Legislating Towards Universal Health Care?

National Review Online: Democrats Pushing Near-Universal Health Care Coverage Incrementally

(National Review Online)  This column was written by David Freddoso.

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Late last week, the Bush administration announced plans to curb the practice of states putting already-insured and non-needy children on the rolls of a federal program that subsidizes health insurance for uninsured and needy children.

Democrats were outraged.

“This is a political attempt by the administration to try to intimidate states,” Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D., Ill.) told the Washington Post.

The Democratic Congress had just passed two versions of a bill to let states expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to children in families making three and even four times the federal poverty level ($60,000 to $80,000 for a family of four). With his new rules and his veto threats against their bill, President Bush is spoiling their plans.

But aside from the feigned outrage always involved in politics, why are Democrats so unhappy about dedicating federal money only to those who need it, and not to those who don’t? In most parts of the United States, a family of four making $60,000 is doing pretty well and doesn’t need a handout or even a “hand up.”

The answer is that Democrats in Congress do not just want the government to cover the needy and uninsured. They want to legislate incrementally until they have established universal or near-universal taxpayer-funded coverage, beginning with children.

This is not the paranoid idea of a few conservatives, but a plan outlined in an April 9, 1993, memo from Hillary Clinton’s health-care task force. The memo, which became public later only thanks to lawsuits forcing sunshine rules on the task force, was previously mentioned in a Washington Times report ten years ago, when the SCHIP program was first created.

The memo describes three possible methods of implementing universal health coverage. The first two involve a state-by-state phase-in of plans that involve state and federal government funds and employer mandates for the working uninsured.

But “Option 3” would have implemented a similar program by population group, beginning with children and expanding from there. The proposed name for the program, Kids First, had deeper meaning than one might suspect: it was the front end of a plan that would later cover everyone.

[drivelphobe]

erasmus.....

I went back and read your post regarding the stay at home mother.

You impress me with your position on this issue. You should be proud of your role in your childrens'' lives and I am certain that you are more than content with the many hours spent with them. Too bad so many parents don''t value the short time they actually have to nurture their kids. It''s the best time of your life, but closely matched by the appearance of grandchildren. We perhaps agree on more than we realize.

Enjoy the weekend.

[drivelphobe]

erasmus6.....

We agree about something else, and that is, the deplorable state of our borders and the invasion of illegal aliens. You are right, our borders should be closed until we get a handle on the illegal alien crisis. At my age, I doubt if I can survive long enough to see any beneficial changes. I would hope that it improves for the rest of the American citizenry, but as you queried, it may be too late.

Maybe allowing illegals in is a way of testing the "universal healthcare" package. After all, they get everything free and plug up all the emergency rooms.

Have a good day.

[erasmus6]

drivelphobe

NO you shouldn''t be friends with your "fat friends". You are being disloyal to them. Do you think that they would want to be friends with you if they KNEW that you were saying those things about them? GET REAL! You are insulting them. Can you imagine what they would feel if they found out how you felt about them and that you were saying those things? What if you found out they were saying things about you behind your back, wouldn''t you feel betrayed?

"Now you label me a low-life. Before it was a racist, two-faced and I recall idiot was one of your names."

Did I leave anything out? Now the low-life and idiot are opinions that I have formed from reading your posts. But the racist and two-faced part are FACTS. All anyone has to do is read your posts, it is there for the world to see. If you can''t see it then you are blind.

Am I frustrated? Oh yes! There isn''t anything more frustrating than try to get someone to "see the light" when they refuse to do so. If you can''t see the state of your world then you are blind.

And as far as not adding anything of value to the board, you are wrong. You disagree just for the sake of disagreeing. Even if you knew I was right, you would disagree. I have had many people agree with what I am saying and I have had people tell me that they enjoy reading my posts. Perhaps you are the one with a problem.

I actually agreed with you on another site about the baby dying in the car from the heat. So we don''t disagree about everything!

[drivelphobe]

Well erasmus, you never cease to surprise me. I guess no one can do anything right by you. Now I shouldn''t be friends with my fat friends? Some fat people are very nice in spite of the fact that they are disgustingly overweight. These are nice individuals. They know they are fat and they almost take pride in the that fact when they say, " Life is so short, why should I deprive myself of what I want to eat."

Now you label me a low-life. Before it was racist, two-faced and I recall, idiot was one of your names.

It appears to me from reading some of your other numerous posts that you are one frustrated Canadian female, with nothing to do but be derogatory toward all of America and the Americans, and to spend endless hours seeking posters to have combat with over differnces of opinion without adding anything of value to the board. You are too quick to jump to name calling when anything disagreeable posts.

[erasmus6]

drivel

If fat people disgust you that much, why do you have them as friends? Don''t you think that is a little two faced and disloyal to talk behind their backs that way? Do them a favor and move on to some other low-lifes like yourself.:)

[erasmus6]

drivelphobe

There is no reason to "distrust" a Canadian. You will always know where you stand with a Canadian. No deception. And I can more than take what I dish out but I''m thinkin'' you may have a problem with that.

[drivelphobe]

erasmus6....

You are wrong. I''m not a racist. I''m beginning to distrust Canadiennes though. Hanging Fat people was a joke in response to another post. However, they do disgust me and there is no reason to be obese. "Fat toads" was a perfect description of what my friends reminded me of while they sat after dinner, stuffed to the brim. LIke the Canadians, I don''t beat around the bush. LIke the great erasmus, I say it like it is and don''t hold back. Can''t take what you dish out? Isn''t what''s good for the Canadian good for the American? Have a great day!

[erasmus6]

Hey drivel! Me Again!

I just thought that I would tell you why I called you an idiot. I believe people that have no human compassion are idiots. Actually that isn''t true, I think they are the scum of the earth, I was holding back when I called you an idiot. So I think that I should get some credit for being nice.:)

And I am not just going by what you said here. In another article you referred to your "friends" as "fat toads". You also said:"Hanging all fat people is a great idea. There is nothing more disgusting than fat people."

Actually there is nothing more disgusting than a person so totally lacking in human compassion.

I could be wrong but I bet you are also a RACIST.

[erasmus6]

drivelphobe

Everyone has BASIC healthcare which includes doctors and specialist visits, tests, surgeries, etc. Not everyone has extended medical and dental. The extended medical pays for all your medications etc. And our medications don''t cost and arm and a leg like yours do.

[erasmus6]

drivelphobe

"...attack others so quickly with accusations and name calling."

We in Canada don''t like to beat around the bush. We believe in saying it like it is. We call them like we see them. If I have something to say I do not believe in holding anything back.

And I believe you to be an IDIOT.

[erasmus6]

drivelphobe

"...I think individuals should have to pay for it."

Did you read my post? I said that if you make under $28,000 it is free, everyone else IS paying something. It just isn''t costing an arm and a leg. The problem is your country is corrupt and they scam you on everything.

Everyone is paying so everyone is entitled to healthcare. All single people pay the same and all married people pay the same etc. So everyone is entitled to the same quality of healthcare.

I can''t even imagine what kind of a person you must be if you believe that someone with less money doesn''t deserve to have the same care as someone with more money.

This system works very well, everyone has healthcare. We don''t have people dying from lack of healthcare like you do.

"I understand many wealthy individuals have their own physician who cares only for them."

What do you mean? Are you saying that there are doctors who only have ONE patient? NO WAY. I am not sure what you meant. Here people pick a doctor as there family doctor and that is who they go to see. I have had the same doctor for years and years. I can go whenever I want and as many times as I want. Now if you are talking about a rich person having a doctor all to themselves, there just isn''t enough doctors for that and most doctors wouldn''t do that, at least not here. Now maybe in your corrupt country they would and considering how your country is so obsessed with the rich and famous.

[drivelphobe]

erasmus6......

You are flat wrong about almost everything you post, however, you have a right to speak your piece. It''s not nice to call others stupid just because you disagree, but it provides a little insight into the
Canadian mentality.

You think healthcare is a right, and I think individuals should have to pay for it, unless they''re indigent. Healthcare for the indigent should be very basic, providing life saving services only. No maternity, vitamins, general check-ups or any other form of preventative measures.

As far as the wealthy getting better care, that is the way it should be. I understand many wealthy individuals have their own physician who cares only for them. I like it like that.

People like you seem to think the government should take care of every loser as though they were worthy of the finest society can provide. That system doesn''t work.

I enjoy your posts, but it seems uncharacteristic of someone with any brains to attack others so quickly with accusations and name calling. Is that the way it is in Canada?

[olgreyghost]

My goodness. The words of our Declaration of Independence, which are founding fathers used to break away from a tyrannical government, is now used for justification to impose a tyrannical government upon the people.

And no, I do not support my money being used to fight an unjust war either. I support my money, and everyone else''s for that matter, staying where it most appropriately belongs - in our pocketbooks. And to give your money away at the barrel of a gun is NOT Christian charity. It''s just complying with the wishes of a thug who is violating the commandment against stealing...

[standlee5]

It is shocking how many people have come to believe the govt. must PAY for everything. Healthcare,daycare,eldercare,college,unemployment,all of our needs and whims. When does it end. Are we going to be a strong society if we start giving everybody everything. People have to be responsible for themselves or they turn into whimps. We have a wonderful social saftey net isn''t that enough.

[mypatch]

There is no such thing as universal health care in the US. Some states don''t cover even the homeless or the very poor retired people. Less anyone making under $6000. a year. Move to Florida and see if you can get any help!

[mypatch]

I''m so sick of hearing that the government should do or not do. WE ARE the government and if our politicians can''t handle medicare. How are they going to handle this?
all the posters must be very young. All they want is a handout.

[jairod]

andor3: Let me add that universal health care will cut into insurance companies'' money making schemes. They will fight tooth and nail to keep that from happening. They enrich the coffers of politicains that are game for that kind opf greed. there are far too many of them in a position to influence the outcome of any legislation that will cut into the insurance scams perpetrated as legitimate through law enected by th scum of congress that pander to these gougers. Insurance in American is legalized theft, anyway. It''s time to do something about that. How many more multi-story buildings do we need, buildings erected in the name of greed? How many more multi-billionaires do we need, billionaires who deny claims and keep the money? What about the children who are pawns of the greedy? If we are a nation that was setteled by christians, where is the christian ethic that postulates the theme of the "Good Semeritan?" When Cain asked God: Am I my Brother''s keeper? Jesus answered that with the parable of the Good Semeritan. Yes. We are our brother''s keeper. that is the heritage our fore fathers left for us to bear. How are we doing, George?

[dragonmouse-2009]

I''d like to know what IDIOT thinks that it''s a BREEZE to raise a family on $60K a year. I''d like to see these politicians try it sometime. There are NO breaks! It''s really insulting that they consider health insurance, free lunch, food stamps etc "hand outs" that we don''t deserve when those making the $60-80K are the ones paying the bulk of the taxes.

Handouts...BALONY...The ones getting "handouts" are the ones sitting on their fat keesters doing nothing to improve their situations. Believe it or not there was a time when if you didn''t have enough money...you didn''t ask the government for HELP to feed your family that you choose to bring into the world...you went out and got a second maybe even a THIRD job to make up the difference.

Today even if you have a job or two and you get health insurance through this job...regardless of whether you make 17K or 100K you''ve got to PAY for it. Then when you go to the doctor you end up PAYING again and then again for the pharmacy...Why do the Democrats keep thinking it''s the POOR that need help?

[rwassel]

"If you and your kind really cared about my religion then you wouldn''''t have fought so hard to have prayer removed from schools."

- Posted by katg21 at 11:11 PM : Aug 22, 2007

I didn''t realize that Christianity was only yours. Sorry to break the news to you, but I am a Christian as well. And I prescribe to the greatest commanment of all - to love your neighbor as yourself. Or did you forget that one, or high and mighty "Christian"''?

[erasmus6]

drivelphobe

"Health care is NOT a right..."

"All others should get the care that their money can buy."

"Not everyone should get the kind of care Donald Trump can get."

Health care is EVERYONES right!

Everytime you post a comment, you just prove how truly stupid you are!

And why shouldn''t everyone get the same health care as Donald Trump?????

In Canada, people who make under $28,000 a year get healthcare free. If you make over $28,000 and your single (no matter how much MORE you make) you pay around $42 a month. If you are married you pay around $90 a month. And if you are a family, around $100+ a month.

Now, that is what EVERYONE pays. It doesn''t matter if you make big bucks. AND everyone gets the same quality care, the BEST CARE, whether it is Donald Trump or a person from skid row.