'Health care reform' opponents are missing the point

'Health care reform' opponents are missing the point

The whole notion of "health care reform" is on just about everyone's mind these days. Obama and his meat-puppets trying to sell their socialistic notions; the Republican marionettes trying to sell their equally misguided socialistic counter-notions. Most of the opposition is completely missing the important part. What everyone needs to remember is that it is illegal for government to have any control over the medical business no matter how much politicians would love to get their hands on the remainder of that pie. Even more important, it is simply wrong for government to attempt the takeover.

Yes, I realize government already controls a lot of the medical services in America. That is what has made medical care expensive in the first place. You don't solve the disease of socialism by increasing the dosage of socialism. Unless your goal is to kill the patient, a possibility which shouldn't be discounted entirely.

L. Neil Smith has promoted a great idea of advocating a Constitutional Amendment mandating a separation of medicine and state. As long as we have to contend with the dying system, you might as well use it against itself if that is your cup of tea.

He and others have laid out the steps to real health care reform, for all who want to see what would really work. Bill St. Clair wrote it out in this way:

1) The end of medicare and medicaid

2) The end of the FDA and the DEA

3) The end of medical licensing

4) The end of prescription drugs and controlled substances. Marijuana in the bulk aisle in the health food store. Morphine over the counter in the drug store.

5) No more insurance tax breaks for anybody (lower all taxes instead, preferably to zero).

6) Tort reform: loser pays.

This will engender a true free market in health care. A doctor visit or
a hospital stay for a broken bone will once again be affordable out of pocket
for most Americans. Catastrophic health insurance will be easily obtainable to
cover the rest. The poor will be very well taken care of with voluntary
charity.

Anything else is just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. The icy water is knee-deep and the deck chairs are floating away. It's time for bold action and substantive change, not more "politics".