Valley Patriot Editorial
June, 2008
Do you hear it? … click, click, click. Or do you not pay much attention because you are too busy seeking that promotion, or raising a family, or just trying to make ends meet?
Click, click … There it is again, a new bill passed regulating this, mandating that, or adding a fee here or a tax there.
Do you recognize the sound? Or are you so used to it, like a dripping faucet, that you just take it for granted? The ratchet of government control tightens its grip almost every day. It rarely reverses.
Elect a Republican: Click. Elect a Democrat: Click, click. Encourage bipartisan cooperation: Click, click, click.
In 2006, a bipartisan coalition, headed by Republican Gov. Mitt Romney, promised us greater healthcare benefits if we would just sacrifice a few more of our freedoms. RomneyCare required that individuals purchase expensive healthcare insurance and then forced taxpayers to provide Commonwealth Care insurance for those below three times the poverty level ($63,000).
So we’ve traded away some of our freedoms. Are we better off? Has your healthcare improved since 2006? Is the quality better? Is it easier to access? Do you have more choices in your medical care? How about more affordable?
What did you get for giving up your liberties?
Here is what you will get: Poorer quality healthcare, less attentive physicians, fewer choices, longer waiting lines, more bureaucracy, more paper work, and just to make it all worthwhile … higher costs and higher taxes.
Our costs for this healthcare “reform” in 2008 amounted to $625 million and Governor Patrick recently requested $869 million for FY2009, an amount that is expected to be insufficient. Within a decade, the annual cost is projected to be $4 billion.
To pay for these increased costs, the legislature is considering reducing payments to doctors and hospitals, increasing business penalties and the state tobacco tax, and placing greater restrictions on drug companies and insurers.
Consider them one at a time. Which of these brilliant moves will improve your health care or the state’s economy?
Our liberties were squandered and we are, not surprisingly, worse off.
But, don’t worry, the politicians are happy. The Democrats have greater control of our lives, the bureaucrats have secure, well-paying jobs with fat pensions, and our “hit and run” ex-governor is closing on a beautiful new home in La Jolla, California. They are doing fine. How are you doing?
If you would like to comment on this article you can email the editors at valleypatriot@aol.com