A 50-state strategy for health care
This past Monday, Washington, D.C. hosted the 100th annual meeting of the National Governors Association with the White House. The first meeting occurred in 1906 under Teddy Roosevelt, with the intention to push forward Roosevelt's conservation policies.
Rising, current and fading political stars littered the photo of 22 Republican and 28 Democratic governors along with President Bush on Monday. Seeing all these governors there together reminded me of the vastness of this nation and the importance of relative state autonomy.
This meeting got me to thinking how every state is vastly different: Arnold Schwarzenegger's California has little in common with Bobby Jindal's Louisiana, which is wholly different from Sarah Palin's Alaska or Pawlenty's Minnesota.
Because of the diversity of states we have in the union, often the state capitals know what is better for their specific populations than does Washington, D.C. Governors and state legislators live closer to their constituent populations and must be more responsive to local needs.
Today, many argue that America is more the same than it is different. That is largely true. However that does not absolve the fact that America continues to be made of variant parts. For this reason a national health care plan may not be the best way to provide universal health care.
Health care is not a right. However, for practical and certain moral reasons, universal health care should be a goal. This is especially true since the current system tends to be more costly as we have people who can't buy health insurance and thus wait until they have to get medical assistance but then taxpayers still have to pay a more expensive bill.
Though we should pursue the expansion of access to health care and highlight preventative and affordable health care, we as a nation must also remember our priorities.
America has a problem deep at its core. The entitlement programs that are weighing down our governments with mandatory spending are on track to truly threaten our way of life as a strong nation.Eventually, these entitlement programs, such as social security, Medicaid and Medicare, will prove unsustainable. At that point the only solutions available will be raising taxes and lowering benefits.The effect of the growing amount of money that these entitlement programs are sucking out of our governments will be devastating. The strain of entitlements will eventually start hurting America's external and internal infrastructure.
Rising, current and fading political stars littered the photo of 22 Republican and 28 Democratic governors along with President Bush on Monday. Seeing all these governors there together reminded me of the vastness of this nation and the importance of relative state autonomy.
This meeting got me to thinking how every state is vastly different: Arnold Schwarzenegger's California has little in common with Bobby Jindal's Louisiana, which is wholly different from Sarah Palin's Alaska or Pawlenty's Minnesota.
Because of the diversity of states we have in the union, often the state capitals know what is better for their specific populations than does Washington, D.C. Governors and state legislators live closer to their constituent populations and must be more responsive to local needs.
Today, many argue that America is more the same than it is different. That is largely true. However that does not absolve the fact that America continues to be made of variant parts. For this reason a national health care plan may not be the best way to provide universal health care.
Health care is not a right. However, for practical and certain moral reasons, universal health care should be a goal. This is especially true since the current system tends to be more costly as we have people who can't buy health insurance and thus wait until they have to get medical assistance but then taxpayers still have to pay a more expensive bill.
Though we should pursue the expansion of access to health care and highlight preventative and affordable health care, we as a nation must also remember our priorities.
America has a problem deep at its core. The entitlement programs that are weighing down our governments with mandatory spending are on track to truly threaten our way of life as a strong nation.Eventually, these entitlement programs, such as social security, Medicaid and Medicare, will prove unsustainable. At that point the only solutions available will be raising taxes and lowering benefits.The effect of the growing amount of money that these entitlement programs are sucking out of our governments will be devastating. The strain of entitlements will eventually start hurting America's external and internal infrastructure.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Howard McGowan
posted 3/09/08 @ 7:47 PM EST
I read this with interest and the comments on Massachusetts Health Care plan. It is costing every taxpayers in the state many $ with not the results desired, The entitlements are increased with the number uninsured going on assistance to get unafforadable premiums subsidized. (Continued…)
mrety76
posted 3/10/10 @ 8:55 AM EST
Thanks for the post. I forwarded this article to a friend who will find it very interesting. Hopefully he'll be a frequent visitor of your site now. cheers!
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posted 3/24/10 @ 8:57 PM EST
This is a good strategy. I'm really liking the way our country is going with this. At least our lawmakers are getting stuff done.
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posted 4/28/10 @ 11:20 AM EST
I hope it will become a well system !!
Because the health system have to be a better one !!
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