I noted U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow had a guest letter in your October 29 edition, bragging about federal health legislation as to which she "was pleased to help lead the effort in the Finance Committee." I cannot let that letter pass without commenting. I do not know if everything or anything in her letter was accurate or not, although I can say that it is highly doubtful that the bill from the Finance Committee "makes health insurance more affordable." Most of what I have heard from experts is that while the government is saying that, the reality will be higher health care premiums and costs. The fact is that in states like Massachusetts and Maine that have tried this (as well as countries like Switzerland), costs have risen even faster.

But the Stabenow letter is more conspicuous for what it does not reveal. First of all, what the Finance Committee passed, with all the votes of all Democrat committee members and one Republican, was not a bill, but a "chairman's mark," which is just an outline. I have read it online.

No matter what else you believe about health care, or any other aspect of it, what the legislators are hiding from the public is a provision, common to all pending bills and marks, that would for the first time in U.S. history mandate that every adult citizen, by 2013, buy health insurance with their own after-tax income or assets, or be jailed and/or fined as a criminal, and/or taxed. No matter that Massachusetts has already done this. There is absolutely no doubt whatsoever that this is completely unconstitutional under several amendments and clauses of the U.S. Constitution. There is also no doubt that the plight of uninsured citizens who would like insurance, but cannot afford it due to circumstances beyond their control, is a major problem, affecting 25 million (as well as 22 million illegal immigrants). But the proposed solution that underlies these proposals is ludicrous: mandating everyone to pay for insurance or ultimately go to jail if they do not pay a ransom. Next, they will propose to solve the homeless problem by mandating all homeless people to buy or rent housing, or get free housing at a jail. Some compassion, Senator Stabenow! You cannot fine or tax the doing of nothing.

On the other hand, a tax credit for those who wish to document that they did have health insurance coverage voluntarily would be constitutional, and much more effective toward universal coverage and cost cutting.

Government in this free nation, simply has no power to take away and make such personal and private medical decisions over individuals' own bodies, such as whether or not to have health insurance. Not to mention that government has no power to tell citizens how to spend their private money after all taxes are paid, or to require disclosure of such confidential information on tax returns, asis proposed. None of this isany business of the senator or anyone in government, and is not like car insurance, which is only for the legal privilege of using tax-funded roads. These officials forget that they work for us and not vice versa. They would set this Orwellian and totalitarian precedent to then mandate every single part of our private lives, nothing excluded. And whatever happened to the idea of "pro-choice" on medical decisions -- is that just for pregnant women in their eyes, because it fits their political agenda? The health care reform bills are nothing more than power grabs over our lives. I urge all readers to contact the offices of Senators Stabenow and Levin immediately to tell them simply "no" (or "nyet," which they probably would better understand) before the Senate votes in the next week or so.
Tom North
St. Ignace