Cynthia Davis on health care vote: A tremendous victory for those who favor limited government

(From former Rep. Cynthia Davis, R-O'Fallon, now an internet radio talk show host)

It looks like nearly everyone is happy! Now that the Obamacare replacement bill was removed from the House agenda, both sides of the political spectrum feel rescued from a bad bill. Democrats thought it would diminish Obamacare. Republicans thought it was too much like Obamacare. This is a classic example of how "governing from the middle" can be a total flop.

The fact that no vote was officially taken means the Republicans lacked the numbers for it to pass and they didn't want to humiliate themselves. However, we can still see how the members were likely to vote because The New York Times printed a whip list for us to examine.

If the government would get out of the healthcare industry, the prices would lower themselves. The bill Paul Ryan promoted failed to incorporate the reforms necessary for healthcare costs to deflate. It retained the main driver behind the price escalation---the insurance mandates.

The quickest way to reduce the cost of healthcare is to get the government out of it. When the Congress implements ideas that reduce the cost of healthcare, the cost of the insurance will reduce naturally.

I never was able to call Obamacare "The Affordable Care Act" because it would violate my conscience to promote a lie. Anything that did so much damage to our healthcare system by driving up prices of medical insurance, cannot honestly be called "affordable". Referring to it as the "Affordable Care Act" is not just a euphemism, it's a falsehood.

Obamacare was not designed with the people in mind. It was designed with the lobbyists in mind---the lobbyists for the insurance industries and the hospital industries. Those flaws continued to exist in the Ryan bill. As a result, the newly proposed bill regurgitated more of the same old ideas repackaged under the Republican banner.

Unfortunately, some of the Democrats are acting like they won just because the Republicans are taking more time to deliberate. They should not throw it up in people's faces like this is a win. The blame for the damage done to our healthcare industry belongs at the feet of the Democratic party.

It's likely that Obamacare will implode on its own. As costs continue to increase, more healthy people will save money by getting their healthcare needs met outside the insurance model. As the insurance pool becomes top-heavy with sick people, fewer insurance choices will be available. History will blame the Democratic party for their promotion of a failed Socialistic experiment.

Whatever the Republicans pass will ultimately be owned by them. That's why those who advertise themselves to be in favor of freedom must show a clear distinction between themselves and the Democrats. Thankfully, the lack of action shows the American people that a few Republicans won't just pass a bill because their party wrote it. Those who feel badly about the defeat of this bill didn't read it either. They were misled into thinking this would solve our problems and was a full repeal of Obamacare, which it was not!

The Republicans in the Freedom Caucus deserve credit for sparing our Country of a huge mistake. Were it not for them, the rank and file Republicans would have passed this. The members of the Freedom Caucus forced the other members to look at WHAT IS IN THE BILL and took the time to read it before they were willing to pass it. They also proved that they care more about doing what is right than pleasing the leadership of their caucus.

Those of us in favor of limited government just won a tremendous victory.