Reform: Because The Federal Government Shouldn’t Decide What You Eat for Breakfast, Either

President Barrack Obama once stated that he would like to duplicate the Canadian health care system and put it to work here in America. One example of Canadian health care failure is expressed in an article about a man who could not see a doctor for his back pain because of the “three day waiting list for an office visit” and the “three year wait for approval for the simple in-patient procedure that would instantly cure his debilitating pain” (Moon). President Barrack Obama’s proposed bill passed into law 21 March, 2010. Many variations of its content have been published, but very few capture its intentions:

 Increasing choice and competition: The bill will protect and improve consumers’ choices… Giving Americans peace of mind: The legislation will ensure that Americans have portable, secure health care coverage – so that they won’t lose care if their employer drops their plan or they lose their job… Improving quality of care for every American: The legislation will ensure that Americans of all ages, from young children to retirees have access to greater quality of care by focusing on prevention, wellness, and strengthening programs that work… Ensuring shared responsibility: The bill will ensure that individuals, employers, and the federal government share responsibility for a quality and affordable health care system…Reducing the deficit and ensuring the solvency of Medicare and Medicaid: The legislation will be entirely paid for – it will not add a dime to the deficit. It will also put Medicare and Medicaid on the path to a more fiscally sound future, so seniors and low-income Americans can continue to receive the quality health care benefits for years to come… (Kruger).

The nation’s national debt is growing at a considerably larger rate than many Americans care to admit, and reforming the pre-existing method of providing health care will do nothing to help repay that cost. Also, there is the argument of being responsible for one’s self and providing for your own health care. The government was originally designed to enforce laws and provide for the general welfare of its people. In more recent times, however, the government of the United States of America has strayed from its original approach to governing a nation called “laissez faire”, or “hands off”. Utilizing “laissez faire”, the government made and enforced laws and regulations for the people to follow. If a business failed, then so be it. This method seems to have faded into the background of this nation’s structure and is now only studies, no longer practiced.  “Despite the cost of living continues to rise, it remains popular” (East Eckford Baptist Church). Because of the nation’s exponentially growing national debt, loss of sense of responsibility, and intervening government it is becoming increasingly more important for individuals to take charge of their own health care.