Oakland Press: Peters Change Your Vote on Monstrosity Healthcare Takeover Bill

EDITORIAL: Peters, Levin need to change their votes on health care bill
Published: Monday, March 8, 2010

By The Oakland Press

We’ve remained relatively silent on the verbose and convoluted health care bill in Congress.

That’s because we really don’t know that much about it. There are 2,000-plus pages that many attorneys could hardly stumble through.

Included in its pages may be some really beneficial regulations. But if they are, they are buried.

In the meantime, the backroom deals, such as the special arrangements made for Nebraska and Louisiana, are an outrageous embarrassment.

For the record, we need health care reform. The skyrocketing premiums, co-pays and deductibles are straining most if not all middle-class family budgets.

But it’s become apparent that this bill is not the right way to go.

That’s why we’re urging Democratic Congressmen Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, and Sandy Levin, D-Royal Oak, to change their votes and reject this current monstrosity masquerading as health care reform. We urge them to spearhead a new, bipartisan effort in Congress coupled with a new and redirected approach from President Obama.

The president needs to take a new look at the issue, but from the eyes of the average citizen. We’re not sure he completely understands what health care costs and coverage mean to the middle class.

He’s been empathetic with the poor and he certainly knows how the wealthy live.

Now, he needs to re-examine his views about the middle class. This dying segment of America can’t take much more financial pressure. It is the middle class that has suffered the most during this recession.

Everything that helps individuals has decreased in value, from homes to salaries. Yet expenses, such as for energy and food, have continued to balloon.

It’s time, Mr. President, to give the middle class a break and that starts with revamping your health care bill.

Look at it in sections. First, attack the costs of premiums, copays and deductibles. Some type of cross-state competition between insurance companies seems in order. This could be similar to auto and life insurance markets.

Then look at making participation mandatory by all members and age groups in society. Yet also allow free choice of coverage. Individuals should be allowed to decide if they want just catastrophic insurance or more comprehensive coverage. Certainly include regulations against making people with pre-existing conditions outcasts.

And to pay for it, some type of graduated tax probably is warranted. And it should be highest on those who can most afford it. Generally, these are not your middle class families or those currently retired and on Medicare.

Do this re-evaluation in conjunction with, admittedly, what is a very dysfunctional Congress.

President Harry Truman proposed national health care more than 60 years ago. So, while we’re not in favor of delaying it more than we have to, if this current Congress can’t get its act together, maybe the next one will.

But amid all of the negativity and name calling, some of it ridiculously venomous and unnecessary, try something “radical.” Try working together for the good of the nation and not just special interests.

It’s been done before. About 235 years ago the leaders of a “revolution” established laws and regulations that they felt were “best” for the average citizen, even though most of the leaders were wealthy.

The president and Congress have a chance to make our “Founding Fathers” proud of us. So do it.

Good Morning

America’s “Founding Fathers” were a group of individuals from varied backgrounds and with diverse opinions. Yet, they established a nation.

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2010/03/09/opinion/doc4b95503e99ef3583584379.txt