted this Kennedy wanna be.

[Buckeye McFrog]

seems you can take the boy out of Europe, but you can't take the Europe out of the boy.

[Red6]

Three aspects go overlooked by all those advocating national health care (AKA social health care):

1. Every health care system on this planet rations off health care. How we do it differs, but NO ONE can afford all possible health care for all people in society. It's not even remotely possible economically.

2. Few ever mention the quality and state of health care in those nations that have social health care. Even in Germany (Where I'm originally from), they use glass IV bottles to this day, older style CT scan machines for the most part (Even though Siemens builds some of the best). No health care plan is going to cover bariatric treatments like Lap Band, radial keritonomy (Which some plans in the US do cover) and and and. Often people like to mention "Oh yea, look they have lower health care costs!" but do "YOU" want to be treated for cancer in a less than state of art hospital using older CT machines, in part older procedures, older drug cocktails?

3. It is no coincidence that everything from AZT for HIV positive people to Zithromax for upper respiratory infections and everything in between was developed in the US. Of course other develop drugs as well. But take a look at how disproportionally the US is in the lead with new drug developments. Arnold probably would not volunteer his time for too many movies if they stopped paying him. The socialist always applies a different standard for himself as for others. Seriously! Ask an anti-capital punishment advocate after his wife was murdered what he thinks. Ask a liberal who thinks we should legalize prostitution if it's OK if his daughter were one. Ask a liberal father who is for legalization of drugs if he wants his son smoking crack. It's always different when it's "I" we're talking about for the liberal. Likewise, capitalism tends to work even in health care because we are motivated by "greed" and even there you have a supply and demand. Take Lasik for example which today you can get for $499 an eye, or the plethora of drugs that are challenging Viagra in the battle against ED (There too we saw the prices drop through the floor). Take out the incentive and you end up like Canada. What's the latest pharmaceutical developed there? Yea, you get the picture I hope.

The grass is always greener on the other side. Sometimes people don't know how good they have it! There is NOTHING wrong with our heal care system. It works! Unlike Great Britain, we a few years ago did not have to discontinue dialysis for all over 45 because of a lack of funding and machines to treat the patients. Did that make the nightly news? That's the great national health care some here want.

[California Patriot]

The state party should repudiate Arnold at our next convention -- next month, I believe.

[California Patriot]

Yes. The European socialist mentality plus the Kennedy influence plus the West Side LA influence leaves little room for Arnold's claimed interest in the free market.

[R.W.Ratikal]

Arnie has been too close to the Kennedys not to suffer from a bad case of socialism. It's catching.

[NordP]

This has GOT to be the cause/result of the pain meds??? ...(she typed with fingers crossed)

[calcowgirl]

As long as we have politicians who believe that it is the proper role of the state to redistribute money, interfere in private contracts, and use their power to reward their favored constituencies regardless of the cost to taxpayers, we will never be safe from the dead hand of government. When even Republicans are willing to legislate as Communists (and I do not use that term as hyperbole), there is little reason to have hope.

Bump!!!