Following Iran’s model?

The opposition to the Obama health care expansion reminds one of the large-scale opposition to the recent Iranian elections. The mullahs are trying to brush off the extreme disapproval of the voters to what appears to be a fraudulent election by claiming foreign manipulation of the crowds. Obama hoped to have a bill passed before congressional recess. The disapproval of voters of the expected provisions of the bill being debated has surprised the political intelligentsia, and they have fallen back to accuse the “town hall” disapprovals as misguided or Republican-inspired manipulations.

The probable cause of the voter angst is that this bill represents a frightening culmination of huge spending schemes that have mounted to $8.5 trillion in federal stimulus and bailout spending. Who can believe that this bill, with all its new taxes and obscure programs, can cost only $1 trillion in 10 years, when the government, with its loopy cash for clunkers program, could not judge the amount of bailout money that would be sucked up with this provision in only 10 days? And then there is the $550 million in new congressional jets. Enough!

John A. Peterson

Spokane