***Political Promises Made to be Broken

As this article goes to press, it seems that Congress is hell-bent on giving us a health care bill that they promised will not cost the American public a single dime in new taxes.

How many times have we heard promises like that?

Social Security was promised to be only a 1 percent tax on the first $1,200 of earnings when it was introduced.

Social Security benefits were promised to never be taxed.

Medicare was promised to be the solution to rising health care costs for seniors.

These two programs are now the largest spending items in the federal budget.

If there is anyone out there who believes a government run health care program will “break-even” and not require a mammoth increase in taxes, please contact me.

I have a few thousand acres of Florida swamp I’d like to sell you.

If history has tried to teach us anything, it has screamed out to us that programs run by our government are wasteful, excessively administrated and cost far more in the end than anyone could have imagined in the beginning.

The only way that costs can be controlled in a health care plan is to ration the care the plan gives.

You get what you pay for, and you pay for what you get.

Well, now there has been an amendment proposed to the Pelosi health care bill that will force Congress to put their own “fat in the fire” when it comes to public health care.

House Resolution 615 would require that members of Congress be enrolled in the same public health care program they provide for the citizens of the country.

If this health care bill is as good as they say it is, they should have no objections to being covered by it.

Louisiana Congressman, John Fleming, who also happens to be a physician, has been promoting HR615 from his Congressional Web site.

He also believes that any member of the House or Senate who votes for the Pelosi health care bill should be dropped from the current Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) ­— arguably the Rolls Royce of health care plans — and enrolled in the same public option plan they think is so good for the rest of us.

Thus far the Democratic majority has done all it can to silence Fleming.

It has turned into a bitter partisan fight.

This is unfortunate for neither the Republicans nor the Democrats have the market cornered on bad… or good ideas.

Mel Brooks coined the phrase “It’s good to be the king” summarizing that life at the top ain’t too bad.

The same goes for our government where “It’s good to be a Congressman (or Senator)” since they get preferential treatment.

As soon as we start requiring our members of Congress to participate in the same programs they jam down our throats, I guarantee that those programs will get a whole lot better and stronger. If you feel, as I do, that what’s good for us is also good for Congress, you can visit John Fleming’s website at www.fleming.house.gov and add your name to the millions who support the resolution and the amendment. If you choose not to let your voice be heard, I submit that you’ve taken the first step in giving up your freedom of speech.

Al Benelli is a Certified Financial Planner™ and founder of The Merlin Group. Securities and investment advice offered through Capital Financial Services Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, 2605 Egypt Road, Trooper; 610-676-0668.