by Babs Pomp

Created on: August 18, 2009   Last Updated: August 19, 2009

The cost of health care dominates the media, and has become a hallmark for the Obama administration. While everyone shares concerns about the current cost of US health care, the Obama plan raises a multitude of concerns. These concerns fall into three broad categories: political-economic principles, moral principles and emotional factors. Because of these crucial issues Obama's health care plan is bound to fail.

Political-economic objections to Obama's plan:

Obama's plan provides a means to reduce competition among health providers, while advancing the goal of a universal provider supported by the government. Those who distrust private industry and trust big government support this plan. Those who distrust government and who support business initiatives do not support Obama's plan.

Underpinning the resistance to Obama's plan are concerns based on principle:

* Business competition is more likely to promote better prices for consumers than a lack of competition.

* Governments are inefficient because they lack the kind of energizing motive that profit encourages. They are simply too big to deliver speedy response rates.

* Government aligning with an industry group creates a faction beyond checks and balances. The potential for business as well as government corruption exists.

In brief, Obama's plan undermines capitalism and faction-free government. It smacks of State Socialism.

Some aspects of Obama's plan butt against individual moral principles too. Issues at stake:

* Stem cell research

* Public funding for abortions

* Encouraging abortion rather than life-affirming options

* Contraceptive measures (both general encouragements and concerns about specific contraceptive practices)

* Physician-assisted suicides or medically-related suicides in general

These hot button choice vs. life issues tear at the culture in the US, and often top the list of "culture war" contentions. Obama unapologetically sides with positions that do not support the sacredness of life. Instead he favors controlling or limiting life - which some say favors murder and the sacrifice of the innocent - in order to support various personal and medical options for some citizens.

Finally, Obama's plan touches fears among Americans that the US.

* Fear of rationed health care, where some citizens will suffer or die waiting for treatment; or they will be denied treatment because their case is considered a waste of money.

* Fear that America will lose its medical cutting edge because profit-incentives will be eliminated.

* Fear of losing choices.

Clearly, Obama has promoted a radical agenda for America, which butts against the moral principles of a sizable group of Americans and which undermines the founding principles of the US government and economy.

The only thing left to see is if he'll win the fear argument (that health care costs will destroy health care in America) or lose before to the fearful Americans who are unwilling to take the dangerous risks he offers as solutions to America's health care cost problems.

Health care will not improve with less competition and an inefficient government stepping in. Businesses who need to survive will more closely match patient needs than a detached government regulatory structure. Obama's plan is a train-wreck in the making. Don't take a ticket or buy the propaganda.

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