Serving These Communities
Covering the Heart of Hamilton County Since 1983
Recently, I happened to read about a speech made by John Edwards, one of the Democratic candidates for President. He said that his proposal for a universal health plan would include the requirement that all Americans go to the doctor for preventive care. It will require that everybody be covered. It will require that everybody get preventive care. If you are going to be in the system, you can't choose not to go to the doctor for 20 years. You have to go in and be checked and make sure you are OK.
When I read that, the first thought that came to me is "Socialism." So I looked up the definition of that word and here is what I found:
A theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc, in the community as a whole.
Procedure or practice in accordance with this theory.
(In Marxist theory) the stage following capitalism in the transition of a society to communism, characterized by the imperfect implementation of collectivist principles.
Then I found another definition, as follows.
Any of various theories or systems of social organization in which the means of producing and distributing goods is owned collectively or by a centralized government that often plans and controls the economy.
Further, I found this -
Mr. Edwards said that his plan would cost up to $120 billion a year, a cost he proposes to cover by ending President Bush's tax cuts on people who make more than $200,000 a year.
I seem to recall learning in school, many, many years ago the general theory was to "take it from those who have, and give to those who have not." Such as we are beginning to see in this country with our welfare state.
Somehow, I found this proposal to be wrong. Yet, today we have Medicare, Medicaid and other health programs for those who have no other health insurance. But can you see the consequences of a universal health system? If you are overweight, the government will force you to lose weight. If you smoke, the government will force you to quit. If you drink too much alcohol, the government will force you to quit.
Of course, I am covered by Medicare, given my age. It is a part of the Social Security System. Over the many years that I worked, I paid into that system and so did my employers. So, I don't feel all that bad about getting those benefits. My concern, here, is that if a system of universal health care was enacted, it wouldn't take much of a leap to impose other socialistic controls, such as, taking over the generation and distribution of electrical power, then take over certain industries, and so on. Harking back to my previous article where I listed the steps to the downfall of democracies, once we start having the government start running our lives, our democracy goes down the tube.
Each of us must decide how we want to vote. For me, I much prefer lesser government.
I am very concerned that we are becoming more and more dependant on the government
to take care of us. During the forty-
Growing up in the Depression years, my parents never had any help from local, state or federal governments. I did benefit from the G.I. Bill by getting my college degree, but I never had to use the unemployment benefits of that bill. I served in the army and this was payment for that service.
We have 10 great grandchildren. I am concerned about what kind of country they will grow up in. I urge all of you to think long and hard about who you vote for. That's all from this Oldtimer.