The President, Healthcare, and Snake Oil

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Well last night President Obama presented his latest dog and pony show to try and tell the American people that he must take control of the healthcare system. The biggest problem with last night’s speech was its lack of details. He is pushing us to accept his word that this is now insurance reform. But that is not what the bill in Congress says. As more and more information comes out about what the bill really contains those of us who care can see the lies that we have been spoon fed.

The pattern that is easy to see is that the rush to pass bill through Congress is nothing more than those in power forcing upon us something that few of us would accept if we knew the contents. Just one of his repeated lies would be: The bill in the House will outlaw private insurance. But Obama keeps saying that if you are happy with your current plan you will be able to keep it.

So why the hurry to “fix” healthcare? Well consider the fact that all of the other government healthcare programs are currently out of money. Medicare and Medicaid are in trouble. Those in power seem to thing that the problems with these programs can only be fixed by making them bigger. They need to force more people into the government programs so that there will be more funds to pay off the bills. Kind of like a Ponzie scheme. But this Ponzie scheme will make Madoff look honest when it runs out of money.

So where did we go wrong? Price controls were proven to be a total failure in the Nixon Administration. The government can not set prices in a free market without a major ripple throughout the system. For years Medicare and Medicaid has set prices. Just because the government sets a payment rate does not mean that it actually covers the cost. The large private insurance companies followed suit by using the power of their massive subscriber base to negotiate prices. The government mandates that no one can be denied care. The cost of that care is covered by the Federal and local governments. This system has caused the ridicules and unbelievable situation where the uninsured are forced to pay inflated rates.

So as I sat and watched a press conference that was nothing more than a snake oil sales pitch, I felt like I was watching a work of fiction. There were no facts in his presentation. I’m still waiting for an answer to the question of if our “leaders” will be put under the same system. As I was watching his speech I was thinking of a Clint Eastwood movie; “The Outlaw Josie Wells.” In it there was a character selling his miracle medicine. He asked the Chief to try it. His response was; “You drink it.” So Mr. Obama and members of Congress are you willing to drink your own medicine?

I didn’t think so.

©2009 Pedro Sykes