The True Cost Of Health Care Reform
The president and democrats have been crowing for a week about the historic health care bill, especially playing up the supposed "break-even" costs of the reform. The Congressional Budget Office supported their contention that the bill will largely pay for itself over the next decade, which might make it OK. But, the CBO did not perform a truly independent review of the projected costs and savings.
The CBO, in order to get the analysis done in the time available, largely relied on dollar projections contained in the bill. As recent history has repeatedly shown us, government projections of future costs and income are almost always much rosier than what is realistic and what actually occurs. An immediate example is Gov Schwarzenegger's forecasts when he first took office. They were so wildly inaccurate that we now find ourselves staring down the barrel of a $20B annual deficit, and it's growing every day.
One problem with overly optimistic forecasts is that future legislatures are unwilling to take action to raise taxes or cut spending to deal with the problem that they inherited. They let the problems fester and continue to grow until they pass the crisis point. We find ourselves at that point now in CA. We have long since passed that point at the federal level, but they (we) deal with it by merely printing more money, thus forestalling the day of reckoning.
Below is a link to a very comprehensive and realistic analysis of the true costs we will face in the future if we don't take action now. The future is in our hands, we our not powerless against the machine. Take action at the local level, support the Libertarian and Tea parties, write or email your representatives in Sacramento and Washington and let your voices be heard.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
