Liberals hoping for government rationed health care (a.k.a., the ‘public option’) are in dire straights. It’s not due to the right wing message machine. It’s not because Americans too stupid to see the perfection of the made-for-TV fantasy the libs are pushing. It’s not even because Obama can’t help himself and blurt out the truth (Fedex/UPS verses the US Post Office).

It’s simply because government rationed health care is a proven disaster. It’s the message for sure.

But before we get to the next round of harsh reality meets silly liberal fantasies, I think Michael Steele and the RNC may have just won the hearts of seniors on this issue:

That’s why Republicans are calling for a Seniors’ Health Care Bill Of Rights that will:

• PROTECT MEDICARE AND NOT CUT IT IN THE NAME OF HEALTH CARE REFORM: President Obama and Congressional Democrats are promoting a government-run health care experiment that will cut over $500 billion from Medicare to be used to pay for their plan.  Medicare should not be raided to pay for another entitlement.

• PROHIBIT GOVERNMENT FROM GETTING BETWEEN SENIORS AND THEIR DOCTORS: The Democrats’ government-run health care experiment will give patients less power to control their own medical decisions, and create government boards that would decide what treatments would or wouldn’t be funded. Republicans believe in patient-centered reforms that put the priorities of seniors before government.

• PROHIBIT EFFORTS TO RATION HEALTH CARE BASED ON AGE:The Democrats’ government-run health care experiment would set up a “comparative effectiveness research commission” where health care treatment decisions could be limited based on a patient’s age. Republicans believe that health care decisions are best left up to seniors and their doctors.

• PREVENT GOVERNMENT FROM INTERFERING WITH END-OF-LIFE CARE DISCUSSIONS: The Democrats’ government-run health care experiment would have seniors meet with a doctor to discuss end-of-life care that could mean limiting treatment. Republicans believe that government should not interfere with end-of-life care discussions between a patient and a doctor.

• ENSURE SENIORS CAN KEEP THEIR CURRENT COVERAGE: As Democrats continue to propose steep cuts to Medicare in order to pay for their government-run health care experiment, these cuts threaten millions of seniors with being forced from their current Medicare Advantage plans.  Republicans believe that seniors should not be targeted by a government-run health care bill and forced out of their current Medicare coverage.
• PROTECT VETERANS BY PRESERVING TRICARE AND OTHER BENEFIT PROGRAMS FOR MILITARY FAMILIES: Democrats recently proposed raising veterans’ costs for the Tricare For Life program that many veterans rely on for treatment. Republicans oppose increasing the burden on our veterans and believe America should honor our promises to them.

All very powerful promises, and something the liberals CANNOT sign up to. They cannot create a government rationed health care system without some cost cutting (read rationing to the worthy). And over 50% of the cost of a person’s health care occurs in their senior years.

Compare these promises with current proposals in the UK to eek out cost savings by lumping the concept of living to a ripe old age in with those social miscreants who are overweight, smoke and drink:

Smokers, heavy drinkers, the obese and the elderly should be barred from receiving some operations, according to doctors, with most saying the health service cannot afford to provide free care to everyone.

Under Obama care you are a drain on society if you live to a ripe old age, under the GOP plan you are protected and ensured equal status to all those youngsters.

The horror stories of government rationed health care are real. Here are another round to enlighten Americans to how good they really have it compared to the rest of the world

• The UK government rationed health care system is in such bad shape they are importing doctors on the cheap to cover the doctor shortage (seems the best and brightest don’t want to make a career out of rationing health care to the needy).

The huge extent to which the NHS needs foreign doctors to treat patients out of hours is revealed today.

A third of primary care trusts are flying in GPs from as far away as Lithuania, Poland, Germany, Hungary, Italy and Switzerland because of a shortage of doctors in Britain willing to work in the evenings and at weekends.

The stand-ins earn up to £100 an hour, and one trust paid Polish and German doctors a total of £267,000 in a year, a Daily Mail investigation has found.

• Babies are being born in hallways, elevators and even public restrooms due to shortages in rooms – is this how you would want your child or grand child brought into the world? (H/T Drudge)
• Incompetence is on the rise in a system where apparently there is no legal recourse. (H/T Drudge)
• Those who have critical health needs find themselves fighting for survival against the bureaucracy:

But the most shocking thing was not the lying. Nor even the incompetence. It was our total lack of surprise at the turn of events, since after 15 years suffering from the failings of the National Health Service we are prepared for almost any ineptitude.

…

I used to share these delusional views, wrapped in a comforting blanket of national pride over Bevan’s legacy. But that was before the birth of our daughter sent us hurtling into the hell of our health service. Since then, hours and days and months and years have been spent battling bureaucracy, fighting lethargy and observing inefficiency while all the time guarding against the latest outbreak of incompetence.

It is a heart wrenching story of reality, not that bogus made-for-TV crap you get from liberals promising the Nirvana of lower cost and expanded care. Anyone promising more for less is a huckster. We don’t need some ShamWow! Health Care.

The government rationed health care plan is DOA – as it should be.

Tags: Obamacare