Voice of the People: November 21, 2009

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Name

City

Eagles triumph in first game

First game of the season for Winthrop men�s basketball team was a Homecoming-thriller win. Thanks, Eagles!

Ann Norman

Rock Hill

Soccer team finishes first

Congratulations Discoveries U16 Boys Soccer team for first place last weekend in the SCYSA Presidents Medal State Cup Championship. You were awesome. Go Force!

Lynn Padgett

Rock Hill

Tennis tournament was big success

I would like to thank the city of Rock Hill for bringing the USTA Women�s Professional Tennis Tournament to Rock Hill from Nov. 1 to Nov. 8 at the Rock Hill Tennis Center. We were treated to world-class tennis by players from all over the world � many of whom I predict we will see on TV and larger events in the future.

I spoke with serveral of the on-site USTA officials, and they praised the facilities and the organization from our Parks and Recreation staff. Here�s hoping they return in 2010!

Keith Richardson

Rock Hill

Government on path to health care takeover

Let�s suppose the Obama administration has decided that the only way to get medical costs under control is for the government to take over the whole system � lock, stock and barrel. How would they go about getting Congress to agree to pass the necessary laws and getting Americans to accept the changes?

First, as an incentive to the insurance companies, they would require that every American be insured � either paid for by the company they work for or paid by the citizen, himself, with a government subsidy if he can�t afford it. They would insist that medical insurance companies provide policies to everyone. The insurance companies will like it because they get a large increase in premium payments and citizens will like it, too, because everybody is covered.

Next, the government would require these insurance companies to accept everyone � even those with �existing problems.� Everybody will agree that this is the fair thing to do. Gradually, over time, government will forbid the insurance companies to charge higher premiums for these people. After all, insurance is supposed to be a �collective� where costs are spread over a large population. Charging certain people more for this coverage is unfair. Most people will agree that this is reasonable.

This will slowly drive the insurance companies out of business and the government will be forced to take over the medical insurance business. The so-called �government option.� Then, by slowly reducing the amounts paid to doctors, hospitals and clinics, they will force all of these out of business as well.

The government will be forced to take over hospitals and clinics and will make all doctors and other medical professionals employees of the government.

Step by step, we will be forced into a government-run medical care system � just like most of Europe. What do you bet this isn�t exactly what is going on in Washington?