America, Just Take The Pain Pill: 10 Questions For Your Legislators
Jane Sturm asked President Obama if her then 100-year-old mother would have received a pacemaker under Obamacare. Jane’s mom is still going strong at 105. Jane asked the President, “Is there consideration given for a certain spirit?” The President’s chilling response (available on YouTube) was, “I don’t think we can make judgments based on people’s spirit…maybe you’re better off not having the surgery, but taking the pain killer.” Obama gave Jane’s mom less respect than the family dog. If this is what we can expect from health care reform, maybe we’d better attend Town Hall Meetings and ask questions. Here are some questions to ask your legislators:
1. Medicare is 38 trillion dollars in debt, and fraud is rampant. Amtrak is in constant need of subsidies. Health care on Indian reservations is abysmal. Given this woeful history, how can you justify government involvement in the health care of every American?
2. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the cost of this bill ranges from 1
to 1.6 trillion dollars. Won’t the tax increases needed to fund this program damage the already ailing economy? If taxes aren’t raised and money must be printed, won’t this add to already existing inflation pressures?
3. I understand that the President, Congress, and all other Federal employees are exempted from health care reform. If this is such a great plan, why don’t you and your family sign up?
4. President Obama promises that “if you like your health plan, you can keep it.” Yet on page 16 and 17 in the House bill, if anything changes in your copayment or deductible (which happens every year,) you must move into an “approved” plan or the government option. In other words, you CAN’T keep it. How will this help private insurance to compete?
5. The House health care reform bill (HR3200) cuts Medicare by 500 billion dollars to pay for health care reform. The cost of insuring the uninsured is far less than that. Plus, the uninsured are less than 16% of the population. Why change the whole system for 16%? Why not give the uninsured vouchers to buy health insurance? Will cuts in Medicare result in denied care for our seniors?
6. David Blumenthal, Obama’s National Coordinator of Health Information Technology, said doctors will have to take advantage of “embedded clinical decison support.” This is fancy language for telling your doctor how to treat you. Do you support having the government in the examining room with patients, “guiding” treatment?
7. Blumenthal also said (referring to Hillary Clinton’s failed effort at reform) that speed is essential to passing health care reform. Do you agree with that?
8. Blumenthal said it was “debatable” that the timely care Americans get is worth the cost. Do you agree with Dr. Blumenthal? Do you think it is advisable for Americans to wait for care? Is this enough for you to call on President Obama to fire Dr. Blumenthal?
9. The Hippocratic Oath is the pledge doctors take to do all in their power to help patients. Obama appointee Ezekiel Emanuel want to change that ancient and sacred creed to “move toward more socially sustainable, cost-effective care.” Wouldn’t this be a gross interference in the doctor-patient relationship? Will you call for President Obama to fire Ezekiel Emanuel?
10. As a followup, Dr. Emanual complained that “hospital rooms in the United States offer more privacy, comfort and auxiliary services than do hospital rooms in most other countries.” Do you agree that this is a problem? Do you want sick Americans to have less comfortable hospital rooms?
Democrats have long dreamed of government-run health care. They have all the votes they need. The only thing standing between them and achieving total control over our lives is public opinion. Get involved. Read, talk to your friends and neighbors, write and e-mail your legislators to stop passage of the government option.
“Ten more questions” to follow soon.
