Health Care Enacted By Thugs, Tricksters

To The Editor:
Hypocrite is defined by Merriam-Webster as “a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion.” That perfectly describes President Obama in his statement that HR 4872, titled Health Care and Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010 shows what a “…government of the people and by the people can do for the people.” This law was not enacted by a government of or by the people; a government of thugs, tricksters and those who sell their votes passed it. What it does for the people is strip them of additional freedoms and increase their taxes.
Had the boys and girls who frequently claim to want a bipartisan Congress really meant it, here was an opportunity to have Democrats work with Republicans to achieve real health care reform. In addition to making health insurance available to the currently uninsured, the stated goal, it could have included tort reform and allowing insurance companies to sell their policies across state lines. These two provisions offered a real chance to control health care costs and to provide choice for consumers.
Instead, we are given a mish mash that thrusts government into private matters, gives some states special financial advantages over others and may well add to the cost of health care. The cost containments and deficit reductions in this law are a sick joke. Many of the future steps to offset costs are not set in stone, e.g., increasing the tax on the “Cadillac health plans,” scheduled to be effective several years from now. Those in Congress seeking campaign funds from those most likely to be affected by that tax, union workers, may well reverse this. Too many in Congress demonstrated that they will sell out their constituents and vote counter to what their constituents want; if doing so may help them keep their job. The touted reduction in deficit spending in the billions does not in any substantial way offset the trillions this Administration plans to add to our national debt over the next several years through their deficit spending.
Please do what you can do to stop this attempted make over of our free nation built by the people into a country run by a government that’s goal is building citizens’ dependency on the government. Right now, call Gov. Christie’s office at (609) 292-6000 and request that New Jersey either file independently or join other states in a lawsuit to nullify this unconstitutional travesty.
In the months before the November 2010 elections, work for candidates who share your values and will work to repeal HR 4872 and enact true health care reform. In November’s elections, vote out those who chose to serve other politicians and themselves instead of you when they voted to pass HR 4872. All of us have a responsibility to get involved to save and build a healthy, independent America.
KATHLEEN DYNAN
Cape May