Posted on 07/23/2009 4:18:34 AM PDT by Kaslin
A key element of President Obamas plan for a government takeover of health care is to create what he calls the government option. He wants his government option to compete with private insurers. Congressman Mike Pence (R-Ind.) says that this government option will compete with private insurers the way an alligator competes with ducks. Its a pretty safe bet that the ducks always lose.
House Democrats are working up a slightly different plan. Its part of the bill theyre moving through Congress very quickly and trying to pass before the August recess. They know that the more Americans find out about plans for their government takeover of health care, the more resistance they will face. Former Sen. Tom Daschle, the Presidents first choice to head the Department of Health and Human Services before tax problems ended his nomination, is said to be very worried that if a bill is not sent to the Presidents desk before the August recess, the whole plan might have to be re-framed.
Given this mad dash to enact a bill, a statement President Obama made the other night is truly stunning. He was on a conference call with liberal bloggers. One of these bloggersclearly a backer of ObamaCarebrought up an article in Investors Business Daily that claims under Section 102 of the House health care bill (H.R.3200) would outlaw private insurance. The blogger wanted the President to give a strong rebuttal to the IBD articles claims, but what he got instead was this incredible statement: I have to say that I am not familiar with the provision you are talking about.
What? Hes not familiar with the central provision of the bill hes flogging Congress to pass? Hes not familiar with the section of the House Bill that those who are familiar with say will regulate private insurers out of business?
The Heritage Foundation is familiar with Section 102. Theyve partnered with the respected health consulting organization The Lewin Group to research how many Americans would be forced into the government option. Heres what they found:
Despite Administration assurances to the contrary, 83.4 million people would lose their private insurance coverage.
Nearly 90 million who are currently covered by an employer-sponsored health plan would be shifted into the government plan.
Contrary to what the Obama campaign said about costs and taxes, average Americans would see their premiums rise as much as $460 yearly.
President Obamas candid admission that he was not familiar with a central provision of a major bill being marked up by his closest allies in Congress is truly amazing. If not exactly the alligator Congressman Pence was describing in referring to government options, this section could be described as an anaconda. It might not immediately eat up its competitors, but it would squeeze the life out of them by excessive regulations they cannot afford to put in place and survive. Only after squeezing the private insurers to death does this Section 102 anaconda swallow them up. Under this provision, your private insurer would remain as private as GM and AIG are today.
Some things just dont work in politics. If youre in the middle of an intense presidential campaign and theres an economic meltdown, beginning in the mortgage industry, it does not work to say you dont know how many houses you own. My friend John McCain found that out to his sorrow.
To say youre not familiar with a major legislative provision of your own Administrations Number One priority is infinitely worse. It seems to indicate a troubling approach to transforming one of the most expensive and essential elements of American life: The way we, and those we love, get medical care.
The President is blessed by an almost supernatural calm. His disposition gives assurance in any crisis. Yet in this case, his calm is like that of Capt. Edward Smith of the White Star Line. Captain Smith was completely unflappable as his great ship sped across the silent seas. He was totally confident that he could speedily bypass any threat from an iceberg on that moonless night in April, 1912. Mr. Obamas government takeover of health care may be headed for a collision more shattering even than that of the Titanic.
The wise word to the President is the same as those to Capt. Smith: SLOW DOWN. Proceed with caution. And take the time to understand your own plan, one you are pressing upon the American people with an intensity and insistency weve rarely seen in recent history.
bump
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.