McCain's Healthcare Problem

Alan Stewart Carl has issues with Sen. John McCain's healthcare proposal: "My number one reservation about McCain has been his less-than-comprehensive healthcare proposal. It’s not even really a proposal, it’s some superficial adjustments and free market bromides. You don’t have to be a policy expert to know our healthcare system is ineffectual. Despite our world-class technology and highly-skilled physicians, far too many Americans have trouble obtaining basic care. We have a high cost, high quality, low access system. This is not only creating undo hardships for many citizens but is weighing down our global competitiveness by creating an immobile and risk-adverse workforce at just the time job fluidity and entrepreneurism is most needed. We’re long past the point where tweaks might work – heck, incessant regulatory tweaks are one of the reasons we’re in this mess. We need big ideas now. Unfortunately, John McCain doesn’t seem to have them. I’m not specifically arguing for Barack Obama’s or Hillary Clinton’s approaches. I think both focus too much on creating new layers of bureaucracy and not enough on removing the unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles already in place. However, at least the Democrats recognize the existence of a problem as well as the American people’s desire for a solution. McCain is apparently content suggesting the same 'the system ain’t really that bad' proposals advanced by Republicans and others who just haven’t been paying attention."

My response: Federal government has no responsibility being in health care, as it is not a federal power or responsibility granted to it per Article I, Section VIII of the U.S. Constitution. Thus, per the 10th Amendment, it goes to the states and to the people. Thus, I don't see why Mr. Carl is arguing for a federal proposal. If states and localities want to fund health care, fine by me. Or here's a health care proposal. Say I work at a place for 9 years, and then need an operation. During the 9 years, my company puts in money into a health savings account and I can pitch in money like a 401(k). They put in $300 a month. I have at least $32,400 in the account, and that doesn't include interest. I need an operation that costs $10,000. I withdraw from my health savings account, and bam, I still have at least $22,400 left. If I leave that job, the account floats with me.

Most Americans are fat - with the associated health problems - so it is no surprise that health care is big here. America also has a high cost health care system because of the monopoly that the American Medical Association has in doctor access. There are certain procedures where one shouldn't have to be a doctor to do, which raises costs. Mr. Carl also doesn't account for the high cost of malpractice insurance, which drives up costs as well. Not to mention how some hospitals are at the breaking point, even closing, because of illegal immigrants' use of them. What liberals want is for us to have piss-poor health care, where we have to wait for months to get seen and when we actually have a scheduled appointment, we wait hours. That will be our reality. National health care will look like a national version of Cook County Hospital (which serves a ton of illegal immigrants, by the way, which harms health care to citizens and legal residents) here in Chicago. I don't think so.