Historic - and costly - legislation

President Obama and Democratic congressional leaders have proclaimed that the passage of health care reform is a crowning achievement, comparable to Social Security and Medicare. While our officials dance in the halls, let us remind them that those programs, including prescription coverage, now represent a historic mountain of unfunded liabilities.

For the first time in 111 years of lawmaking, a major entitlement program that will affect the lives of every man, woman and child in this country has been passed against the majority will of the people and without a single bipartisan vote.

For the first time, every U.S. citizen will be mandated to purchase health insurance. This bill grants immense power to the Health and Human Services Department and to the Internal Revenue Service. Over 16,000 revenue agents will be hired to enforce this law with threats of fines, penalties and jail time. Over 30 states have committed their attorneys general to challenge this law.

At a time when unemployment is 9.7 percent and we are experiencing the worst recession since the Great Depression, our government is rolling the dice with a trillion-dollar investment in an overhaul of the best medical care system in the world. At a time when doctors are turning away Medicaid patients, this bill will add 16 million patients. In a recent survey, 29 percent of family doctors said they would quit or retire early if this law passed.

Congratulations, President Obama and members of Congress, on your historic achievement.

WILLIAM PIERCEY Sr., Cape Girardeau