Monday, December 05, 2005
Message of the Day - An Editorial
“This is the most egregious, reprehensible legislation ever passed by a legislative body in the long, sad history of Illinois. For a nearly bankrupt state to offer universal health care for all children regardless of wealth, residency or even citizenship is evidence that the palace has gone mad…”
The Courier based it editorial on a letter received from State Senator Chris Lauzen (R-Aurora). “So now, in addition to free elementary and secondary education in Illinois for illegal immigrants with no questions asked, those breaking the immigration law will have another incentive: taxpayer-subsidized universal medical insurance for their kids,” he wrote.
The paper notes that local State Representatives Ruth Munson (R-Elgin) and Terry Parke (R-Hoffman Estates) voted for the bill, while Representatives Tim Schmitz (R-Batavia) and Pat Lindner (R-Sugar Grove) voted “No.” State Senator Steve Rauschenberger did not vote. Lauzen, of course, voted against the bill.
“Remember that in the next election,” the Courier concluded.
This is what started the Editor of the Courier-News thinking:
Only Children Believe in Santa Claus by State Senator Chris Lauzen
One of the easiest things in the world for a politician to do is to spend someone else's money. If a candidate for public office says he's going to "give you something", please be sure to get him to tell you the rest of the story by asking how much it's going to cost today and in the future. Government tends to eventually diminish benefits, however government spending and pressure for more taxes consistently increases.
We all agree that the benefit of medical care for our children and families is attractive and essential. Governor Blagojevich recently passed a bill providing universal, state-subsidized medical insurance for children. The press release package from his office regarding the proposal was 7800 words long, but the legislation itself was only 2200 words short and contained few details. The controversy surrounding All Kids is "How will we pay for this huge expansion of Medicaid?"
According to the Governor, his initiative is revolutionary and Illinois will be the only state in the union offering it. The next question should be, "Why are other states not currently doing this?" Are we the first and only because Rod Blagojevich has figured out what every other governor has not? Is it because Blagojevich has demonstrated that he is trustworthy with such a tight grip on the technical operation of state government? Or, is it because this problem is so much more complicated than a mere 2200 words of legislative language indicates? Even more cynically, is this an expensive and desperate attempt by our Governor to revive approval ratings at the beginning of a campaign season at taxpayer expense ?
We need to ask ourselves, "What's the hurry?" If this is such a good idea, it will stand the close scrutiny of deliberate review. Incredibly, payment details and the promised commitment to managed care are not in the legislation that the General Assembly is voting on. We are supposed to "trust" a Governor who has doubled the state debt, raided the state pensions, and disappointed reformers who he promised to "change the way state government does business." Another subpoena was delivered from the federal prosecutors on the day All Kids was being presented.
Despite spending $2,000,000,000 more than was spent under the last George Ryan budget, this Administration can't afford to pay for current commitments. Yet, under All Kids Blagojevich is going to substantially expand Medicaid. They borrowed--and we have to pay back--$1 Billion within the past two weeks to pay past-due Medicaid bills. (Maybe that is why the Hospital Association felt compelled to endorse this expansion.)
Currently, the medical bills for two out of every five babies delivered in Illinois are paid for by Medicaid. Health care for one out of every seven citizens in Illinois is paid for by taxpayers under Medicaid. One out of every three children in Illinois is already covered by Medicaid. Why should any small business owner try to pay for hospitalization plans or any family try to pay for their own private insurance when Rod Blagojevich impersonates Santa Claus with taxpayers' money?
They are not paying for what they've already promised. How can they legitimately promise even more?
When we buy groceries for our families including our children, we do not give them an invoice for the credit card charge. Yet this is what the Governor is doing to our children by borrowing money and raiding pension plans that will all have to be paid back over the next thirty years while he promises and spends more money now.
The lack of thoughtful details actually listed in this legislation, rather than promised in press releases, is shameful. There will be no wealth test in order to qualify for taxpayer-subsidized insurance. In Senate debate on 10/26/05, it was also discovered that applicants will not be required to provide proof of citizenship. So now, in addition to free elementary and secondary education in Illinois for illegal immigrants with no questions asked, those breaking the immigration law will have another incentive as taxpayers subsidize universal medical insurance for their kids.
What well-informed, foreign poor person will not say "I must go to Illinois to provide education and health insurance for my children"? Those who vote "yes" on HB806 are voting to provide government healthcare for illegal immigrants. We just can't afford it.
Rod Blagojevich has traded his Elvis Presley impersonation for one that looks a lot like Santa Claus. The trouble is that only children believe in Santa Claus.
The Courier based it editorial on a letter received from State Senator Chris Lauzen (R-Aurora). “So now, in addition to free elementary and secondary education in Illinois for illegal immigrants with no questions asked, those breaking the immigration law will have another incentive: taxpayer-subsidized universal medical insurance for their kids,” he wrote.
The paper notes that local State Representatives Ruth Munson (R-Elgin) and Terry Parke (R-Hoffman Estates) voted for the bill, while Representatives Tim Schmitz (R-Batavia) and Pat Lindner (R-Sugar Grove) voted “No.” State Senator Steve Rauschenberger did not vote. Lauzen, of course, voted against the bill.
“Remember that in the next election,” the Courier concluded.
This is what started the Editor of the Courier-News thinking:
Only Children Believe in Santa Claus by State Senator Chris Lauzen
One of the easiest things in the world for a politician to do is to spend someone else's money. If a candidate for public office says he's going to "give you something", please be sure to get him to tell you the rest of the story by asking how much it's going to cost today and in the future. Government tends to eventually diminish benefits, however government spending and pressure for more taxes consistently increases.
We all agree that the benefit of medical care for our children and families is attractive and essential. Governor Blagojevich recently passed a bill providing universal, state-subsidized medical insurance for children. The press release package from his office regarding the proposal was 7800 words long, but the legislation itself was only 2200 words short and contained few details. The controversy surrounding All Kids is "How will we pay for this huge expansion of Medicaid?"
According to the Governor, his initiative is revolutionary and Illinois will be the only state in the union offering it. The next question should be, "Why are other states not currently doing this?" Are we the first and only because Rod Blagojevich has figured out what every other governor has not? Is it because Blagojevich has demonstrated that he is trustworthy with such a tight grip on the technical operation of state government? Or, is it because this problem is so much more complicated than a mere 2200 words of legislative language indicates? Even more cynically, is this an expensive and desperate attempt by our Governor to revive approval ratings at the beginning of a campaign season at taxpayer expense ?
We need to ask ourselves, "What's the hurry?" If this is such a good idea, it will stand the close scrutiny of deliberate review. Incredibly, payment details and the promised commitment to managed care are not in the legislation that the General Assembly is voting on. We are supposed to "trust" a Governor who has doubled the state debt, raided the state pensions, and disappointed reformers who he promised to "change the way state government does business." Another subpoena was delivered from the federal prosecutors on the day All Kids was being presented.
Despite spending $2,000,000,000 more than was spent under the last George Ryan budget, this Administration can't afford to pay for current commitments. Yet, under All Kids Blagojevich is going to substantially expand Medicaid. They borrowed--and we have to pay back--$1 Billion within the past two weeks to pay past-due Medicaid bills. (Maybe that is why the Hospital Association felt compelled to endorse this expansion.)
Currently, the medical bills for two out of every five babies delivered in Illinois are paid for by Medicaid. Health care for one out of every seven citizens in Illinois is paid for by taxpayers under Medicaid. One out of every three children in Illinois is already covered by Medicaid. Why should any small business owner try to pay for hospitalization plans or any family try to pay for their own private insurance when Rod Blagojevich impersonates Santa Claus with taxpayers' money?
They are not paying for what they've already promised. How can they legitimately promise even more?
When we buy groceries for our families including our children, we do not give them an invoice for the credit card charge. Yet this is what the Governor is doing to our children by borrowing money and raiding pension plans that will all have to be paid back over the next thirty years while he promises and spends more money now.
The lack of thoughtful details actually listed in this legislation, rather than promised in press releases, is shameful. There will be no wealth test in order to qualify for taxpayer-subsidized insurance. In Senate debate on 10/26/05, it was also discovered that applicants will not be required to provide proof of citizenship. So now, in addition to free elementary and secondary education in Illinois for illegal immigrants with no questions asked, those breaking the immigration law will have another incentive as taxpayers subsidize universal medical insurance for their kids.
What well-informed, foreign poor person will not say "I must go to Illinois to provide education and health insurance for my children"? Those who vote "yes" on HB806 are voting to provide government healthcare for illegal immigrants. We just can't afford it.
Rod Blagojevich has traded his Elvis Presley impersonation for one that looks a lot like Santa Claus. The trouble is that only children believe in Santa Claus.
# posted by Cal Skinner : 6:52 AM
