ChooseNow that the national health care bill has passed the House, it can move on to the Senate where the real in-fighting and back-biting can commence.

Two posts in a row about the national health care debate?  I know, I know, but there is one apect to this malfuction that really disturbs me and I don’t see enough people talking about it so I thought I’d throw in my two cents in the pointless hope that some lost soul might encounter this blog and a debate might be sparked. 

Is it the almost certain fact that, based on past history,  this proposed act will cost hundreds of billions of dollars more than they “estimate?”  Is it the fact that most health insurance companies will probably be unable to compete with a “government option” and will end up having to be subsidized by you and me in order to stay in business?  Is it the tons of personal pork and special interest items crammed into the almost 3,000 page bill in order to garner votes that disturbs me?  Nope, what disturbs me the most is the fact that they are taking away our choice in the matter.

Death and taxes aside, in my 45 years of life in this country, there has been only one other time in my life when the government has intruded to the point where I had only two options:  Do what they want or face imprisonment.  That time was when I turned 18 and had to register for selective service.   This bill as it sits, will impose a $250,000 fine and/or five years in prison should the government find out you are not covered by health insurance.  

What this says to me is that national health care is just as important as national defense.  Somehow I don’t see us having survived 233 years as a nation without a national defense.  But, it seems, we’ve done fine for the last 233 years without some type of national health care.

Some people say, “Well, it’s the same thing with car insurance in this state!  The government forces you to have car insurance!”  That is true, but even in that case you still have a choice.  If car insurance really sticks in your craw, you don’t have to drive.  Sure, it would be inconvenient as hell to take a bus, ride a bike, walk, or call a cab but you could do it if you chose to.  In this bill your only other “choice” is to not live in this country anymore; and I don’t really think you can still call it choice at that point. 

And if this passes, we’ll be setting a precedent that is a very dangerous one.  Why stop with health care?  Surely life insurance or home owners insurance is just as important?  And once the health care is in place, it’s obviously in our best interest to make sure we stay healthy so why not add conditions about diet, exercise, and so forth into the law?  Drop that twinkie or go to jail Mister! 

You scoff?  There is already verbage in the bill that was passed to require vending machines that sell junk food to put warning labels on the dispensers telling you how bad junk food is for you.  I don’t see it as much of a stretch from there to other things.

Hundreds of thousands of our forefathers have fought and died to protect the freedoms, and choices, this country offers.  I don’t think what our government  is currently producing is what they had in mind, do you?