The Nanny State Has Arrived!

Yes, we all already know Massachusetts is a bleeding liberal state. Some of you may already refer to it as the People's Republic of Massachusetts. Others, like me, just call it "Mass" because it's damn hard to pronounce.

This news article about mandatory health care, however, has me quivering with fear. Why? The Massachusetts legislature has overwhelmingly passed a bill that makes it mandatory to have health insurance. Mandatory. Yep, that's right, MANDATORY.

Hey, but health insurance is a good idea, right? I've got it. Chances are, you do too. Why would this be a bad thing? The law even provides for free insurance for the poor, with a sliding scale as people become more affluent. What could be more progressive than that?

How about protecting our freedoms, for a start? How can people be free, if they aren't free to make mistakes?

What's more, have you considered the wealthy? Bill Gates moves to Massachusetts, and he has to buy health insurance. Does anyone really believe Bill Gates can't afford his annual physical? No problem, says the law. Good ol' Bill won't rot in jail for refusing to buy health insurance. Individuals deemed able but unwilling to purchase health care could face fines of more than $1,000 a year by the state if they don't get insurance. Say what? You're going to pay either way, but you get to decide if the money goes to a giant corporation, or the government. But I repeat myself.

There are two things that really bother me. The first is that the Senate passed this bill unanimously, and the House had only two dissenting votes. The second is that Massachusetts wants me to pay for it. The cost of this law, estimated at a billion dollars a year, is expected to be paid for primarily through federal funding....

Labels: health care, nanny state, state's rights

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