Healthcare
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House Chamber, Washington, D.C.,
March 20, 2010.
M. Speaker:
In the introduction to his epic “Ten Commandments,” Cecil B. Demille asked the question: “Are men the property of the state, or are they free souls under God?”
Congress will fundamentally address that question tomorrow.
Will the federal government order Americans to buy products that government thinks they should buy, and to fine or imprison them if they refuse?
Will it empower a new health Czar to make decisions over the most minute details of every American’s health care?
House Chamber, Washington D.C. November 7, 2009. M. Speaker: The question before us comes to this: will Congress force American families to surrender control of their health care to the federal bureaucracy?
There’s nothing optional about this law – the word “shall” appears 3,400 times in it – each time backed by the full force of the government.
You shall only get your health care through the government exchange.
You shall only select among the healthcare plans that the government czar has approved for you, whether they fit your family’s needs or not.
July 28, 2009, House Chamber, Washington, D.C. Mr. Speaker: In order to support the Democrats’ healthcare plan, we are asked to accept three arguments that are fundamentally absurd:
First, that the same government that pioneered $400 hammers and $600 toilet seats is somehow going to control healthcare costs;
Second, that the same government that runs FEMA is going to make our health care system more efficient and responsive;
Third, that the same government that runs the IRS is going to make our healthcare more compassionate and understanding.
July 15, 2009. Mr. Chairman: As we begin deliberations on this measure, we need to be mindful that the law of unintended consequences is beyond the jurisdiction of the Congress, and needs to be considered carefully.
This proposal affects the lives of every American, and ought to be approached with a high degree of humility and caution.
As imperfect as the current system is, it is well within our power to make it a great deal worse.
M. Speaker:
I saw S-CHIP implemented in California, and I can tell you that it’s a prime example of the law of unintended consequences. Since its inception, we’ve watched as S-CHIP has been slowly replacing employer health plans with government-paid health plans – with spiraling costs to taxpayers. Employers discovered that they could avoid their own plans, knowing that their employees would be covered by S-CHIP.