On Tuesday, I attended the Amendment 69 ColoradoCare public forum in hopes of obtaining accurate information about the ballot issue, but came away disappointed that the proponents are presenting the same deceitful spin for ColoradoCare that caused ObamaCare to be jammed down our throats with backroom bribes on midnight Christmas Eve by a Democratic party supermajority in Congress that did not receive even one bipartisan Republican vote. The American taxpayers and voters have been deprived of an honest healthcare debate since 2008 and these ColoradoCare advocates are trying whitewash the same injustice because they think Coloradans are stupid and will swallow their bait-and-switch lies.

If the public had been allowed to voice their concerns at last night’s tightly controlled forum, I would have asked the proponents why don’t they be honest, have the courage of their convictions and stand up and proudly admit that what they really want in Colorado is socialized medicine, a single-payer universal healthcare system administered by a new central planning state bureaucracy costing $42 billion and paid for by a 15% tax increase on all Colorado residents.

Instead, they pussyfoot around, posing selective half-truths like, “You can keep your doctor, this plan will lower your costs, expand your coverage, eliminate co-pay deductibles and save the state money in the end.” Bullroar.

Thomas Jefferson and James Madison said the states should be the laboratory of democracy — this same plan was overturned by Massachusetts voters, withdrawn by the Democratic governor of Vermont because he finally admitted it would bankrupt his state, rejected by Ohio voters in recent years and proved fiscally and practically unworkable in Illinois. Moreover, socialized healthcare hasn’t worked in Venezuela, Cuba, Russia or Europe. That’s why the Canadian Prime Minister came to America to have his heart surgery — because we have the best healthcare in the world.

We all agree it could be better. But covering pre-existing conditions, carrying policies across state lines, free market incentives to allow insurance companies to provide affordable policies for all citizens and tort reform (among other flaws) can easily be solved collaboratively in separate reform legislation so we don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.

All of us in Colorado are caring and compassionate and willing to help those less fortunate than ourselves. But that does not automatically brand someone an Ebenezer Scrooge who does not believe in government mandated income redistribution in order to facilitate socialized medicine. Our society has the broadest, most benevolent social safety net in human history that has historically been supported by individuals, families, businesses and volunteer charitable groups in their respective communities without the heavy hand of central planning dictating their generous contributions.

This issue deserves a serious factual debate and an up or down vote based on the truth. The future of our free Republic hangs in the balance.

Kim McGahey

Chairman

Summit County Republicans