This seal is that of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. If the legislation currently known as HR 3200 eventually becomes law, the Secretary of DHHS will in fact be no doubt the most powerful cabinet position in the Federal government. Powerful from having the greatest impact on individual lives.
I oppose this legislation because of its invasive compulsory nature. If this bill did not include a mandatory option for insurance coverage, I might be more open to it in some drastically scaled down version. The fact is it is not voluntary. You the American citizen will be required to have Health Care Insurance. You will have no choice in the matter. If you are not enrolled in a federally accepted plan, you will be required to take basic coverage offered in the public option. If you do not, you will be fined. Yes this legislation is to be enforced under the IRS code, for every month you do not have coverage, you will be fined. Now I believe that everyone should have some sort of insurance, but to make this mandatory goes entirely to far. We are a free people, we have liberty, within the constraints of the Law. This legislation takes free will away from the American people. It is both invasive in principle and tyrannical because it imposes penalty on anyone who would otherwise elect to not take any coverage in favor of say a medical savings account. Oh, you can opt out under certain conditions if you can prove you are a member of a religious sect that does not accept medical treatment.
Now that is my second issue with this bill. Since when is it our government's business where or how we practice our faith. This is a second violation of our liberty.
Tyranny, it was Thomas Jefferson who commented that "where people fear the government , there is TYRANNY; where the government fears the people, there is LIBERTY. I ask you the American Citizen, do you live in Tyranny, or Liberty.
Now the Federal government could in fact cover the uninsured without this invasive policy, but it wouldn't have the level of control over individual lives that it will if HR 3200 becomes law.
This legislation is more about control than it is about helping people in need.