Our Government's Financial Track Record

This email received this afternoon from Senator Tom Coburn, MD (R-OK) highlights the problem of the Federal Government taking over healthcare. The examples Dr. Tom gives are ones we should all remember from the previous experiences of the Federal Government being involved.

The last thing this Country needs with running such a huge deficit is to have the Federal Government takeover control the American medical care system. The Pelosi Healthcare bill of almost 2,000 pages is nothing more then a payback to special interest groups at the the expense of the American taxpayer.

Call the number that has been highlighted in bright red in Dr. Tom's email and let your Senators know your stand on the issue. It is time Senators heard from all of us that it is time to kill this Obamacare bill with all earmarks and less care then we have now.

Our Government's Financial Track Record
11/17/2009

Dear Sharon,

As soon as this week, the U.S. Senate will be turning its attention to healthcare. More specifically, the Senate Majority Leader will be following the footsteps of the House of Representatives in attempting to pass legislation that will order the government takeover of American healthcare. This massive takeover is built presumably on the assumption that the federal government is the only entity in the entire nation that is capable of providing better access and lowering costs.

Let’s examine its track record:

Government Spending—BANKRUPT“U.S. Posts $176.36 Billion Deficit for October”
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac—BANKRUPT"Fannie Loses $23 Billion, Prompting Even Bigger Bailout Chance of Repaying Taxpayers Is Slim”
Highway Trust Fund—BANKRUPT“Republican Senators Blast GAO Report on Wasteful 'Transportation' Spending”
Social Security/Medicare Trust Funds—INSOLVENT“Social Security, Medicare Face Insolvency Sooner”
Indian Health Service— “Don't Get Sick After June”
Cash for Clunkers— “Cash for Clunkers' Runs Out of Gas”
US Department of Agriculture— “USDA Paid Dead Farmers $1.1B”
Amtrak— “Study: Amtrak loss comes to $32 per passenger”
Hurricane Katrina Recovery— “Probe: New Orleans flood control pumps not reliable”

Setting aside ideological objections for a second, based on experience alone, it should be apparent to all Americans that the federal government is the last entity that we should turn to for answers to our health care problems. Time after time, federal bureaucracies (and Congress) have actually increased costs, squandered billions, and struggled to deliver basic programs.

As terrible as insurance bureaucracies are today, and I have had my share of fights with insurance bureaucrats on behalf of patients, just wait until the federal government extends its reach further into healthcare.

As your senator, and as a doctor who cares deeply about giving people the care they need, I intend to vigorously oppose socialized medicine in the weeks and months ahead and will use every tool available to see that we avoid this historic mistake. I also plan to offer sensible alternatives that will both lower costs for all Americans while ensuring access to quality care.

If you want to let senators know how you feel, call the Senate switchboard at (202) 224-3121 to connect with specific senators. Your voice matters and I can assure that a flood of calls will get the attention of career politicians.

Your senator,

Dr. Tom Coburn