Perhaps some final thoughts before the US gets what it voted for … massive expansion of federal control and authority …
The Canadian Premier’s selecting US private healthcare for his heart surgery over the socialized Canadian healthcare speaks volumes. I’m heartened that he is unapologetic over putting his health above politics. You have to at least admire his candor and the timing. His obtaining care outside the Canadian system reminds me of my experience with government-run healthcare — my years in the US Army. We suffered more than our share of broken bones and twisted bodies in the 82nd Airborne, and it was considered like winning the lottery to get referred off post for private healthcare. Sadly, in 2007, more than a decade after I left active duty, the flagship Army medical center was roundly and properly criticized for neglecting their soldier patients (see here). Experiencing the socialist enclave of the military was the catalyst for shedding my statist, ie liberal, leanings.
I don’t see how the Democrats don’t pass their healthcare bill. With such wide margins in both chambers of Congress and controlling the presidency … Unfortunately, a voter “correction” in this year’s mid-term elections and even winning the presidency and Congress back in 2012 would be very unlikely to roll back this legislation, should it pass. It’s so very unlikely that conservatives would gain a filibuster proof Senate margin.
Regardless of whether we take the Euro-socialist plunge over the next few days and resign our children to European economic stagnation, Christ still reigns, the sun will still shine, and our God still calls us to love and serve. Press on!
Sapphire Sky 
4 replies on “Pending Healthcare Vote”
Who says we need a fillibuster-proof majority? All we need is a “reconciliation” sized majority.
I’m always amused with the stories of Canadians and other citizens of countries with nationalized healthcare systems coming to the US for treatment. Per the usual story line, you completely fail to mention that the Premier’s government will likely reimburse most if not ALL of his costs associate with the treatment.
True, however, the point of criticism is not whether the State would compensate the Premier for his outside-the-system care. This issue is the tacit admission of the superiority of services provided by the private healthcare system.
Per the usual story line, you refer to “the government” reimbursing. That is the problem with the statist agenda. It encourages individual citizens to forget that the government’s primary means of raising revenue is through taxation. Put more simply, it was YOUR money, it was forcibly taken from you by the government, a good portion of it was wasted, and then it was sent to a private company in the United States. Citizens of Canada should be appalled that their money is going to fund procedures in the United States. However, rest easy, we have now started the path towards “social cohesion”. Soon our medical system will enjoy the same type of wait times and mediocrity that are enjoyed throughout the socialized world.