Socialist Government Healthcare

To each his means" sounds a bit socialistic doesn’t it? But that’s where we are today in the battle over healthcare coverage. Some feel it should be a right, and perhaps it should, but where’s the line drawn? What if someone needs a full cranial implant with a total neuron replacement at the cost of $3.5 billion? I just made that procedure up, but it highlights some serious ethical issues which are in direct opposition with our country’s fundamental concepts of liberty and a free-market system.
Along comes SCHIP and the emotional hand-wringing which goes with it. Advocates bring out (yet another) gut-wrenching story of a child who would be dead today if not for this vital program. The national poster child happened to be right in Baltimore. The father owns his own business, along with a commercial building, they own a home worth $350,000 or more, drive a $20,000+ SUV, and their children are attending a private school. Where’s their own healthcare insurance in this equation?
Here’s a thought: if we each had an armed marine stationed inside our homes, there would be a lot less murders, rapes, robberies, but especially child and spousal abuse! Why don’t we do that? It’s too expensive and we are ultimately responsible for our own protection. I know most police mottos include "To Serve and Protect." But ask any victim of spousal abuse how well they were protected or ask the police themselves if their job is to protect. The truth is they solve crimes and apprehend criminals. The protection is up to you.
In the healthcare arena, the protection should also be left to you. I know you say "what if it were your child?" Well, I chose health insurance at all costs throughout my life. If I had needed a second job, I would’ve done it. Cast aside your emotional baggage and think like a non-socialist for a moment. Remember, before HMO’s, when the country was made to hate "those mean, rich doctors?" These are the same people by the way, who easily spend about 10 years or more of their lives working 60-80 hour weeks for little or no money while they attend school and go through their internships. So the democrats pushed for the HMO’s while pushing the class envy war and finally got their wish. Now, just as disputed by opponents, those mean HMO’s are telling doctors and patients the procedures they can and can’t have performed. Now we need HMO police…and off we go into a massive government program.
Rather than increase what I like to call Senator Clinton’s Health Insurance Plan (SCHIP), why don’t we, in the name of compassion, provide some sort of tiered insurance voucher system which could cover basic healthcare costs. This would still allow the free-market to function as it should. If you want a higher level of coverage, make more money. If you don’t like this system, move to Canada. I have friends in Canada and Australia who hate their socialized medicine. Talk to people about healthcare there before you go. When’s the last time you heard someone say they were going to Canada for their operation? The AFP news agency in the United Kingdom just released a story this month regarding England's dental system. It appears the number of public healthcare dentists are declining. Six percent of people treated themselves, including tooth extractions, because they couldn't get an appointment. Several sought dentists through private practice. What? A two tiered healthcare system is in England? Yes.
I don’t know if vouchers are the answer, but I know that any government program only grows and grows. Not to offend any workers personally, but just to make a statement regarding government run systems, consider this. Would you like the people at the IRS, the MVA, or the Social Security Administration managing your healthcare, telling you which procedures you were qualified to receive, and scheduling your appointments through them? I didn't think so. Since you're reading a blog, I had a feeling you were a thinking, sane individual.