“Alex Silva remembers the day well. He was a pack-a-day smoker… when his boss told him the news: CFI Westgate Resort employees… would be prohibited from smoking – not just on the job or on Westgate property, but anywhere, anytime.” (Harry Wessel, The Orlando Sentinel, published in the Kokomo Tribune, 1/3/08, p. A1) The reasoning behind the CFI decision is simple: “Employers are saying they can no longer afford to subsidize bad behavior.” The article cites that 50 to 70 percent of health-care costs are predicated on bad behavior.
So what do Americans think will happen if “universal” (meaning taxpayer funded) health-care is implemented? It will not be business digging into our personal behavior choices; it will be government. Facing huge “universal” health-care costs, government will have no choice but to force behavioral change on the entire population. And don’t think that tobacco use will be the only target: think trans-fats; think soft drinks; think any behavior that increases health-care costs. (For instance, see what coercive legislation The Center for Science in the Public Interest lobbyists already propose).
You may think that I’m over the top here, but I assure you I am not. I will most assuredly be one of those who will propose such bans to his/her elected officials. If I must be forced into socialism, then you can be certain that I will be a good socialist. If a government is given the “right” to pick my pocket for “universal” health-care, then it also has the “right” to coercively force behavioral changes in order to contain health-care costs.
The true cost for “universal” health-care is an erosion of our personal liberties – perhaps a faster erosion than we have ever experienced. The emotionalism of health-care for everyone sounds oh-so compassionate. But let us consider completely the true cost of state-sponsored, collectivist economic planning before deciding. If making your own personal lifestyle decisions is not important to you, then maybe “universal” health-care is just what the doctor ordered.
So what do Americans think will happen if “universal” (meaning taxpayer funded) health-care is implemented? It will not be business digging into our personal behavior choices; it will be government. Facing huge “universal” health-care costs, government will have no choice but to force behavioral change on the entire population. And don’t think that tobacco use will be the only target: think trans-fats; think soft drinks; think any behavior that increases health-care costs. (For instance, see what coercive legislation The Center for Science in the Public Interest lobbyists already propose).
You may think that I’m over the top here, but I assure you I am not. I will most assuredly be one of those who will propose such bans to his/her elected officials. If I must be forced into socialism, then you can be certain that I will be a good socialist. If a government is given the “right” to pick my pocket for “universal” health-care, then it also has the “right” to coercively force behavioral changes in order to contain health-care costs.
The true cost for “universal” health-care is an erosion of our personal liberties – perhaps a faster erosion than we have ever experienced. The emotionalism of health-care for everyone sounds oh-so compassionate. But let us consider completely the true cost of state-sponsored, collectivist economic planning before deciding. If making your own personal lifestyle decisions is not important to you, then maybe “universal” health-care is just what the doctor ordered.
4 comments:
I used to work with someone who knew someone who used to work for Coca Cola. That person was seen by his boss buying Pepsi at the grocery store for his home use. He was fired.
You're right about where this will go. Just look at England, where bad lifestyle choices (like smoking) are punished by refusing the offenders medical care. It'll come here if Hillary or Obama gets elected.
Skyepuppy,
Thanks so much for the reminder about the British NHS. It came in handy at another forum I mess around in.
http://community.cnhi.com/
eve/forums/a/frm/f/69410611
This topic has really stirred up a hornet's nest at the Kokomo Tribune trib-talk forum.
http://community.cnhi.com/
eve/forums/a/tpc/f/
69410611/m/9361087121
It motivated me to discover other recommendations for addressing the healthcare issues. One very good starting site for learning more is found at Consumer Driven Healthcare:
http://cdhc.ncpa.org/
learn/publications
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