PAs for Health Freedom

Source: The Tax Foundation

See this site for a comparison of Obama and McCain tax platforms. I am amazed at how little people understand about taxes. Here are a few facts to help you discuss the issue with friends. More taxes will be needed for universal health care.

Average Total Tax Burden
1900 5.9%
1920 12.0%
1940 17.9%
1960 27.7%
1980 30.4%
2000 33.6%
2008 30.8%

Note, plotting increase in the Federal deficit with these numbers would clearly reveal how the US Govt, without change, is a company bound to failure.

But, for the median income household earning $43,389 a year, the total tax burden is 48.40% — nearly half. This family would pay at least $21,000 in taxes this year.

2007 Poll on Need for Taxes
41% Keep taxes and services where they are
32% Decrease and lower taxes
8% Increase services and raise taxes
20% Not sure
Note, this was an on-line survey — I wager that of the 1/3 of Americans who do not pay taxes, most do not go on-line. Thus, those who want takes increased (those who want your money) is probably higher.

Finally, American’s spend 6.6 billion hours per year filling out tax forms. Economists call this “tax compliance” and it comes to 20 cents per dollar collected by the tax system.

This page at the Kaiser Foundation gives a summary and comparison table of the 2008 presidential candidates’ health care proposals. We must remember, however, that the congress proposes and votes on laws before they go to the president. In the right-hand column of this web page at Americans for Prosperity (AFP), you will find a great little application entitled “Write to Congress” . Just enter your zipcode and it will tell you all your representatives for both the central and state government and give links so you can write them. AFP is a pro-free-market, pro-limited-government group.

Source: AAPA News, May 30, 2008

The AAPA has a new project: “PAs for a Healthy America: Vote 2008” . According to the article on the same, the AAPA will be distributing campaign-style pins with the slogan at the conference. So what is behind this? The insert in this weeks News lists the “AAPA Principles for Health Care Reform” with the first being: “Access to quality, affordable, cost-effective health care for all”.

Anyone who know political keywords, knows that these all point to socialized medicine. Major players in the AAPA are using our organization to push their political agenda. Bill Leinweber, the AAPA’s new executive vice president/CEO says, “With a mission to promote quality, cost-effective, and accessible health care, and with our vision for PAs to be worldwide leaders vital to providing and improving the medical care of all people, we cannot remain silent at this time.” Translation: “PAs should vote for socialized medicine.” We disagree. But more than must disagreeing, we are offended that our national organization is taking a political stance while its members come from many political positions.

Source: NYT May 3, 2008

A NYT article faults McCain for:

repeatedly suggesting that his Democratic rivals are proposing a single-payer, or even a nationalized health care system along the lines of those in countries like Canada and Britain.

The article then tries to show how Clinton & Obama are not proposing an actual single-payer system. Nonetheless, after essentially labeling McCain as a liar, the article confesses:

Some opponents — and even some supporters — of such universal health care proposals believe that they could eventually lead to something like a single-payer system.

I agree. Incrementalism towards a single-payer, full-blown, socialized health care system has been the Democrat’s self-confessed strategy for years.

The NYT then quotes this Harvard article showing how voters are divided on the Socialize Medicine issue and emphasized that the expression “socialized medicine” means different things to different people. OK, so, maybe McCain should have said, “Clinton and Obama are proposing yet another stepping-stone on the planned agenda to get us socialized medicine”? But I don’t think that sound bite would work. McCain is essentially correct about Clinton and Obama, why mince words.

Note: In the coming election, more is at stake than just our direction in Health Care — but this blog is just aimed at the discussing health freedom. Our members differ strongly on their prioritizing of issues and voting styles. Go to our Forums/Election 2008 to read & discuss these differences.