Why I Seriously Doubt that Any Giant Federal Healthcare Program will EVER Work!

You know, I've always enjoyed a lively discussion, one where people may disagree, but their respect for each other precludes anger or unkind words. I've spent a number of years of my life learning and using Biblical principles to “resolve conflict peaceably, emphasizing reconciliation” (our mission statement). I've always thought that “make love, not war” was a far superior Christian approach, but that requires a bit of willingness not to insist that one is always right!

What saddens me is that among my “friends,” I seem to have few to none who can disagree with me and my supportive friends without arrogant presumption and condescension. I am well aware that many of the secular progressives regard any who disagree as ignorant rubes. I wish William F. Buckley was still around. Clearly he was neither ignorant nor a rube. Thomas Sowell is still with us, and he evolved from a black leftist to a conservative through research and a powerful intellect. I may not be as smart as they, but I am smart enough to read them and others who are wise, thoughtful, and well-researched. The point being that no one has the right to condescend to me, just because they feel strongly about their own convictions. So let me lay out a few thoughts relevant to a recent discussion regarding the ACA/Obamacare:

1. As a Christian, I affirm without question the problem of universal sin. I also believe that nothing attracts sinners more than large pools of money or a major consolidation of power. As a result I have a strong commitment to smaller government, especially a smaller federal government. Otherwise, the more money and power, the greater the corruption. I've heard from more than one reliable source that Congress spends most, yes most, of their time raising money for re-election.
2. The founders and writers of the Constitution understood and believed the same, hence their clear commitment to limited government, their creation of a division of power into three branches as well as two houses of Congress, along with an equally clear limit of federal power, as in what is not specifically spelled out in the Constitution remains with the individual, state, and local governments (10^th Amendment, in case you don't know). I count that as exceptionally prescient and wise.
3. Thus far, then, federalized healthcare is bound to be corrupted by the federal government's politicians and bureaucrats (sinners all), but it is not their responsibility anyway!
4. What the government pays for, it controls. The high cost of American healthcare comes, in significant part, from federal regulation, such as no interstate competition by insurers, one size fits all policy requirements, and numerous mandates on doctors and hospitals. Just the simple requirement that everyone buy insurance, ruled as a tax by the Supreme Court, gives the federal government enormous power over my healthcare. I don't need a nanny, and I don't want one!
5. God does indeed call us to love our neighbors, US, not our government! How silly and irresponsible! First, government, though consisting of people, is not a person; it cannot love. Second, you should NEVER count on government to fulfill our Christian duty. It has a separate commission, to preserve a “peaceful and quiet life,” to punish evil and praise those who do good. Confusion of this separation drove the Pilgrims and Puritans from England, and the oppression of one Christian faction by another in power demonstrated how much we need to keep them separate. Third, turning their sacred duty over to secular government encourages Christians to be lazy; this is for us believers to do. American healthcare needs a major dose of creativity bathed in prayer and nurtured by spirit-filled people, not entitlement and a huge bureaucracy!
6. Using “victim” groups—those with pre-existing conditions, the poor, etc.--did not and does not justify taking over the entire healthcare system. Doing so effectively destroys insurance which is based on risk. You can't buy car insurance after a wreck, and you can't buy life insurance after the funeral. “Insurance” for an existing condition is an oxymoron. Forcing insurers to insure such people will inevitably lead to the insurers' collapse. We Christians (private citizens, charities, etc.) should find ways to help those not eligible for actual insurance, perhaps with the addition of some state and local tax funds.
7. Charlie Gard was a victim of so-called “universal healthcare,” though deathcare might a better term. I do not believe any government under any kind of program has the right to deny care, especially when it is being paid for privately. Sadly government run programs cost more, like most government programs, have no incentive to thrift, and are likely to end at a place like this. Small countries with populations the size of some of our states or smaller seem to make them work longer, but the measure of success is not the percent of satisfied customers but those who are not satisfied, not well, or perhaps even dead.
8. Just to repeat myself, I am not against “government” per se, but the federal government with respect to social programs. The federal government overtaxes and then doles out the revenues as it sees fit, instead of allowing local and state governments to do their work directly, as needed. What's worse, the federal government is taking us deeper and deeper into debt. Every program it pays for is unsustainable, because the government's finances themselves are unsustainable! It must also be recognized that the creative efforts of state and local governments provide laboratories of creativity; we need to find better ways to address our healthcare problems. A giant federal bureaucracy will assure we never find those better ways; that just can't happen once an entitlement system has been established.
9. My opposition to Obamacare is not from a desire to harm or disrespect anyone in need or who serves those in need. Trust me, I am well acquainted with those from both groups. My view rests on two major concerns. One, I see no way that a program of this size run by politicians and bureaucrats can ever be cost effective or economically viable. The only system that offers the motivation and creativity to accomplish what is needed is capitalism and its competition. In the seventies during the days of gas shortages and high prices, the government attempted to make capitalism better with price controls. Prices were high and stayed high until price controls were dropped and competition did its work. Under other systems, sinners will always find a way to cheat and take their cut; sinners under real capitalism (not crony capitalism) cannot so easily cheat on competition. Consumers will always go for the better price and better product. Health care needs some of that.
10. The second concern is robbing Peter to pay Paul. While some people may be benefiting from the ACA, they do so at the expense of others whose premiums and deductibles are rising outta sight! It is already being supported with additional revenues, while some suffering from the increases are getting exemptions, temporarily! Obama promised to “spread the wealth around,” but it's not just the wealthy being hit by horrible increases. We even give Congress and its staff something like 70% support! Seriously!

How could anyone not be suspicious of a bill of which then Speaker Pelosi said, “You have to pass the bill to know what's in it.” I'd like to think that our representatives and their staffs wrote this bill, but we all know, if we're honest, that it was bureaucrats and lobbyists. Some were even insurance representatives, working with elected officials that we can trust, right?

Well, you may not agree with me. I don't count myself an expert, as I don't really have time to become one. I am fairly knowledgeable. I am a math guy, and I can see where the math doesn't work. I understand how insurance works and the purpose of actuarial tables. I can identify lies when they are openly contradicted by the people who made them. Yet so many of us seem to trust politicians implicitly; what happened to the America that knew what Reagan knew: “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'”

Note:  I have not sourced this.  If anyone really wants sources, I will provide them, eventually, if asked.