Comments about ‘Federalism must not be abandoned’

Gary, you should choose better buddies to co-author editorials with. Orrin doesn't give a dang about Utah, States Rights, or any of it. Orrin cares about Orrin. Period. Everything else is part of his swan song.

He witnessed Bob Bennett, knows that lots of folks would love for him to announce his retirement, so now this.

Yada, yada, yada....time to retire Orrin. I can't even begin to hear more of your 36 year old game plan.

Career politicians must be abandoned! Orin is the reason we need term limits.

"The Utah Health Exchange has become a model for increased access, transparency and competition"

As if, come again --- just pull up past articles here on Des News concerning just how successful the exchange has been, defined more by its fits and starts, and more tellingly companies bailing out due to high(er) than what they were paying prior. Dave Clark is still trying to bail out his pet project.

Until the insurance companies are forced to truly compete - and anyone who argues they currently do is blind to the facts - they will continue to force whatever pricing they want, esp on smaller businesses who have no real pull (negotiating power). Choice doesn't matter when your priced out.

Too bad there isn't a public option that could have kept the for-profit insurers a little more honest. The new health care bill is a step in the right direction.

If "Utah is already at the cutting edge of health care reform," then we are rolling out the 1957 Edsel. Only universal health care will work in the end if your goal is to cover everyone and to reduce the burden of lack of health insurance on society.

More campaign lip service to the Constitution. Conservatives, along with liberals, have united to hollow out the Constitution, particularly the 9th and 10th Amendments. They are no more than relics of a bygone era. They can thank their idol Abraham Lincoln and, later, the 14th Amendment (and subsequent rulings) for essentially crushing any notion of states' rights. Federalism was a nice idea, but it's long gone, never to return.

Where was Orrin Hatch during the health care debate? He was incredibly, totally, and irrepairably invisible, making this letter almost irrelevant.

No member of Congress is irreplaceable. None is indispensable. None is so important s/he cannot be replaced without Congress missing a step. None is better than us. Vote the bums out -- all of them.

I cannot comment on the efficacy of the current Utah plan. However, states have had this power from the beginning of our republic and have done little to address this problem in a meaningful way - hence the national problem.

If the federal bill stimulates states to provide a superior answer, I have no problem with a state by state solution (as long as an incoherent patchwork is not the result). If not, this is just so much talk.

Conservatives love states rights as long as the states are pursuing a conservative agenda. As soon as a state tries to pursue a liberal goal (medical marijuana, death with dignity, tougher environmental standards, etc.) then conservatives all of a sudden become fans of federal power.

Exactly right, Roland. Conservatives are basically liberals except when it's inconvenient.

Many of our country's biggest mistakes have resulted from dark or desperate times. The civil war, the great depression, fear of communism, 911, and now our current depression. Your personal feelings toward insincere politicians or the "other" political party should not lead you to downplay the importance of our country's key principles. It is much more important that we rein in our out-of-control federal government than it is that we win this month's political fight with the "other" party. Yes the 14th Amendment was a knee-jerk reaction, but it had its positive's as well. It was FDR's attack on state's rights and the judicial branch that has led us in to the bleak situation we are in today. As a nation, we must forget our selfish approach to politics and push to return balance to our Republic.

Matters raised in this thread:

1. Term limits. We have already got term limits - imposed by voters. It worked on Chris Cannon. Prune the unproductive parts of the tree.

2. Health Care: Keep government out of any further controls of the health care "industry" and reverse the recent legislation at the first opportunity.

The people can control high prices in health care themselves. Stay healthy (the best method we have and more often than not in our control) so reducing demand. Shop carefully for health insurance, or carry none, or buy only catastrophic insurance. Have you own savings account (whether in the bank or under the floorboards).

Demand to know the cost of a doctor's visit up front. Don't blindly accept every suggestion for every test recommended. Price every thing barring the rare real emergency. Don't socialize with doctors and staff, their time is your money.

Complain loudly at being overcharged. Do not pay unexplained or vague billing.

Start a watchdog group on costs. Comparison shop, publish and discuss prices of different doctors and facilities. Don't rush to the emergency room for every little sniffle. Inform yourself on basics of health and disease.

Hatch shows up in Utah every six years toting around his pocket Constitution and quoting James Madison.

The rest of the time he's supporting taxpayer bailouts (TARP), deals involving congressional representation for non-states (D.C.), and vast entitlement expansion (Medicare D).

I don't listen to a word he says anymore.

Governor, I advise maintaining your distance from him. You might get some of it on you.

It was state's rights that got my Mormon ancestors to Utah after governor Boggs signed his extermination order against Mormons. Without state's rights, Georgia couldn't have kicked the Cherokee off the land even our Supreme Court ruled belonged to them. It was Jackson and state's rights that added the "trail of tears" to America's rich history.

Roland Kayser | 8:35 a.m. May 13, 2010
Conservatives love states rights as long as the states are pursuing a conservative agenda. As soon as a state tries to pursue a liberal goal (medical marijuana, death with dignity, tougher environmental standards, etc.) then conservatives all of a sudden become fans of federal power.
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Agreed!!!

Finally - a summary in one paragraph!

I like it!!

"The Utah Health Exchange has become a model for increased access,..." Hogwash! Especially for the 50-64 year olds, many of whom are uninsurable (refused coverage) at any price, your exchange simply doesn't exist. Moreover, Utah's implementation is so danged slow, that many of these people will be pushing up daisies by the time you guys get around to it. Your precious Federalism is a death sentence for us. Thanks for nothing.

"On the one hand, it is permissible for the federal government to help with funding and support while the states develop and administer certain programs. On the other hand, it is impermissible for the federal government to commandeer states to administer federal programs."

Translation: "As long as the federal government gives Utah more than is asks from Utah, that's OK. But if the feds want more from us than we're getting from them, or if we even think the feds are asking more of us than we're getting from them, forget it."

Senator Hatch has always been especially self serving in all his Senatorial actions. For him the States Rights issue is no different. And for conservatives generally, the greatest sin is the thought that someone may be taking out more than they are putting in. It's worse than a person having sex with someone not their spouse. The illicit sex thing causes disapproving smirks and head shaking from conservatives. But the mere possibility of someone taking more than they are giving? That enrages them. Life, in all its fullness, is a zero sum game to conservatives.

Conservatives - athiests. becuase they don't care for thier fellow brothers.

Socialists by nature are serving thier fellow mankind and therefore serving god wheather they know it or not.

Therefore conservatives are athiests despite thier claims to the contrary. By thier fruits ye shall know them.

I find it amazing how Orrin Hatch express his opinion so well concerning the subject of federalism while the commentors don't have, for the most part, enough knowledge to refute his writings, yet they are sooo much the authority. If you cannot properly express opposition without degrading the writer, you should not be commenting.

Screwdriver, your comment is so off the mark it is offensive. I am a conservative and I very much believe in God. I do what I can to help my fellow man, but I do not believe in giving hand outs to people who are not willing to help themselves by being productive. I work hard every day to keep a roof over my head, clothes on my back, and food on the table. There are people who have hard times and need my help to meet their needs, but I have no problem with that as long as they are doing all that they can to improve their situation. Health care is a very individual decision and should not be paid for by everyone else, unless you want to give your hard earned money to the cause. State laws should be sufficient to handle health care, but this is a complicated issue and it will take time to solve. Are you doing your part to solve the problem, or are you part of the problem? You decide.

DMH | 1:12 p.m.
.... I do what I can to help my fellow man, but I do not believe in giving hand outs to people who are not willing to help themselves by being productive.

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DMH -
Thank you for affirming and proving "Screwdriver's" point. He is correct, you are wrong.




Mosiah 4:
17 Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just–

18 But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God.