Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Phil Orenstein Supports Tea Party Against Obamanable Health Care

I just received this e-mail from Phil Orenstein, a leader of the pro-freedom movement in the Borough of Queens, NYC. Phil had the courage to stand up for freedom and proclaim Professor Sharad Karkhanis "educator of the year" on behalf of the Queens Village Republican Club when the dastardly faculty union's, the Professional Staff Congress's henchman, "Sue" O'Malley, attacked Professor Karkhanis via a bogus law suit.


TEA PARTY AGAINST SOCIALIZED HEALTHCARE
OBAMACARE: TAXATION WITHOUT MEDICATION

Thursday, July 30th 6:00 to 8:00 PM
South Parking Lot Broadway Mall (near Macy's)/Sackett St., Hicksville. L.I.

Guest Speaker: Dr. Betsy McCaughey
Health Policy Expert and former Lt. Governor of New York State. Founder and Chairman of the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths



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Dr. Betsy McCaughey, recently wrote an Op-ed in the New York Post entitled Deadly Doctors: O advisers want to ration care about the chilling prospect of denying healthcare services and benefits for the elderly or the terminally infirm. One of Obama’s top health policy advisors, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, brother of Rahm Emanuel, is the driving force behind the push for a healthcare policy for “social justice” instead of meeting the needs of the patient. It’s called sacrificing grandma for the greater good. Dr. McCaughey, who has actually read the bill which most of our representatives haven’t, has also reported that on page 424 of the House bill America’s Affordable Health Choices Act, there is a clause to deny healthcare for the elderly, who will be subject to mandatory counseling sessions to consider "end of life" options. Take a pain pill instead of surgery or other expensive treatment options because in a “just” society the money could be better spent on the more able-bodied and fit.

As the August recess nears, Obamacare is being fast-tracked through the Senate and House back-rooms and out to the floor in the next few days in order to pass socialized medicine for all Americans. Not only is this a colossal government power grab, but when it comes to our health, here is where we must draw the line in the sand against putting government bureaucrats between us and our doctors. As the Congressional Budget office reported, it will not reduce healthcare costs, but will increase the federal deficit and cost over $1 trillion. Our representatives are supposed to represent us. How can they represent us when they don’t even read the bills which they are trying to pass before the public finds out what’s really in them. We should call our representatives to protest fast-tracking the bill this week and attend the Tea Party in Hicksville, L.I. on Thursday to make our voices heard before this irreversible government intrusion into our lives and our healthcare transpires. Be there.

TEA PARTY AGAINST SOCIALIZED HEALTHCARE
OBAMACARE: TAXATION WITHOUT MEDICATION

Thursday, July 30th 6:00 to 8:00 PM
South Parking Lot Broadway Mall (near Macy's)/Sackett St., Hicksville. L.I.


Sponsored by Individuals United for Freedom
Go to Website for more information: http://www.meetup.com/Individuals-United-for-Freedom-Meetup-Group/



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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Dr. Langbert:
Why should we be afraid of "socialized medicine"? The government runs health care for our service men and service women. The health care for our military is first rate. You get health care from CUNY. Under their plan you are covered even for dental care. The Senators and Congressmen get their health care from the government. They, too, have excellent coverage.
So the military, the Congress, and you are part of the "socialized" medicine system in this country. I have not heard you complain about the quality of care that you receive.
Is it not ironical that you and others who get their health care from the government want to deny us even the choice of obtaining the best health care? You partake in the cup of "socialized" health care, are unwilling to give it up, but are willing to scare us about "socialized medicine".

Mitchell Langbert said...

We should not be afraid of socialized medicine. We should recognize it as another potentially mismanaged government program that will reduce standards and intensify the 30-year decline in the real hourly wage. Take a trip on the New York City subway. The service irregularities, filth, often rats scurrying around. Now, project the same incompetence to health care. A few years ago there was a major scandal about the Veterans Administration hospitals, where the veterans were being kept in filth. Do you wish to treated in a hospital run by the same people? Have you visited a DMV office lately?

Now, you mention CUNY. CUNY does not provide me with care. They pay for the care I receive. The care is provided by an independent hospital that makes its own decisions and has to compete with other hospitals. That is not what is being proposed now. That is to be eliminated.

As far as the CUNY dental insurance, the benefits were repeatedly reduced between 2000 and now to virtually nothing. We no longer have meaningful dental insurance. What is to stop Washington from simmilarly reducing health benefits?

That is their plan. I do not deny that the current system has resulted in waste. The reasons are complex and many of them would be resolved by a single payer system. But that system would result in government controlled rationing and an elimination of medical innovation.

The problem with socialized health care (which is not the current proposal) is that it causes stagnation. There is one country that has been responsible for the majority of pharmaceutical and health care advance: the United States. There is also one country with a non-state-dominated financing system: the United States. Proponents of national health insurance aim to manage the cost of health care by REDUCING TREATMENT. The reason that national health insurance is cheaper in Canada is that the Canadians limit treatment. Much of this is for unnecessary care, which is an advantage. But also, they will reduce innovative or new treatment.

Thus, a national system will enjoy economies of scale and better management, but it would eliminate innovation. It would enable government officials to pull the plug on treatments that they deem inappropriate. Obama proposes this by requiring counseling to the elderly not to receive treatment but to die on narcotics.

Since the bureaucratic approach to government management has been an abject failure elsewhere in our society, why do you believe it to be an effective method when applied to health care?

The potential for break through cures that significantly extend life will be staunched by national health insurance. A decentralized system can support innovation much better and will facilitate the application of new and different treatments.

National health insurance is failure of the American dream. The Declaration of Independence states that all of us are entitled to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". Socialized medicine attacks liberty; it circumscribes and attacks the right to life; and it limits the pursuit of happiness.

Phil Orenstein said...

I have long benefited from my association and readings of Dr. Langbert's clarity of thought about the sanctity of the individual over the collective represented by governemnt. For me, his ideas have crystalized in the Tea Party movement, the major force in play to tip the scale of power back to the people from government control. The people have been addicted to government solutions and lost their liberties as well as their infinite creative potential as a result. This healthcare reform plan is the last straw to bring about permanent dependency.

Mitchell Langbert said...

Phil--I agree.