Why does Oklahoma need a health insurance exchange? Because the feds say so? I keep reading that our state government officials want no part of a federally designed health insurance exchange, but plan to do one at the state level. I must be missing something. This is like a pouting child telling his parent that he is going to take his medicine because he wants to, not because the parent has demanded it. The result is the same.
Is this the best Oklahoma can do? Are our state leaders afraid to be more bold with Uncle Sam? How about,”we not only refuse your money to set up this exchange, but we refuse to set one up.” ”Go ahead and try to impose one and see what happens.”
The federal government is out of control, led by a pharaoh-like executive. I think it is time for the states to really push back against these bullies….not just by joining other states in lawsuits to declare this health care plan unconstitutional (although this is probably warranted). What is plan B? What do our state leaders plan to do when the federal courts declare that this federal law has to be obeyed (seriously…they work for the federal government)? Check out this great article by Walter Williams on whether laws should be obeyed.
The time to lead, not follow, has arrived. Are our state leaders up to the task? We’ll see.
G. Keith Smith, M.D.
