Choice and Competition in Health Care

Well, since the poll numbers for Obamacare show support for a public option dropping like a stone, the White House has regrouped and is now attempting to sell their plan as "choice and competition" in health care. And how does President Obama believe he can bring choice to health care? Does he want to relax the regulations that prohibit people from buying insurance across state lines? No, despite the thousands of insurance companies already doing business in the United States, he feels that the best way to bring competition and choice is through a government owned public option. Only a man who has spent his entire life and government and never worked in the private sector could believe that government will bring choice and competition to the table.

Using his logic, we need government owned gas stations to bring choice and competition to people who buy gas. We need government owned grocery stores to bring choice and competition to people who shop. We need government owned car companies to bring choice and competition to people who buy cars. Oh, wait, we already have that in GM.

This whole thing about choice and competition only being available through a public plan is deceptive and dishonest. I am actually surprised that instead of responding substantively to the views being presented to the administration through ordinary citizens at town hall meetings, the administration continues to ignore them and press forward with its plan to overhaul the entire health care system. They haven't changed their plan at all. They've simply changed their message to choice and competition.

People are freaking out about the deficit and their own financial situation, the last thing they want is another government program that adds to the national debt. Despite what most in this current administration believe, the American public isn't stupid, especially the middle class. They instinctively know that if something like this goes through, it won't only be the rich paying for it, they'll be paying for it as well.

And they're not buying it.

So by all means Democrats, go ahead and pass something purely on party lines which includes higher personal tax rates, higher corporate taxes, penalties for businesses that don't provide insurance, and a value added tax. Good luck in 2010 running with that on your resume.