I just wanted to update you on the battle against a government takeover of health care. A few weeks ago, the House of Representatives passed its version of Obamacare, and now the Senate is considering its own version. Neither plan offers real solutions that empower patients. Nor do they include common sense solutions like tort reform or allowing consumers to purchase health insurance across state lines. Both versions of Obamacare are filled with billions of dollars in higher taxes, government mandates and $2.5 trillion in new spending.

Soon Congress will take up the SCHIP expansion bill that was vetoed by President Bush. Congress needs to uphold the president's veto of this bill and prevent a serious move towards socialized medicine. The SCHIP program was meant to cover poor children, but Congress is trying to move adults into government-run health care. As if this wasn't bad enough, the proposed $35 billion expansion would be funded by yet another huge tax hike! This time, the target is smokers, to the tune of 61 cents per pack.

Governor Beebe and his liberal friend Gene Shelby (D-Hot Springs) are planning to raise the cigarette tax by $0.50, from its current rate of $0.59, to pay for a new state health program. Arkansas, which currently has the 34^th lowest cigarette tax, would surpass the $1.00 national average as a result of this regressive tax increase. This would amount to an exorbitant 85% tax increase!