The Feds Are Out of Money: Healthcare Is Their New Bank
by Dr. Jane OrientIt is mentioned, almost in passing, that the “healthcare reform” on the verge of becoming law starts collecting premiums and taxes immediately, and promises benefits only in about four years.
What kind of emergency is that?
It’s not a healthcare emergency. It’s what might be called a Madoff emergency.
Whether starry-eyed utopians or cynical malefactors, the unnamed, possibly unnameable they have high ambitions for Washington to achieve their objectives. The stars are aligned for their coup d’etat, but there is one little problem: the country is out of money.
This problem threatens to stop not only their agenda, but the whole game. Washington has 2 million employees on the payroll, earning on average twice as much as those in the private sector. And probably more than a hundred million dependents—recipients of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and grants and subsidies of all types. What happens if the checks stop coming?
David Brooks spilled a key insight in the New York Times: he noted that health care has become the “bank” out of which President Obama plans to fund the bulk of his agenda. “By squeezing inefficiencies out of the health care system, he could have his New Deal and also restore the nation to long-term fiscal balance.”
But most politicians and commentators appear to be in deep denial. The country has accumulated unpayable debts—not to mention future unfunded liabilities—that threaten its survival even without any new entitlements.
To keep the music going a while longer, Washington needs to suck what remains of private capital into its coffers. Healthcare is one of the few remaining healthy industries. And it is something on which human beings voluntarily spend their last dime.
While overall employment has been falling, healthcare employment has been growing. As Richard A. Cooper, M.D., former dean of the Medical College of Wisconsin, pointed out, without the 2.8 million jobs added in the healthcare sector in the past decade, unemployment last April would have been 10.5% rather than 8.5%.
Washington needs to bleed American medicine, in order to transfuse the federal government.
To do this, it needs mandated premiums and taxes, and increased control. The degree of micromanagement is reflected by the occurrence of the word “Secretary” 2,489 times in the House bill, and 2,500 times in the Senate bill.
To buy just enough votes to pass a monstrous bill, the Democrat leadership has been willing to promise whatever it takes: indefinite Medicaid subsidies, abortion rights, abortion restrictions, “mental health parity,” a “doc fix,” a continued ban on drug reimportation, and probably lots of other things that haven’t come to light.
None of these have anything to do with the heart of the bill: forced purchase of “insurance,” and a massive transfer of power to executive agencies.
And if an all-powerful executive breaks a promise, what are you really going to do about it?
A government that is already beginning to default on Social Security, by withholding cost of living increases, can’t be trusted with lesser obligations either.
So what’s the point of delaying the day of reckoning? Current officeholders might hope to be out of power, with a fat pension. But then, maybe they won’t be.
How will a population reduced to penury, dependent on government for the means of survival, bring about a regime change? No money to fund political opponents, no time to think of anything but providing for minimal food and warmth, no freedom to protest without fear of loss of eligibility for ration coupons—likely not even any pitchforks or a bus to get to Capitol Hill.
The battle for freedom in medicine is the battle for freedom.
Email this to a friend | Print |
Share on Facebook
| Tweet this
| 
Follow Us on Twitter
Subscribe via RSS
Got a Tip?
80 Comments
Just to extend the idea, Medicare is broke. Insolvent and also the money has been removed for other spending. If Obamacare passes, the revenue will begin collection 3-4 years before they start paying claims out. This means they can continue Medicare disbursements and act like it isn't dry and insolvent.
Ha! That thought crossed my mind, too. Why don't we:
1)Use the rest of Stimulus to pay off part of our debt.
2)Use our own energy sources to create a massive new energy industry in THIS country
3)Use the taxes collected by natural gas and oil to further payback our debt
4)start to see a time when less and less of our tax dollars are used to pay off debt
5)deficits start to decline
6)tax breaks are achievable
a few thoughts.
WoW
that being said, that is scarey stuff, Impeach BO
Well I guess now we know how he plans to halve the deficit.
And then quadruple it later…
We could bring charges against all the Beltway Corruptocrats & impose hefty fines on all of them.
Possibly revoke their current eligible status for any future benefits as well.
We could bring charges against all the Beltway Corruptocrats & impose hefty fines on all of them.
Possibly revoke their current eligible status for any future benefits as well.
"It’s not a healthcare emergency. It’s what might be called a Madoff emergency."
A Madoff emergency pretty much sums it up.
Can you imagine the oil revenue that could be generated? If the oil companies were given the chance to develop those oil leases in an efficient manner the Federal governmnet could reap billions in royalties to pay down the debt, provide cheaper energy and get this…..produce jobs!!!. The mere utterance of oil exploration in this country would send the Shieks shrieking towards the exits.
Good thoughts those are….Wonder
Succinct! Well said.
Shrieking Shieks! I love it! You think George Clooney would want to star in that movie?
The fed is out of money? OH Sh!t, when did this happen?
The Low Life scum in DC are looking for ways to pass this
Healthcare Joke on the people by any means…The rats
are cornered, and they don't like it…
i was just thinking the same thing, but what do you think a government collecting money is going to do with this "extra" money? spend it now. they will just use it to "balance the budget", then when it is time to pay out the health benefits, sorry, but due to a lack of funds, we need to ration your healthcare. never trust the government with money, they only know how to spend it, loan sharks have a better reputation than these guys.
This is a little more doom and gloom than I see things. I still maintain hope that there is a shred of common sense in government, and a mobilized electorate will force them to use that sense. Maybe I'm too hopeful, but I don't like the prospect of the ending of Atlas Shrugged coming true.
The Fed is out of money? I believe it. I believe that is why the Govt. wants to charge for health care without giving benifits for 3, 4 years or more. Then when you need health care it will be rationed so they can keep giving to all of their social programs.
It is all just smoke and mirrors, a big socialist scam !
Are you sick of these people yet? I am.
DON'T THINK THAT IT'S NOT PART OF THE PROGRESSIVES PLAN!
WATCH GLENN BECK TONIGHT!
The HC "reform" ( I use that loosely) has always been about control and taxation. Listen to the song "Dependence Day" here http://www.myspace.com/ronmasonandfriends It sums it up perfectly..
In Canada we in business know of your current incarnation of POTUS to be as anti-business as Fidel himself. I can't see how it is even possible he could be any less business savvy and those I do business with all agree to this one shining point, he's permanently damaged a portion of the American Industrial base and China has been laughing all the way to the World Bank.
Hey…. I now have something in common with the Feds. I'm almost out of money too!
Here in Texas Unicare pulled out of the state just before January. Not to worry though they made an agreement with Blue Cross Blue Shield ( we were not privy to any of their agreement however). Those of us that were with Unicare could accept a Blue Cross plan but we wern't given a visual of what the plans were till after we agreed to the acceptance. Not only were the plans not apples to apples but they are more expensive premiums, higher deductables and cover less across the board. Expect for more of this shifting to occur across the nation. Also Blue Cross/Blue shields parent company as well as Unicare are located out of illinois.
Understand this. Blue Cross/Blue shield is trying to position itself to be "The" Health care super processor. Blue Cross Blue shield is owned by: Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company, …
Hey, somebody has got to do it.
In this article Dr. Jane Orient has told us the REAL REASON the Democrats are so hell-bent on healthcare. You didn't really think it had anything to do with the poor and the needy did you?
Healthcare would not only be the new cash cow for the Democrats but it would also allow them to lord over nearly every private aspect of your life. Socialized medicine is a utopian Marxist dream come true, this is why the Democrats love it so dearly. And of course after they collected all those trillions of dollars in taxes — that were suppose to afford Americans with some modicum of healthcare services — you don't really think they are going to spend all that money on healthcare do you?
Of course not, they have far too many constituents that need paid to ensure they vote for Democrats in the next election. And the Democrats have far too many empty political pockets to fill with that "healthcare money" for the money to actually go to healthcare.
It's like Dr. Orient says — "if an all-powerful executive breaks a promise, what are you really going to do about it?"
And one way or another WE will fix this miss!!!
Maybe we should think seriously about NOT electing seasoned politicians to go to Washington!! What WE need are REAL people to make things turn around!!!
Maybe their plans all along weren't to SPEND like there's no tomorrow, but only to TAX like there's no tomorrow. Tax for 4 years before you provide the alleged service, and maybe you never have to come through at the other end. Either they're not reelected, or the money still isn't there, but in the meantime they collect and redistribute to their buddies quick, while our money appears to be worth something. We're broke, but they can't make the tough decisions that all involve starving poor pathethic parasites.
As suspected. Thank-you!
wrong book. You'll recall one called Gullivers Travels perhaps. The visit with the Liliputions went rather poorly .
cut off the money and watch the govt. turn into the wicked with from the "Wizard of Oz"…"help me I'm melting…"
How can the Fed be out of money? Are there no printing presses??
and Ben Bernanke said they still had some checks left, too.
grin….
Man, this whole scenario reminds me of the movie Apocalypto. You see this huge Mayan city full of degenerates glutting themselves on all that is right and good in the world. They have grown so numerous that the only way they can survive is by consuming their own.
We seem to be standing on the brink of that right now. It has happened to every civilization in history, and now it seems to be our turn. We are just about ready to implode. If we don't start shrinking government right now, I believe we are all going over the cliff together.
One way or another Washington spending has to be reversed. Everybody wants some of that "Obama money" , without considering where it comes from. It is shameful to think that the United states should have enough cash reserves to buy the rest of the world and then some if we wanted too. Instead we owe the rest of the world. What happens when they come to collect? I watched Obama's town hall today and he talked about increasing our exports to match our imports. Exactly what does he think we are going to export? Th US no longer makes anything to export, and he is doing everything possible to kill the businesses, big and small, that might be able to change that.
This is a great article. Why do you think the government wants to take over health care, banks and businesses? Answer: They can use the profits to expand the government.
Follow the money!
LIVE FREE OR DIE.
Glenn Beck is a character, but he speaks the truth. I'll be watching "Live Free Or Die" at 5:00
It takes a special kind of crazy to vote yourself out of a job, and yet that is exactly what we are looking for. Not just one, mind you, but about 600 of them! I don't know what the odds are of finding that many people with this particular "affliction", but it can't be good.
One thing is certain: Shrinking our government means finding these people. We'd better start looking now, because the clock is ticking.
One half hour to show time! Warm up those TV sets, this is going to be a must see event.
Why not create a new energy industry from the development of our enormous natural gas and oil deposits? We could then begin to payback our debt and we would not be dependent on foreign oil. Foreign oil prices would plummet saving us billions on what oil and gas we needed to supplement our own production.
In addition, we could continue to develop alternate sources to help supplement energy demand.
There would be jobs created in the new U.S. Oil and Gas Development Sector and in a new U.S. Alternate Energy Sector.
Dude. The Fed is NEVER out of money. They own the printing press. The power to coin money belongs, rightfully, to the Federal Government. The problem is that they can't be trusted any more than the Fed. We need to fix both of these problems.
They've been broke a long time. That's why the "owed" number is so big. The money in the Obamacare deal was a drop in an ocean of the "owed" money. Two ways out: 1.Stop. The. Spending. And. Cut. The. Budget. Now. AND 2.Everybody Pays Federal State and Local Taxes too, at least something. HALF of us paying for the OTHER HALF of us, isn't working. I don't understand how I worked with 6 people (when I had a job) and HALF of them DID NOT PAY TAXES. So they didn't care who got elected. One of them has TWO homes of which one is a 4 bdrm split-level on the Jersey Shore. HE pays no income tax. Hie complains about the price of gas to get there and back every weekend.
What makes you think that the gubment would handle all that money responsibly? Have they done anything in your lifetime that would give you hope of that? They would just find a new pet cause to spend it on and continue to ignore their debt. It's like trying to bail out a river with a bucket.
I often post the same thing on articles having to do with our debt and the economy, so I'll do it again. I encourage everyone to watch the documentary I.O.U.S.A. or go to the film's website (http://www.iousathemovie.com) and watch a free 30-minute condensed version.
When you consider that the guy who helped make the film used to be the U.S. Comptroller General, and that he's probably in the best position to understand the government's finances, you'll start to have serious thoughts about leaving the country
If BS was money, we'd own the world!
They should have gone for the cap and tax bill first while the Gaia doom scenario was still relevant. Now they have squat chance of passing that and no health care revenue, either. Plus with all the John Galt stuff going round, not enough money in the coffers to pay all those squillions on the government teat. Epic fail, Soros. It's evident that health care was never about health care, nor is cap and tax about the environment. Nor is immigration reform about immigrants. It's all about money and how to squeeze more of it out of the private sector.
Good point, Sanity….my alleged downfall is that i presume all people to be inherently trustworthy, (until they cross me, that is). Perhaps a bit naive but i feel a change in the Political Winds whereby maybe now is the time to vote in Real people for office.
Not only half the country doesn't pay tax, but 10% of it pays 90% of the total tax revenue.
I should have put an s on Fed….should have been Feds are out of money.
A maddoff emergency, I am still laughing, that was good.
Not only to expand the government, but to line their own pockets. You can't tell me a number of them aren't setting up sizeable offshore accounts for themselves.
Imagine going to your mortgage closing and all the "….party of the first and party of the second…." issues are resolved.
The mortgage rep. than tells you: OK you have to start paying your agreed upon monthly mortgage payment in 15 days, but you can not have the keys to your house until four years from now.
Have a nice day, it's been great doing business with you.
instead China owns us.
Here, here!
Your such a downer DanStlMo!
I believe they are out there….that said getting them elected is another thing. Maybe the clarity that has been pushed on the people of this nation in the last two years will bring about the 600. I would be please if we could find 400….
First off, great article. All of us who have been paying close attention know this well, yet more need to understand the real reason "Heath-care" is being shoved down our throats. For those who still don't believe, let me explain it to you in words you can understand…
I have been unemployed since Apr '09. I have NO health insurance. I am also Severely Bi-polar, requiring weekly visits to the psychiatrist, which I gladly pay out of pocket. I also have to have blood work done quarterly to check my Lithium levels, as my medication can be poisonous if not regulated properly. Again, paid out of pocket. I do not complain, as I have one saving grace: Walmart. I can get my prescriptions, due to the free-market competition that makes this country great, for $4 each.
I also have medical issues, both of which require operations. I am in pain most days, but I deal with it.
Anyone who thinks that I would choose my own personal needs over that of my Country is out of their frickin minds. I could easily say "Hey, I need that, I'm gonna vote for that, because I am selfish…" I will not. I was raised with a sense of morality and the ability to look at the big picture. So to those who think that all of us GOP-NAZI'S only care about big business or special interests can go suck it. I care about the current and future freedoms of our GREAT COUNTRY, far more than I do about my own personal needs.
I'd like to see a lib do that. I'd drop dead in amazement.
You're definitely on the right track with your list. A couple of clarifications though, which are in no way intended to diminish your ideas:
1. There are no stimulus funds, they must be borrowed and consequently cannot be used to pay off debt. You have the right idea since just voiding the disposition of stimulus funds would preclude further borrowing and would adjust the "projected" deficit downward.
6. Tax breaks are achievable now! A study of tax poilcy over the last 50 years shows that cutting taxes would actually increase revenue.
Of course cutting taxes to increase revenue would be meaningless and would not contribute to deficit reduction without a dramatic curb on spending.
HEALTHCRAP IS 75% TAXES AND 25% MEDICAL, THEY ARE GOING TO COLLECT TAXES FOR YEARS BEFORE IT STARTS AND WE ARE TO TRUST THEM WITH OUR MONEY. BUY MORE PRISONS FOR HC DENIERS.
MR O CAMPAIGNS AGAINST THOSE EVIL BANKS TODAY WE WANT OUR MONEY BACK, HEY WE WANT OUR VOTES BACK
I have said all along, the baby boomers are retiring and there isn't enough money in the system to cover their social security and medicare. What better way to hide that problem than to take over healthcare? Then they make the decisions about how long you live (if you are sick) and how long you collect. The 3 years they are collecting up from just hides the problem.
If there was ever a time to put the brakes on this juggernaut it's now. What continues to astound me is how many people thought this legislation was about 'healthcare'. The public servants, left and right of the political spectrum, and their toadies (MSNBC, CNN etc) have not merely been disingenuous but deceitful and it's time to stick it to them. Time to bend over and spread 'em, Mr. Obama Nurse Rachett has got something for ya.
This was the unknown devil in the details. Why in the world would anyone collect a bunch of money several years before it's to be spent?
I have a better idea.The taxpayers are at some point going to stop funding this rathole/toilet bowl/black hole debt insanity.
First change the laws that would enable Fed and state govt's to reduce the pensions of gov't employees. Next cut their salaries to be on par with the private sector.
YES, I BELIEVE HEALTHCARE IS THE NEW PIGGY BANK FOR OBAMA AND THE DEMS, THEY WILL FORCE WE THE PEOPLE TO BUY IT, BUT WILL THE MONEY BE THERE FOR MEDICAL SERVICES. WHAT IF THEY SPEND IT, NO MEDICAL SERVICES. THIS SEEMS TO BE JUST A WAY TO BY TIME.
The number of people on the dole is close to the number of people trying to support the debt and we are in big trouble, people. This is absolutely unsustainable. The gov't has stolen the money we've put into social security for ourselves. They have large numbers of people who have never put one penney into the coffers collecting money in Supplemental Security Insurance, Welfare, Medicaid, Medicare. I went to the Social Security administration and was one of two white people among 30 people all waiting for help with SSI, etc. It's scary. We can't keep handing out freebies. We have become a country of dependents and the rest are working to support them. Now, the gov't wants more. More taxes for health care, bigger bureaucracies, more control over the people. And, our debt is $12 trillion! We are bankrupt. We need drastic action to shrink gov't and cut this spending. Restrict the gov't from borrowing on Social Security. Stop this ridiculous hc bill. I hope we're not too late.
So how is it different than any union sucking the lifeblood from the industry which employs it? Unions have shifted their focused to greed by which destroying entire industries. I don't need to cite all the examples all you informed bloggers know the story. The Organizer in Chief knows it as well. His real problem this time is that the health industry hasn't gotten to the point of collapse thereby not needed the OversizedTit of the Government. Liberals will always need demons, (even if they have to be manufactured), in order to stay 'relevant'. We can all rest assured that Obama bin Laden will continue his jihad against the free-market already in it's first year.
What is the likelihood that after 5 years of revenue, there will be one penny in the trust fund for future healthcare expenses? ZERO! Just look at past history, and at the Social Security trust fund that has been pillaged by politicians every year since the program was initiated.
This is just another one of Obama's lies to deceive the ignorant!
How does using borrowed money to pay off debts solve anything? You might be able to lower your interest rates but in the end you still owe just as much money. What's laughable is how this "stimulus" money only went to bail out businesses rather than grow and expand new ones. Instead of creating jobs and "stimulating" the economy they only earned the privilege of claiming to have stabilized it.
You are correct about our energy resources. They are going largely untouched thanks to all the hype about man made global warming and the vain attempts of bureaucrats and the social elite from around the world to control climate change.
Ultimately we need to resume producing and buying more and more of our own products and goods. In fact the only way to close the gap is to produce and sell more of what we make than what we use/buy. We have to become "productive" again. Only then will we be able to regain our independence from the rest of the world.
Interesting… what happens when the Fed Government collapses?
After all, we still have 50 STATE governments. Of course, some of those such as California will also implode without the (false) hope of fed bailouts, but really… maybe we need this. I'm sure that at least the majority of the states would figure out a way to help keep the military operational to protect our territory. The normal, red-blooded, working people of this country will not sit around on their hands, they will make things happen. Rural communities, small towns, and small cities will adjust and adapt thru American creativity.
On the other hand, the slum bums, bureacratic leeches, and cappucino-swilling urban liberal elitists can starve in the gutter when suddenly they realize that our society no longer has the excess wealth to pamper them and their useless pursuits. (Maybe they will move to France.)
you bettcha it is part of their plan!
It's always good to find someone like you with their eyes wide open. You get it! Right now it seems we are exporting bad ideas, good intentions and, oh yeah…JOBS! This crap has to stop. But it won't stop until we get these bozos out of the seats of power and replace them with people who have common sense enough to know what's good for the country and are willing to work together to make it happen.
l've been sick of them since day ONE…..What people,
I'm taking it you mean the RATS….
I guess you understand why conservative Americans are gunned up & loaded with ammo. The land of milk and honey is no more! You Rhinos and commies will get the message one way or another.
I'm glad someone has finally pointed out that part of their objective is to take money, therefore power away from anyone who would oppose them. This is more than just redistribution of wealth, bread and circuses mentality. This is the deliberate concentration of money in very few hands so that those few hands will wield absolute power over the rest of us.
I thought the money was already borrowed. So we are committing Billions of unsecured funds in the form of "Stimulus"? Hmm. Well if it is borrowed already, pay what we have left back. If not, don't borrow anymore. Problem solved.
Put it this way, if I borrow $400,000 and after a year payback $200,000, my loan payments are are going in the right direct. In fact, if DC was serious about paying our debt back, we would pay over the loan rate by a few percentage points and dig into the principle even more quickly.
Just a thought. Create legislation that mandates revenues from natural resources be used to pay back debt. Make it law. If at such time we actually payback our debt, then the revenues can go into an investment portfolio that is used to help fund social security or something.
HEALYHCARE IS A HUGE TAX ON WE THE PEOPLE AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR, ITS DRESSED UP AS A MEDICAL POLICY, YOU WILL GET PLENTY TAX, WHO KNOWS ABOUT THE MEDICAL SERVICES. ITS SOLD AS A COMPASSIONATE THING, IF ITS SO GREAT WHY CANT WE READ IT. THEY NEED MONEY TO SPEND SO WE CAN GET IT WITH SUBTERFUGE. OBAMO WANTS TO CONTROL ANOTHER 16% OF OUR ECONOMY.
I think you're on to something here. And the same money grabbing scheme is even more evident in Obama's plans to tax some financial institutions and his take-over of the student loan programs.
Why don't we??? Because it makes TOO MUCH SENSE?
Think about this folks. If Obamacare passes, every election cycle will only be about healthcare. Think of how this will make your head HURT. People promising cuts in their taxes, others begging for their already meager benefits not be cut any further. I don't see how this country can avoid an absolute REVOLT, I mean bitter, and perhaps more scary than we're ready for.
And another thing…if you haven't been to a townhall meeting recently, you should go. I went to one in my district just this morning. Of course it's attended by senior citizens and at least 2 elderly MEN were in tears over this issue. They may feel like they have nothing to lose and decide to aim a gun at someone over this.
I don't like to sound wacky, but emotions are beginning to get pretty shredded out there.
Well said Dr.
However, money is the first step, second step is to convert 14M healthcare jobs to union labor, then destroy the private sector to eliminate their return.
However, that is only possible if, like all UK systems you outlaw, private insurance and the punitive taxes on employers.
This is actually old news if you follow Andrew Gause on oneradionetwork.com He was talking about the GOV needing to create a whole new pool of money from which to borrow from back in august.
But its the federal Reserve and the people that own them and the people that yet own them that make up a big portion of the global elitists and the new world order plans to take and entrap the U.S.A.
Its their secret financial know how and all the dirty tricks over the many many years and to buy all the influence and
bad lobbyists and most all of congress and elections and presidents so that their is all ways bad policy that would
eventually break this country and force us to forfeit our sovereignty.
The FIX would be to Nationalize the federal reserve and NOT to abolish them like some would say.
You must be logged in to post a comment.