Government control bad idea

For the government to pay for all health care would inevitably lead to rationing because the government cannot afford to give free care to everyone who needs it. That would only increase the number of people who would die because they could not get care. The elderly and the disabled would be especially likely to be denied care. The total government control some advocate would even end our custom of fundraisers and donations to provide care for those who need financial help, and prevent doctors from voluntarily providing free or low-cost care out of charity.

Moreover, expanding government coverage of health care costs would only make our economic problems worse. We would have to pay for it through higher taxes, inflation and debt, all of which hurt the economy. There is no reason to think government health care could do any better than Social Security and Medicare, both of which are headed for insolvency.

Nationalized health care could also become a powerful tool to suppress political freedom. The government could deny care to those who oppose a policy and to their family members.

Finally, this devastating policy would be virtually impossible to reverse.

Rebecca Larsen

Spangle