So, here’s the problem: We have need for health care reform to permit greater portability of policies, make policies more affordable, and help people find insurance who have preexisting conditions. But instead of fixing the actual problems in the current generally well working system, President Obama is instead following the trail blazed by Hillary Clinton in 1991; trying to tear down the existing system and rebuilt it in his own ideological image.
That is proving a hard sled, and this may be why: According to a Fox News poll, about 91% of Americans have health insurance (which I am sure includes Medicare and Medicaid), and most are happy with their current health care. From the poll:
Most Americans say they have health care insurance (91 percent), and a large 84 percent majority rates the quality of their insurance as excellent or good. Moreover, more than 8 in 10 (83 percent) rate the quality of the health care they currently receive as excellent or good. And if they were sick or seriously ill, most people say they would rather be in the current privately-run health care system (64 percent) than in a government-run system (19 percent).
It is important to remember that many of the uninsured are illegal aliens. Others are able to obtain coverage shortly after losing existing coverage. Others voluntarily eschew coverage even though they could afford it. Thus, President Obama and the Democrats in Congress are engaging in blatant overkill, perhaps as some suspect, as a way to consolidate power in the government. But that isn’t what people want, and based on these coverage numbers, the pending plan is far more radical than the country needs.
All of this reminds me of the most withering criticism a judge ever made of my work when I was practicing law. I was vigorously cross examining away, poking and pounding, thinking I was doing a splendid job. I learned that I wasn’t when the judge leaned forward, looked over his glasses, and said testily: “Mr. Smith, please use a rifle instead of a shotgun.” Ouch!
That’s what we need now: A rifle to precisely remedy what ails us in health care. Instead, our brilliant leaders are using a scattergun that will end up causing far more harm than good.
