Betting that health costs won’t go down
EDITOR:Congressman Stupak's recent letter regarding the high cost of health care never mentions what created the "broken" health care system.
Mr. Stupak failed to point out that is was the federal government and labor unions that created the recipe for ballooning costs. Employee sponsored plans proliferated in the 1940s and 1950s as strong unions bargained for better benefit packages, including tax-free, employer-sponsored health insurance.
Wartime (1939-1945) wage freezes imposed by the government actually accelerated the spread of group health care. Unable by law to attract workers by paying more, employers instead improved their benefit packages, adding health care.
Government programs to cover health care costs began to expand during the 1950s and 1960s.
Disability benefits were included in Social Security coverage for the first time in 1954.
When the government created Medicare and Medicaid programs in 1965, private sources still paid 75 percent of all of the health care costs, but by 1995, individuals and companies only paid for about half of the health care with the government responsible for the other half.
These "spread the wealth" entitlement programs and antitrust exempt "pyramid scheme" insurance plans permitted and facilitated the ever-rising cost of health care.
It is only because of the "it's not my money" or "it doesn't cost me anything" mentality that prices were able to balloon at a rate far beyond that of normal inflation.
Any time you take the individual's accountability away and pass the buying power or payment responsibility on to a third party the price controls disappear.
I don't see any mention of personal accountability in his letter. As usual he promotes only big government as an answer to all our problems.
The answer isn't bigger government and more oppressive rules and regulations, it's personal freedom, accountability and liberty.
Free choice.
We have rights and responsibilities which are founded in our Constitution and defended by the blood sweat and tears of many brave Americans.
These rights are supposed to be defended, not trampled on by our tax and spend elected officials and their allegiance should be to the flag, not their political party.
I'll make a friendly wager with the Congressman. If my insurance costs go down because of national health care, I'll vote for him at the next election, but if my costs go up (including all national health care induced tax increases and employer mandates), he'll endorse me for his congressional seat.
Seems fair to me. See you at the polls.
P.S. I don't have group coverage and pay for my own family coverage.
Steven Zurcher
Kingsford
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Yoopdogs
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11-04-09 6:59 AM
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We have a big problem getting the straight poop about healthcare reform. Misinformation and plain lies on both sides. How can any layman understand the complicated body of what really is the best way to take care of American's needs? I can't get a handle on most of it and assume that most American's feel the same way. Wouldn't it be nice if a trustworthy expert could put it into terms understood by a 3rd grader so we could all understand the the heck i'ts all about.
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Blackhawk
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11-03-09 1:46 PM
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Well some or most liberals seem to think it will be free. Just look at ilikeguns comments.
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goomba82
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11-03-09 10:37 AM
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What is the oxymoron? No one ever said it would be free -- taxpayers always pay for such things. Where is this made up "free" talk you're referencing coming from anyway? Another FN entertainment channel setting up of the straw man?
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thefonts
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11-03-09 6:01 AM
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...I've got news for yaz, public option (ring the oxymoron bell for me please ha ha ha) does not mean free...
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woodstein
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11-01-09 10:55 AM
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I think the author of this letter is just disgruntled because he has to make toys, when he really wants to be a dentist.
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goomba82
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10-31-09 9:34 AM
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Even simply passing something that would hold insurance companies accountable by reigning in their greedy practice would be enough to get us on a better track...my guess is most people would settle for that. Unfortunately, they have the most money, the most influential lobbyists etc and that is probably the most difficult battle. This debate about govt health care provision is simply something to take the focus off of the real problem. If those insurance cos were regulated, all of the other issues would be easily resolved with little money needing to come from individual payers. Instead politicians get people talking irrationally about socialism and all kinds of other crap so the real problem goes unaddressed by the voting masses. Follow the money and you'll find the problem.
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ilikeguns2001
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10-30-09 9:09 PM
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one step at a time.
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soobaroo
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10-30-09 8:25 PM
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You still don't have enough idiot liberals to pass the health care bill so I'd hold off on the celebration. Many of them are smart enough to know if they vote for it they can kiss reelection goodbye. The American people don't want this rushed health care bill and the finger in the wind politicians know it.
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numbskull
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10-30-09 7:29 PM
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have fun on the bandwagon..leech haha
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ilikeguns2001
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10-30-09 7:08 PM
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numbskull you take the number one spot for dumbest post.Congrats Get ready your going to have the same health coverage as me the guy down the street and some big old intercity black woman.OK its going to happen and we all are going to pay for it.I can't wait.I'm for national health care.also there 6 people for every one job available. DUMMY
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numbskull
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10-30-09 7:00 PM
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I understand that times are tuff. I also understand there are hard-workings individuals out there willing to work and struggling to get by but at least there trying. On the oppisite end there are people looking for handouts from anything that has money including the government. All people need to quit being lazy and at least try working and try getting insurance. Anything over 32 hours a week people are considered full-time. Most full-time employee's are offered some kind of insurance. I just dont agree with the government running another program that goes down the drain.
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BlueBlooded
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10-30-09 6:02 PM
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numbskull.....there is a difference between a handOUT and a hand UP. I know of countless men and women who are willing to work hard for a paycheck...many hours over 40 a week if possible...but cannot find jobs that will give them more than 39. At 39 hours or less they are considered part time (I believe) and are not eligible for health care, even if their employer has it (which many don't). How many people do you know that can make car payments, rent payments, utilities, food, AND pay for health care on a minimum wage salary? The issue is NOT always laziness/entitlement.
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soobaroo
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10-30-09 5:46 PM
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The constitution gives you the right to pursue happiness. I'd guess getting wealthy might qualify. If the government takes most of it, what's the point in trying to be successful. We will be like the Russians who had a saying. "We pretend to work and they pretend to pay us".
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numbskull
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10-30-09 4:53 PM
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you have the RIGHT to be whatever you want to be..so grow up and get to work.. earn your money, quit asking for hand-outs.
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ilikeguns2001
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10-30-09 3:46 PM
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Again where does it say you have a write to be rich in the constitution?
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ilikeguns2001
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10-30-09 3:45 PM
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Dallas yes tax cuts it helped for a while the argument was then that the rich would buy big ticket items like house yachts etc.and it would trickle down to the yacht worker then the yacht worker would buy a car .etc etc I am for that hart and soul,But after a while money got hoarded up and people want to live off there interest.Even CNBC says spend money spend money.Get it trickling down.put workers to work.5% of the population has more money than95% of the population combined!Spend a portion of your money or we will tax it.people need to work!
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Blackhawk
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10-30-09 3:02 PM
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Oh Oh I agree with Dallas.
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ImlaughinATU
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10-30-09 2:47 PM
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Well said Dallas
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Dallas
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10-30-09 1:37 PM
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The 1997 tax cut that lowered tax rates on dividends and capital gains from 28 to 20 percent was also a major factor helping fuel the economic growth of this period. It strengthened the already strong gains from the technology boom. The impressive growth of the S&P 500 index after its passage is testimony to that fact. In the year before the tax cut, the S&P 500 index increased by 22 percent. In the following year, it increased by more than 40 percent.
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Dallas
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10-30-09 1:35 PM
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Increasing the progressivity of the income tax code by raising the top two rates will not close the deficit. In fact, it will lead to more revenue volatility, which will lead to larger future deficits. The top 20 percent of income earners pay almost all federal taxes. The bottom 50 percent of income earners pay almost no income taxes and the poor and middle-income earners benefit greatly from the tax code.
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Dallas
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10-30-09 1:33 PM
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ilikeguns2001... Why all the anamosity towards the rich? Tax increases in the early 1990's did not lift the economy to the highs experienced later in the decade. Tax hikes on the rich will not balance the budget or close deficits. High earners already have a vast majority of the federal income tax burden, and the proposed tax hikes will badly damage the economy at a time when it cannot absorb any new negative shocks.
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ilikeguns2001
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10-30-09 1:22 PM
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Who ever said they were going down???Its to stop them from spinning out of control like the banking industry.also Mr constitutionalist where dose it say a few are entitled to all the wealth with out high taxation..Could you please consider legalized euthanasia then so when people get to sick we can save costs.and not tax the rich.
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AndTheAnswerIs
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10-30-09 12:11 PM
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We are so screwed.
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Justlookin59
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10-30-09 12:00 PM
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My solution is: End medicare. End social security. End medicaid. End this current health care scam. End anti-trust exemptions for insurance companies. End public trading & shareholding for health insurance companies. End the Dept. of Education. Begin bringing back our manufacturing capabilities & jobs. Begin taking care of our own families' elderly. Begin teaching financial responsibility in the classrooms. Begin to emphasize the importance of the traditional family. Begin returning monies to those who have invested in social security/medicare who have not received any benefits, who wish to opt-out, with interest. This would be a start. Elect me next time around. Ross Perot was 100% RIGHT
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