Life or death

EDITOR:

I watched Harry Reid, et al, introduce to the public the 2,000 plus page (note comparison to the U.S. Constitution's 17 pages) medical reform bill. We are a state replete with patriotic, intelligent beasts of burden but unhappily have sent our biggest, self-serving jackass to the Senate. Looking at Harry and his accomplices reminded me of my days in the proctology clinic.

Obama states repeatedly that "We are the only industrialized country in the world without nationalized medical care."

That is true, and that is why we have the best care anywhere. Everywhere else under socialized control the care is rationed, dysfunctional at best and catastrophic in time (England being the prototype). No one leaves this country to obtain better care. Everyone else in the world comes here if they can afford to escape rationed, government medical care. That should be a clue.

Obama has lied stating that "people can't get medical care." In fact under COBRA legislation we can't deny emergency care. Under SCHIPS we are required to deliver care to children until they are 26 if the family income is less than $80,000. Has Obama never heard of Medicaid or Medicare or is he lying? Deliberately not advertised or considered is the fact that we could deliver excellent care at 40-50 percent of the current cost with tort reform (with tort reform Mississippi has reduced its costs by 42 percent according to Gov. Barbour) and insurance portability (allowing insurance companies to compete over state borders).

Neither of these solutions are addressed in the current bills, nor will they be, because our legislators are paid in full puppets of the trial lawyers and they want us to think that they are our saviors. They presume we are morons. This bill is an effort to control 17 percent of our economy and 100 percent of our choice in medical care. A subsidized national health program will drive private insurance providers out of the market and that is the object. Obama has stated on tape that he "wants a single payer system," unstated is that he will control it. The "end game" will have a bureaucrat making decisions about what procedures you may or may not have and whether you are to live or die. This is not an exaggeration. Middle and lower income suffer the most while wealthier folk manage to obtain private care elsewhere. I have dealt with government agencies flatly denying necessary care. The care was delivered gratis but there are pragmatic limits to this solution. Congress is presuming that we are apathetic, uninformed, misinformed or indoctrinated. Many of us can check an aforementioned box but we are not morons. At present the Democrats are ignoring the well being and will of the public in order to garner the ultimate power over life and death. Become active politically in our defense or we will suffer a precious loss of freedom. This is not a partisan issue. It is literally life or death.

Richard Witzig, M.D.

Gardnerville