Health Care Equity Act of 2006

[crossposted on DailyKos and GreenMountainDaily]

A few days ago, nyceve wrote an excellent diary on the sad fact that it's now economically more feasible for a person in the US to travel thousands of miles to a foreign country for medical care than to receive that care in this country.

We all know that this is because of a simple lack of leadership from those who feel none of the consequences from their lack of spine, or worse, from certain industries being treated as "more equal" than "we the people" when it comes to legislative representation.

So, perhaps the best way to stiffen some spines is to give them a taste of their own (lack of) medicine.

In the interest of fairness for all Americans, I present the:

Health Care Equity Act of 2006

Whereas the members of the United States House and Senate have repeatedly proclaimed government-paid health care coverage to be an inefficient waste of taxpayer money, and

Whereas the members of the United States House and Senate currently receive such inefficent and wasteful government-paid health care coverage, and

Whereas the United States has incurred a budget deficit of [current $amount here], and

Whereas in light of such a deficit, it would be irresponsible to continue to waste tax-payer money to continue to pay for such inefficient health care coverage, and

Whereas it is unfair to continue to force the members of the US House and Senate to settle for such subordinate care when their health care interests will be better served by the free market,

Therefore it is resolved that government-paid health care coverage be ended for all members of the US House and Senate beginning no later than 12:01 am, January 1, 2007.

While this is designed for the federal legislature, there's no reason it couldn't be tweaked for one's state legislature and/or to include the "executive" and administration at each level.