An Editorial View from the Cheap Seats

The next few months are shaping up to be some of the most contentious we have seen in recent history. With the Bush tax cuts expiring in 2013, the estate tax unified credit reverting back to a one million dollar exempt amount, and sharp divisions arising in Congress and among the voting public, this promises to be a lively election season. At stake is not just the outcome of a Presidential election, but a national referendum on the ultimate fate of the Constitution.

The choice we make is not simply a choice of candidates. It is, rather, a question of balancing security against personal freedom. More of one always leads to less of another. As the recent Supreme Court decision on the fate of Obamacare demonstrated, government intervention into matters of personal choice for the sake of “reform” demands the continued erosion of individual freedom.

But unintended consequences have a way of making bad things worse. There are some trends to watch for as the health care crisis unfolds:

● Employers faced with economic hardship will be forced to choose between paying annual per employee penalties versus paying the skyrocketing costs of providing health care. Many will opt for the penalties.

● Everyone will face greater government regulation and intervention, leading to higher taxes, and less freedom.

● Older citizens will find that they have less access to needed care, and will become increasingly dependent on the government.

● A graying population of “Baby-Boomers” will rely on a proportionally smaller population of young workers to fund unsustainable entitlements. The fallout will be reduced benefits for the elderly, increased costs for the young, government growing out of control, and an unsustainable economic burden on virtually everyone.

When Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, “We have to pass the bill so you can find out what’s in it…”, she demonstrated the incomparable foolishness of acting and speaking rashly. When we elect public officials, we vest in them a profound trust that they will act judiciously, prudently, and with the utmost of care. All indicators point to the fact that they failed us. We deserve better.

Your vote matters. Use it wisely.