2.16.2008

Health Care for All??

It's an election year, in case that bit of trivia escaped you :) Time to be thinking about the direction we hope this country will take, and how best to get there. I could write a post on who we support and why, and maybe I will another time. But it is easy to be apathetic. Paul isn't the perfect candidate. I have strong libertarian leanings, but his solid libertarian thinking causes some problems. Huckabee isn't my guy. At all. McCain...Let's just say if I wanted a Democrat I'd vote for one :) But I digress.


On at least one issue I do think we would be better served by any of the Republican candidates than by either of the Democratic candidates, and that is healthcare. It sounds good to say "Everyone is entitled to health care" (Hillary), or "All children must have health insurance" (Barak). But even ignoring the fact that federally mandated health coverage is patentently unconstitutional, universal health care will spell disaster for not only the quality of our care, but also our ability to direct that care.

He who pays the piper calls the tune. If the government is paying for your "insurance" (albieit with OUR money) you can bet a federally mandated "right to die" won't be far behind. In Canada, the "right" seems to be becoming an obligation.

A Winnipeg case currently winding its way to its grim conclusion pits the
children of Samuel Golubchuk against doctors at the Salvation Army Grace General
Hospital. According to the pleadings, Golubchuk's doctors informed his children
that their 84-year-old father is "in the process of dying" and that they
intended to hasten the process by removing his ventilation, and if that proved
insufficient to kill him quickly, to also remove his feeding tube. In
the event that the patient showed discomfort during these procedures,
the chief of the hospital's ICU unit stated in his affidavit that he would administer morphine.

Mr. Golubchuk is Jewish, as are his children. But the fact that this assisted dying process is against their wishes and religion has thus far fallen on deaf ears. I urge you to read the article. And to pray. Not just for the Golubchuck family, but for our nation, for it's people, and for our leaders. This is the logical course of "free healthcare for all". Be careful what you wish for.

1 comment:

DanielleW said...

Oh my yes! I was in a waiting room recently and they had a news program on that had Obama and Clinton debating and the health care issue came up. They were saying that there would be fines and penalties for failure to take your child to the docotors. Basically they are saying that I am a bad and unfit mother for not running to the doctors for everything. Oooo this is a scary issue. Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus, and if not, help me as I live in ever increasing sinful world.