2008 Woodie Awards
Universal health care will increase debt
Wes Heinkel
Issue date: 4/2/08 Section: Opinion
Universal health care should not even be on the table judging by our current situation. Democrats are already talking about universal health care but fail to address the long- term benefits already promised by our government to the "baby boomers." We should already be trying to balance our budgets with surpluses to deal with the difficult years we know are coming due to Social Security (which you and I will be paying for) and Medicaid.
It is sad there are people who disagree. They have the logic that because we are $9 trillion in debt, we are somehow poised to implement a universal health care system, which will expand government, raise taxes, work less efficiently and put you and me, the citizens, more in debt to our government. It occurred to me while writing that many of you would scoff at the simplicity of understanding the government could not and should not grow any larger.
So, after Doc and I did some much-needed tweaking on the flux-capacitor, we jumped in the DeLorean to travel back in time to speak with men who are all too familiar with governments and public debt. As we accelerated to 88 mph, the flux-capacitor kicked in, sending us through the time-space-continuum. There I was in 1801 ready for my interview with the man, the myth, the legend - newly elected President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson.
I just asked him what he thought about government and debt. He answered: "We must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude. This example reads to us the salutary lesson, that private fortunes are destroyed by public as well as by private extravagance. And this is the tendency of all human governments.
"A departure from principle in one instance becomes a precedent for a second; that second for a third; and so on, till the bulk of the society is reduced to be mere automatons of misery, and to have no sensibilities left but for sinning and suffering. Then begins, indeed, the bellum omnium in omnia, which some philosophers observing to be so general in this world, have mistaken it for the natural, instead of the abusive state of man. And the fore horse of this frightful team is public debt. Taxation follows that, and in its train wretchedness and oppression."
It's OK, even Doc's jaw dropped after hearing that one.
After talking with Jefferson, I convinced Doc to travel back even further to about 63 B.C. to talk to a political philosopher named Cicero. Perhaps you've heard of him. I asked him the same exact question. He replied with brilliant oratory skills that "the budget should be balanced; public debt should be reduced, the treasury should be rebuilt, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and assistance to foreign hands should be curtailed, lest Rome fall."
Bravo, I thought to myself, knowing that Rome did indeed fall.
So, as of now, each American citizen's share of the debt is hovering right around $31,000, which leads me to believe cutting spending for a while might be a good idea. Or we can do the whole "universal health care thing" and borrow money from the Japanese for our check-ups. Call me crazy.
It is sad there are people who disagree. They have the logic that because we are $9 trillion in debt, we are somehow poised to implement a universal health care system, which will expand government, raise taxes, work less efficiently and put you and me, the citizens, more in debt to our government. It occurred to me while writing that many of you would scoff at the simplicity of understanding the government could not and should not grow any larger.
So, after Doc and I did some much-needed tweaking on the flux-capacitor, we jumped in the DeLorean to travel back in time to speak with men who are all too familiar with governments and public debt. As we accelerated to 88 mph, the flux-capacitor kicked in, sending us through the time-space-continuum. There I was in 1801 ready for my interview with the man, the myth, the legend - newly elected President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson.
I just asked him what he thought about government and debt. He answered: "We must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude. This example reads to us the salutary lesson, that private fortunes are destroyed by public as well as by private extravagance. And this is the tendency of all human governments.
"A departure from principle in one instance becomes a precedent for a second; that second for a third; and so on, till the bulk of the society is reduced to be mere automatons of misery, and to have no sensibilities left but for sinning and suffering. Then begins, indeed, the bellum omnium in omnia, which some philosophers observing to be so general in this world, have mistaken it for the natural, instead of the abusive state of man. And the fore horse of this frightful team is public debt. Taxation follows that, and in its train wretchedness and oppression."
It's OK, even Doc's jaw dropped after hearing that one.
After talking with Jefferson, I convinced Doc to travel back even further to about 63 B.C. to talk to a political philosopher named Cicero. Perhaps you've heard of him. I asked him the same exact question. He replied with brilliant oratory skills that "the budget should be balanced; public debt should be reduced, the treasury should be rebuilt, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and assistance to foreign hands should be curtailed, lest Rome fall."
Bravo, I thought to myself, knowing that Rome did indeed fall.
So, as of now, each American citizen's share of the debt is hovering right around $31,000, which leads me to believe cutting spending for a while might be a good idea. Or we can do the whole "universal health care thing" and borrow money from the Japanese for our check-ups. Call me crazy.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Chad
posted 4/02/08 @ 11:11 AM CST
Wes - Universal healthcare systems are covered by an increase in tax revenue from a countries citizens. While I agree that the US' level of debt is too high, is cutting off many of the nation's people from what should be a universal right in a country as wealthy as the US less important that curtailing that debt? I should hope that everyone would agree not. (Continued…)
David
posted 4/12/08 @ 4:00 PM CST
Universal Healthcare just is not the answer...as seen in the movie,Sicko, supposedly Cuba's Healthcare system is top-notch, but then why are all the Americans running there, and all the Cubans are fleeing?
Chad
posted 4/14/08 @ 8:19 AM CST
It's not the health-care the Cubans are fleeing from... And you probably shouldn't take your views on any topic solely from a Michael Moore film. While it did much to promote universal healthcare, Sicko wasn't without its problems as a factual source. (Continued…)
Kasey
posted 5/10/08 @ 5:08 PM CST
Universal healthcare is such a horrible idea. My gosh just cause the word free is in there doesn't mean its the answer to a problem. I get really tired of people complaining asking for things form the government. (Continued…)
Post a Comment