I do not presume to know all the reasons law makers and citizens oppose health care reform, but here are a few of the reasons I have identified.
Some see health care reform as an opening for government to take control of health insurance, they see this as a slippery slope, that this effort to reform health care will result in a government take over of health care and will result in big government growing even bigger.
People with this objection just have a political creed that states that the best government is the government that governs least; these objectors oppose any reform that could possibly grow big government into big humongous government. These are the same people who were and continue to be moved by the words of President Reagan when he said that "government is not the solution, government is the problem."
In my view objectors holding this view are the most honest members of the objector group. Reasonable people can see this issue and come to different conclusions. I believe Government has a function and that there are some areas that are addressed best by government and if we took those functions and contracted them out to private industry they would provide inferior services. Others have seen or experienced unreasonable blocks and delays caused by governmental screw ups and unimaginably high costs. I too have seen illogical regulations and cost to the tax payer that incredibly stupid, but for me, if the function of government is appropriate but the implementation is cumbersome or too expensive the solution is to redress the problems. Others would toss the baby out with the bathwater, and they would do so quickly and easily because they have almost blind faith in capitalism, they believe that nothing done by government will ever be as efficient and effective as the same task in the hands of business. One side may not be able to convince the other but both sides have rationale and honest people can honestly debate the merits of their position.
Some who object to health care reform are not totally opposed to health care reform, but they are opposed to increasing the National Debt. Health Reform is not going to be free. Many of these debt laden objectors fear debt because their own personal debt is a constant burden to their lives an they hate debt. Other objectors within this category object to a National Debt because they see it as creating a burden now for their children and grandchildren. Many of us see the deficit is already shockingly huge so how can any responsible person consider adding debt on top of this crushing debt? Some of these objectors might be dissuaded from opposing health care reform if they could be convinced that there was a realistic way to pay for it without creating a legacy of debt for future generations. Some will never be won over because they just object to National Debt period. These objectors may point out that Medicare was predicted to cost a few billion and now costs hundred's of billions of dollars and insolvency is fast approaching that system.
Progressives are united when it comes to the National Debt. Some are more willing to live with debt than others. The progressives tend to believe that some services are worth what they cost. The progressives may advocate for cutting cost and controlling costs where they can, but if the service is important it is important enough to pay for it. Progressives will be much more willing to see taxes increase if that increase is providing services they believe are legitimate and essential.
There is also a libertarian undertow at work causing some objectors to seek to kill anything that looks like government interference in their daily lives. Some objectors not only object to health care reform, they object to taxes period. They would provide zero dollars for everything. No money would go to the military, to maintain the Interstate Highway System, nothing would go to support Medicare or Medicaid, they would have no army, but a private army, no police other than private contracted police, the White House and the Buildings of Washington DC would be sold, our national parks would be auctioned off, and there would be no regulatory agencies for anything, not drugs, food, banking, or anything else you can think of. The radical libertarian advocates that there be no government that everyone is on their own, if you want something you pay for it, and if other people can't pay for police protection, or fire protection, or to ensure the food sold is safe to eat, well, that's their problem.
A progressive might ask what our country would look like if we canceled Medicare and Medicaid today. Imagine how many elderly people, and how many disabled children would die without Medicare and Medicaid. Imagine how long America would be free if we just disbanded the military and only the rich had privately contracted military protection for themselves and their businesses. Semolina is a country that has gone years with no government. If you want a hint about what the United States would look like without government, look at the recent history of Semolina.
There is an element of racism involved in the opposition to health care reform. There is much debate about this; with many claiming that because we have a black President that his supporters play the race card at every opportunity. This assumption is a double edged sword and it cuts both ways. Yes, there are progressives that play the race card at the drop of a hat, but there are also some that object to anything and everything done by the Obama White House because they just can't accept that we have a President that is not all white. The issue of health care and racism goes back a lot further than just Obama. Harry Truman advocated for National Health Care and when primarily southern law makers realized that this National Health Care would be for both white and black citizens they killed the effort. The United States is becoming more and more diverse, it's citizens are growing faster among Hispanic and black populations, and should the trend continue white Americans will become a minority group. Those susceptible to white supremacy arguments object to the inevitable changes taking place in this country and attacking Health Care Reform is just one of the many ways they make their objections and fears known.
Some oppose health reform because they receive campaign contributions from the health insurance industry and that industry is more inclined to continue and perhaps increase their support of legislators who advocate for their interests. When there is language in the bills that clearly state health care will not be extended to illegal aliens, yet they go out and say just the opposite there can be only two explanations: (1) they are unaware of the language excluding illegal's because they haven't read the bill, and if this is the case it is inexcusable, or (2) they know they are telling a lie, but they continue to tell the lie in an effort to derail the health reform effort and please their rich supporters like the Health Insurance Industry.
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