For over a year we’ve been bombarded with the message that we must enact healthcare reform.

The heavy-handed messages continue despite the fact that nobody can tell how much it will cost, it’s overwhelmingly unpopular, it forces people to buy something they don’t want and negates any incentive to buy personal medical insurance when the governmnent will pick up the tab. We’re told this legislation is too important.

It’s ironic that this reform is so vital to our nation, yet our president and Congress won’t be affected by it nor mandated into it. Apparently, it’s good for us common folk but not good enough for them or their families.

Now that the 60-vote supermajority in the Senate is gone, the president and his Democratic cohorts are going to ram it through via reconciliation.

The process of reconciliation is typically reserved for budget issues that wouldn’t increase the deficit.

I argue that not only will healthcare reform significantly impact the deficit but it’s also a questionable policy issue. I find the timing interesting now that the supermajority is lost, Obama’s ratings are falling like a lead balloon and even the media are no longer ignoring the backroom deals that infect this bad legislation. Now, all of a sudden, President Obama wants an up or down vote.

Very well, I propose a vote by the people of this great nation. Let the will of the people be heard regarding healthcare reform.

I believe the vast majority of taxpaying citizens are against healthcare reform. If we aren’t allowed to vote on this bad legislation, we will simply vote in November to remove every politician who supported it.

While campaigning, Mr. Obama promised transparency. He has delivered. It’s transparent that he’s going to force his agenda, via healthcare reform, upon that American people regardless of how costly or unethical it may be.
Kelly Taggart
Newbury Park