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Thursday, November 5, 2009

What's really going on with healthcare reform

This from the New Yorker

So what does it all add up to? The U.S. government is making a costly and open-ended commitment to help provide health coverage for the vast majority of its citizens. I support this commitment, and I think the federal government’s spending priorities should be altered to make it happen. But let’s not pretend that it isn’t a big deal, or that it will be self-financing, or that it will work out exactly as planned. It won’t.

The author is a supporter of the healthcare reform effort.  In a few short paragraphs though, he manages to debunk the claims of reduced costs (which Congress will never enforce) and increased revenue (we can only soak the rich and upper middle class for so long, and we all know where a tax on the health plans of union workers is headed).

Many on the left have accused those opposed to the health reform of lying (death panels, anyone?).  They would do well in this case to follow their own advice and be honest about just what it is they are proposing.  If you think it is worthwhile to enact a massive new entitlement program for the purpose of insuring almost all of the currently uninsured, then say so.  Don't pretend this proposal is meant to cut costs because it won't.  And don't pretend this won't add to our fiscal burden, it most certainly will.

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