Health Care Fairy Tale
May 20, 2009 | By Nathaniel Ward
"Taxpayers take note: The true cost of the Obama reform is expected to be well in excess of $1 trillion over the next ten years," warns Heritage Foundation health care expert Bob Moffit in Human Events.
Government spending already accounts for half of all health care spending. But the Obama administration wants it to grow larger still. They're proposing vast expansions of government health care programs -- on top of those in the "stimulus" bill.
The President has impressed many on the Left with his proposed reforms. For example, one plan arranged with big health care firms would allegedly save up to $2 trillion over ten years by reducing health care costs by 1.5 percent a year. But these are "phony savings predictions," Moffit argues, based on conveniently-absent details about coordinating care and streamlining costs.
The proposal is a "photo op with lofty promises and little substance," writes Heritage expert Brian Darling, and "might be used to justify…a Washington takeover of the health care system."
Many in the health care industry think a government takeover is inevitable, leading them to rally in support of the President. But "nothing is inevitable," Moffit argues, which is why now is the time for conservatives to stand up for what they believe.
As Congressional health care debates draw near, Moffit says "much depends upon how the American people will react to the details of the reform [or the lack thereof] and what exactly it means for them."
It is imperative that the American people get all the information on this issue, and that's where Heritage comes in. We've launched a comprehensive site with all the facts on the Obama health care plan. Visit the site today!
— Amanda Reinecker
Other Heritage work of note
- "This brouhaha" between Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the CIA "is more about politics than our national security -- and that's a shame," writes Heritage domestic policy expert Peter Brookes. Brookes blames the Left for fueling this debate with their insistence on punishing members of the Bush administration who worked to protect the country from terrorists.
- "Why should the law prevent employers from rewarding the labors of individual employees?" asks Heritage labor expert James Sherk. Employees work harder when they are rewarded for their efforts, yet collective-bargaining contracts favored by unions create unfair pay ceilings and reject worker individuality. Sherk says Congress should change the law to allow employers to reward their best workers with merit raises, providing a necessary incentive for individual innovation and ingenuity.
- "Race is the eternal third rail of politics in Washington," observes Heritage legal expert Hans von Spakovsky in Mississippi's Clarion-Ledger. Citing concerns about ongoing racism, Washington bureaucrats want to keep the federal government involved in state and local affairs in the South. But "race relations have changed dramatically in the last two generations," von Spakovsky notes, which is why the Supreme Court should strike down a supposedly "temporary" measure of the 1965 Voting Rights that allows federal interference in Southern elections.
- Heritage fellow Lee Edwards, a historian of the conservative movement, reflects on the movement's 50 years of successes. Though conservatives have faced setbacks lately, Edwards reassures us that conservatives have overcome challenges in the past. Our principles are not easily lost.
- The Intercollegiate Studies Institute has given Heritage President Ed Feulner its highest award: the Charles H. Hoeflich Lifetime Achievement Award. The award is reserved for those who have made exceptional contributions to ISI's conservative mission to "educate for liberty."
In other news
- Congress is set to approve new controls on credit card issuers. The new regulations are nominally to protect consumers with poor credit from excessive charges, but the New York Times reports that consumers who pay off their cards in full could face increased credit card fees and reduced benefits.
- President Obama has established an end-of-the-year timetable for progress with Iran to assure that negotiations about nuclear production are effective. However, the President failed to mention what steps he expected Iran to take to show its good faith in any negotiations with Washington.
- In his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Obama urged Israel to move toward peace with the Palestinians. Netanyahu insisted that peace cannot be reached with a people who deny Israel's right to existence.
- The latest strain of swine flu is disproportionately affecting young people, according to news reports. Health officials report that an overwhelming number of those seeking intensive care due to the virus are under the age of 20.
- Oil prices rose to $60 per barrel on Tuesday -- a 6-month high -- suggesting the economy may be gradually recovering.
- President Obama announced new vehicle emissions rules on Tuesday, calling them "the biggest step to curb global warming." The rules would establish a nation-wide limit on greenhouse gas pollution from cars and move forward the deadline for improved fuel efficiency.
- Speaking at the University of Pennsylvania's commencement, Google chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt encourages graduates to take vacations away from the virtual world and "be human."
Coming up at Heritage
To attend these or any other events at Heritage please RSVP at Heritage's website. Or you can view these events live online. All times are Eastern.
- On Monday, June 1 at noon, author James Muller will discuss the political thinking of Winston Churchill.
- On Thursday, June 4 at 4:00 p.m., authors Martin and Annelise Anderson explain how Ronald Reagan fought to stop the Soviet Union in its tracks and abolish nuclear weapons.
Nathaniel Ward is the Editor of MyHeritage.org—a website for members and supporters of The Heritage Foundation. Amanda Reinecker contributed to this report.
