Payson Roundup

Editor:

As a lifelong Democrat I oppose the current health care bill. It is the “straw that broke the camel’s financial back.”

We should learn from the mistakes of others who have tried universal health care. Massachusetts tried it and is going broke, Hawaii has scrapped their plan, and the Canadian single payer system is a failure which is out of control. They originally estimated the cost to be 42 percent of budget. It is now projected to rise to 80 percent - 90 percent of budget.

Single payer is a case of the fox guarding the hen house. Government becomes both a participant and a regulator. The “fox” — government — will — will make the rules and regulate the “hens” — private insurance — out of the house. The “fox” will rule the roost with no competition.

Why not consider tort reform, medical savings plans, tax savings for small business and individuals that buy their own coverage, etc. There are many alternatives to government-run health care.

I propose:

1. Scrapping this bill. No one can read it anyway. Write it in simple language. Remove the bike paths, street lights, farmers markets, etc., and confine it to health.

2. Requiring every representative to “read” it and make it available to taxpayers before a vote is called.

3. Holding town meetings with the “new” plan and using our input to fine-tune the bill.

The final bill must not:

a. Contain a government option.

b. Cover illegal immigrants.

c. Pay for abortions.

Opposition to the health care bill does not make us a mob, Nazis, or any of the other insulting names we have been called. When Congress comes up for re-election and counts their votes they will realize we are a serious majority. Hope they can spell U-N-E-M-P-L-O-Y-M-E-N-T.

David Flider