ON THE HEALTHCARE REFORM DEBATE FROM RON PAUL'S CAMPAIGN FOR LIBERTY

September 10, 2009 Dear Friend of Liberty, Last night, President Obama made it clear he intends to push hard for a government-run Health Control system. His plans, if enacted, will result over time in either a complete government takeover of Health Care, or the total destruction of any meaningful private system. Now is the time for us to raise our voices and insist Congress vote "NO" to this government power grab. Make no mistake, the Obama plan will cause the price of insurance to skyrocket even further by increasing payouts and other costs of doing business, putting many more Americans in the position of having to drop their coverage. One plan currently being considered in the Senate would impose a $3,800 fine on families who refuse to get health insurance. Health insurance will no longer be a free choice in our country. President Obama has long advocated a universal, single-payer system, and that is the ultimate goal of enacting this so-called "reform" package. In regards to his deficit-neutral promise, the Congressional Budget Office has already stated (GO HERE: http://cboblog.cbo.gov/?p=332) that HR 3200 will add over $200 billion to the deficit over the next ten years, and Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are already trillions of dollars in the red. Are we really expected to believe that yet another government program on top of all these will save money? And, hidden throughout the over 1000 pages that make up this bill are even more "goodies" for the allies of Big Government, such as a massive payoff to Big Labor, who will reap millions of new forced union dues and wield unprecedented power over government and "private" health care as reported (GO HERE: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203440104574400571702189240.html) in The Wall Street Journal. President Obama has repeatedly stated that we cannot deal with the rising cost of health care by maintaining the status quo. I wholeheartedly agree. We must acknowledge that the root cause of the health care crisis in this country is government interference (GO HERE: http://www.campaignforliberty.com/blog.php?view=24061). Of course, many in the insurance industry have taken full advantage of their lobbying power and monopolies, but they have been able to do this because of the government. It is government that prohibits individuals from being able to shop across state lines for insurance. It is government that imposes thousands of mandates on insurance providers. It is government that created HMOs in the 1970s. It is government that has skewed (GO HERE: http://www.campaignforliberty.com/blog.php?view=23690) the market to prop up third party payers. Simply put, the problems with health care in America are TOO MUCH government interference already. The solution is to lessen government control - NOT give them more power! The Council for Affordable Health Insurance has identified a total of 2,133 mandated benefits and providers currently required by state legislatures, mandates they estimate increase the cost of basic coverage from around 20% to as high as possibly 50%. Read their report here: http://www.cahi.org/cahi_contents/resources/pdf/HealthInsuranceMandates2009.pdf If the president thinks we can pay for his plan through saving billions of dollars by eliminating waste and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid, then why don't we clean out those systems now and return that money through tax cuts to the American taxpayer, providing them extra funds to buy insurance if they want it? Both major parties believe the answer to our health care crisis is through government intervention. They only differ in the degree of that intervention. It's time to choose freedom. Americans should be free to shop across state lines for health insurance, to easily go outside the country for cheaper medications, and to buy health insurance without being taxed on it. Congress should give Americans control over their health care by giving them control over their health care dollar via tax credits and deductions similar to those outlined in Congressman Ron Paul's Comprehensive Health Care Reform Act (HR 1495). And Congress should protect privacy rights by allowing patients and physicians to opt-out of any government-mandated or funded system of electronic health care records, and by repealing the federal law creating an "unique patient identifier" by adopting the policies contained in Congressman Ron Paul's Protect Patients and Physicians Privacy Act (HR 2630). Tell Congress today that you oppose cementing the status quo of government care. Urge your representative and senators to oppose HR 3200 and all other bills that would take control over your health care out of your hands. Click here to sign our petition: http://www.campaignforliberty.com/campaigns/obama-healthcare.php?projid=66 President Obama ran on a platform of hope and change, but his policies have proved to be not only more of the same, but a fresh stamp of approval on the ways things have been done for the last thirty years. Real reform starts with freedom, and real hope for America means upholding its founding principle of self-determination. In Liberty, John Tate President