Obamacare’s Devastating Consequences

Democracy and Power 105:  The Politician seeks power

The desire to rule is the mother of heresies. – St. John Chrysostom

When a person enters Congress or the Presidency, they seek and use the immense and coercive power of government. 

Obamacare’s Devastating Consequences

 

The recently passed ObamaCare forces citizens to buy insurance, and places heavy financial and regulatory burdens on employers.  Basically, the federal government – Members of Congress and the bureaucrats – will mandate and control every person’s healthcare.  This is an attack on individual freedom, and hinders health care innovation and will cripple the economy.

Were alternative approaches to improving America’s health care system considered?  Absolutely, not.  With substantial majorities in the House and Senate, the power elite, Obama, Reid and Pelosi, recognized they had the unique opportunity to make history and expand government controlled health care.

First, the Obama administration forced deals with the major health care players, e.g. doctors, AARP, pharmaceuticals, hospitals, unions, large insurers, etc.  All agreed to Obamacare and to vigorously support passage of the legislation.  In exchange all received special legislation providing lucrative and substantial paybacks.  Then Reid and Pelosi secured and bought votes by bribing reluctant Democrats.  Remember the Louisiana Purchase and the Cornhusker Kickback. 

This use and abuse of power is how ObamaCare became law.  Want more proof of a politician’s lust for power?  Remember what White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said about power, “Never let a serious crisis go to waste. What I mean by that is it’s an opportunity to do things you couldn’t do before.”  Or, as President Obama said about negotiating the stimulus bill, “I won.”   Thus, the Obama White House recognized they had the power, and were hell-bent to implement a government controlled health care system. 

This exposes a weakness in our political system:  Democracy and Power 106: A politician receives no financial gain for good policy or punishment for bad policy. A politician’s rewards are immediate – power, prestige, and perquisites. 

Obama, Reid, Pelosi and their cohorts abused their powers in anticipation of enacting a historic legacy.  Speaker Pelosi told Member of Congress the legislation is, “…the most important bill most of us will ever pass.”  The Democrats did not anticipate the broad citizen scrutiny and revulsion to the political process and the resulting legislation.  Accordingly, today many Members of Congress dread losing their position of power.  Vulnerable Democrats are distancing themselves from Obama, Reid and Pelosi, and are conceding the legislation is flawed.  Instead of bragging about a historical change, vulnerable Democrats are trained to say, “It does some good.  Now, we need to fix it.”

Alas, nothing is more important than power to a politician.

The next post will continue with Heritage Foundation interview with Governor Mitch Daniels discussion of Medical Savings Accounts and the Healthy Indiana Plan, alternatives to ObamaCare.

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