Congressman
Henry E. Brown, Jr.

Why I am Opposed to the Democrats’ Health Care Plan

For the past year, my constituents in South Carolina have done everything they can to make it clear that they do not want a government takeover of health care. In November, I voted NO on the House health care bill, H.R. 3962, but despite a complete lack of Republican support, the health care bill passed.

This week, we are expected to consider the Senate’s final version of health care legislation which calls for even more taxes, more regulations, more spending and more federal control over our current health care system.

I am still against this government takeover of health care and I will vote NO when this legislation is once again brought to the House floor.  Below are some reasons why I am opposed to the Democrats’ health care plan.

Increases your health care costs: The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) confirmed that the health care bill would raise premiums for struggling middle-class families, resulting in non-group premium increases of $300 per year for individuals and $2,100 for families.

Millions of people will lose their current coverage, whether they like it or not: Despite the President’s claim that “if you like your coverage, you can keep it,” a new regime of government-run exchanges will force as many as 10 million Americans to give up their current employer-sponsored health care coverage in exchange for a government-run health care plan.

Taxes all Americans: The legislation taxes individuals who purchase insurance, individuals who do not purchase insurance and small and large businesses alike. Ultimately, the Democrats’ heath care plan will create $569.2 billion in tax increases.

More out-of-control spending that we cannot afford: According to the CBO, the bill currently before the House would spend nearly $1 trillion over its first ten years. Our country is already trillions of dollars in debt; we simply cannot afford another big-spending bill, especially when Republicans have proposed health care reform that could lower the deficit and decrease the cost of health insurance for the average American.

Taxpayer dollars will be used to fund abortions: The bill that passed the House in 2009 prohibited any Federal funding of abortion, consistent with the law since 1976. Despite strong bipartisan support for the continuation of this policy, the Senate bill would allow your Federal tax dollars to be used to cover abortions for the first time.

Harmful for Seniors: The current proposal cuts Medicare by half a trillion dollars and slashes Medicare Advantage enrollment by 8.5 million. It also raids the Social Security Trust Fund to pay for a new entitlement. This not only puts Seniors’ care at risk, but also treats their benefits like a bank for new government programs.

Creates unconstitutional mandates: Citizens would be forced to purchase government approved health care, regardless of whether they want it, need it or can afford it. Those who do not comply will be punished with fines and those who refuse or cannot pay these fines will be threatened with jail time.

Kills more jobs: The bill requires all employers to provide employees with government approved healthcare. Businesses that do not fulfill these requirements are penalized with a crippling tax that could force businesses to stop hiring or lay off employees. In fact, according to a model developed by the Council of Economic Advisers, the taxes in the bill could cause five million jobs to be lost.

Posted by Henry E. Brown, Jr. (03-19-2010, 09:25 AM) filed under Health Care

 

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