Returning to a debate question

BoiFromTroy: BFT Debates Kerry and Bush Archives: "Question: Health insurance costs have risen over 36 percent over the last four years according to The Washington Post. We're paying more. We're getting less.

I would like to ask you: Who bears responsibility for this? Is it the government? Is it the insurance companies? Is it the lawyers? Is it the doctors? Is it the administration?"

Three answers are given, Mr Boi's, Bush's and Kerry's.:

Boi's answer has 3 parts:

1. The disconnect between the recipient and the payer.
2. Lawsuits.
3. Unnecessary burdens placed by State Laws.

Bush's answer

1. Need health savings accounts
2. Lawsuits
3. Need Information technology in medical practices.

Kerry:

1. Need generic drugs imported from overseas
2. More insurance for all.

However, these answers all miss an important facet of the problem. Health care needs to be rationed. Now, and increasingly in the future, health care will be limited not by what we can do by what we can afford to do. As more and more medical miracles become possible, people will desire that they be performed. However, the costs of ever more complicated procedures must be borne. At some point, soon if not already, the system will not be able to do everything possible for every patient. Rationing will be required. How rationing will be implemented is a serious issue that all three of our debaters here have dodged.

These issues should be on the table for politicians to discuss and come to a reasonable answer. We need more politicians like Mr Madison or Mr Adams. We need more politicians in Congress with the moral courage like that displayed by Pres. Bush in his decision to go into Iraq. Agree or disagree with that decision, all involved must recognize that it was a great risk and took great political courage to take the steps he felt needed in the face of the enormous risk. Too often, Congressional leaders (and the rest) seem unwilling to tell the American people that difficult decisions need to be made. They would prefer to promise them, whatever it takes to stay in power.