Why I Am Against the Congressional Health Care Plan

It's the middle of autumn, and the debate on health care reform is going on its sixth month as a top tier issue around the country.

Liberals, progressives, and Democrats have put forth their reasons justifying public, government-run health coverage. Republicans have put forth reasons against it, and submitted alternatives.

Both have it wrong.

People in the United States have been brought to hysterics by special interest campaigns, and now think that the only way the health care crisis can possibly be solved is by forcing a few hundred people in Washington DC to pass overarching legislation more rapidly than ever before. Essentially, it's a policy that blasts shot-gun pellets of health care "solutions" to the entire country.

Unfortunately, the problems individuals face are different depending on where one lives. Income relative to expenses are different between urban centers and rural areas; hospital availability between rural and urban areas vary widely; and lifestyle differences between the east coast, west coast, and central U.S. make for different health care needs.

Instead of spraying health care like a shotgun, this needs to be approached with rifle accuracy.

Instead of shooting for extreme, rapid overhaul, forced by one government entity (the federal government), why not allow the states to take care of themselves? They know what their residents want. A state assemblyman in Los Angeles, CA or a state senator from Winchester, VA will each know how to better serve residents in Los Angeles and Winchester than a U.S. senator from some other state nowhere near them. And governors are far more aware of what their respective states need than the President, who needs to oversee 50 drastically different states.

What's more, if each state passed unique health care reform bills, the country as a whole would be able to see which option works better. If reforms passed in Arkansas don't work as well as the reforms passed in Georgia, other states with plans similar to the former can go back to the drawing table and rethink their plans. Unfortunately, if Congress and the federal government pass a flawed plan, fixing it will be a must more difficult task.

What are your thoughts? I am interested to hear your comments.