"Remember that legislation itself is only half the problem with Obamacare. Whatever bill passes, hundreds of bureaucrats in the federal agencies will have years to promulgate scores of regulations to govern the details of the law.
The above is the beginning and the end of the debate on "Obamacare."
The establishment of a Health Commissioner (and the creation of the department he/she runs), means there is no limit to the regulations and requirements imposed on insurance companies and doctors.
It doesn't matter if "end of life" discussions are in today and out tomorrow, they can be added by the Health Commissioner at a future date.
The various Democratic Bills are not "reform." That's the wrong word. Reform would reexamine Tort law, remake how Medicare works (making it more efficient), and would address issues such as the enormous cost of bringing new medicines to market. Reducing costs would be refusing to pay for the medical expenses of illegal aliens, in concert with border closing measures. Those would be reforms. What these Bills are attempting to do is regulate and nationalize the health insurance and medical industries.
Creating a new government department and a Commissioner is not what America should be doing, regardless of the details in the Bill today. They are, as Mr. Hentof suggests, the health issue slippery slope.
This is not a new thing. The Democrats have always used incrementalism ("baby steps") to get to their ultimate goal. Putting a dozen things in the Bills today, that Americans can point at and fuss about, that are taken out "in the spirit of compromise" are red herrings (see Co-ops: A ‘Public Option’ By Another Name, Michael D. Tanner, CATO @ Liberty August 17, 2009).
What needs to be taken out is the entire concept of a Health Care Bill, and any talk of a Commissioner and government department to oversee and regulate medical insurance. Taking that out would be the same as voting "No" on whatever the Democrats put forward.
The only way to prevent a slippery slope is not to play.
H/t Instapundit.
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