ObamaCare Won't Work

Soviet Experience Shows Why ObamaCare Won't Work

By SVETLANA KUNIN

In defending the expansion of Medicaid as part of the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare), Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan argued that the government will provide states with the necessary money: "It's just a boatload of federal money for you to take and spend," she said.

Her fellow Supreme Court judges reinforced the notion that "a boatload of federal money" comes from taxation.

I came from a country where everyone had guaranteed access to free medical care, which was paid for by confiscatory taxes imposed on working people. There is a physical limit on how much you can squeeze from people in taxes. Consequently, government-guaranteed services become strictly regulated and limited.

In the USSR, taxpayers and their families faced low-quality medical care, medication shortages and overcrowded hospitals with outdated technology, while government officials had access to the best hospitals.

That anyone in the United States will support similar model is beyond comprehension.

The Supreme Court also decided that if the government doesn't want to protect the country's borders, states do not have the authority to do anything dealing with a large illegally migrating population of humans.

Who are the people who support these policies of expanded central control?

In his New York Times column, correspondent Thomas Friedman said: "One-party autocracy certainly has its drawbacks. But when it is led by a reasonably enlightened group of people, as China is today, it can also have great advantages. That one party can just impose the politically difficult, but critically important policies needed to move a society forward in the 21st century."

What about this in the Bangkok Post: "China said . . . it was investigating the case of a woman who was allegedly forced to abort seven months into her pregnancy, after images posted online of the baby's corpse caused an uproar." (June 14, 2012).

As reported in the American Spectator: "China's Procurator officials went to the home of Deng Jiyuan to demand answers about how the photo was made available to the media, and to forbid them to speak to the media." (June 15, 2012).

Then in Yahoo! News: "The husband of a Chinese woman whose forced abortion seven months into her pregnancy caused an uproar has disappeared" (June 26, 2012).

Maria Conchita Alonso, Cuban actress, wrote an open letter critical of Sean Penn's praises of Hugo Chavez. Confident in his superior understanding of the world, Penn calls Alonso "a pig." She responds "and you are a communist." I am afraid Penn may have taken it as a compliment.

What is it that people like Sean Penn, Thomas Freidman and five Supreme Court judges do not understand about freedom?

Chief Justice Roberts quoted Justice Holmes to explain his decision on ObamaCare: "Our plain duty is to adopt that which will save the act." He joined four judges, who call themselves liberal or progressive. These five justices help justify the power of the ever-growing government over individual American citizens.

Victorious Nancy Pelosi, also from the liberal/progressive camp, tweeted: "Victory for the American people!"

In the USSR we lived under the slogan: "Everything belongs to the people!" In reality it meant that nothing belonged to anyone, individual rights were limited and everything was controlled by the government, including media, the judiciary, and "free" services. Those who objected to the government power were "enemies of the people" and could end up in a gulag prisons.

People who call themselves liberal or progressive like this model of government. As Friedman formulated, they admire a powerful government ruling over helpless citizens.

The liberal media faithfully defend all of President Obama's big government initiatives. Four Supreme Court judges are reliable rubber-stampers of any Obama policies. Gulags are not here yet, but National Public Radio is preoccupied with Romney donors, trying to obtain their names and personal information. Was Chief Justice Roberts afraid to be labeled the "enemy of the people"?

The Obama administration has put the country on the path of destruction of individual liberties, the dehumanizing power of bureaucrats and a substantial degradation of standards of living. Five Supreme Court Judges agreed with this direction. The transformation of the USA is well on its way.

Who cares how we will call this government-controlled society. In the 21st century, Obama doesn't need to confiscate private property to fully implement totalitarian control. The Affordable Care Act simply assumes control over our lives. Just as with the illusive goals of limiting "climate change" comes government control over air, land and seas.

The question is will we, the American people, be able to stop liberals and progressives? Or we will capitulate, as Chief Justice Roberts did, too scared to be branded by the left.

Source: By SVETLANA KUNIN  Posted 07/05/2012 06:38 PM ET • Kunin lived in the Soviet Union until 1980, working as a civil engineer. She is now a retired software developer living in Connecticut.http://news.investors.com/article/617176/201207051838/ussr-experience-shows-obamacare-will-be-a-disaster.htm?p=full