The debate about health care and health insurance has been framed by those who support government paid health care and health insurance as an access issue. Everyone has access to health care and health insurance so access is not the issue. The issues is who pays for the health care and health insurance. NOT who has access.

Many support extracting excessive taxes from “We the People” to pay for those who cannot pay for their health care or health insurance. Eventho people have access in many cases they have made the decision to remain in a condition that does not provide the income to pay for their own health care and health insurance. It is up to the individuals to take care of themselves and their family and providing for health care and health insurance is part of that care!

By leaving it to “We the people” to pay for health care and health insurance for those who have decided not to better themselves you will be developing a system that has as many abuses, flaws and the fraud as the current public assistance programs. The welfare system, the food stamp system, the Medicaid system, and most other government programs are wrought with flaws, fraud and abuse.

The Welfare and food stamp programs have not ended poverty. What these programs have done is continue poverty at a sustained level. Since the implementation of a welfare system in 1964 we have generated generation after generation of individuals on welfare and remaining in the welfare system at the poverty level for their entire life. Welfare and food stamps are not helping hands but programs meant to keep people in poverty.

By creating programs in which individuals are not responsible for their own health care and health insurance you will be establishing another group in addition to the same group of individuals that will remain dependent on “We the People” for their personal care, their health care and their health insurance for the remainder of their life.

During my lifetime I have learned that you are what you decide to be. Where you are at today is where you have decided to be. If we want individuals to become accountable, productive and responsible we must allow them to become this by ending the government freebie programs paid for by “We the People” and that means ending the current Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Ray Shamlin

Rocky Mount