My Morning Wooten

Well, well, well. Jim seems intent on giving me whiplash before he toddles off into retirement.

My vote, without reservation, is that the conservative minority in Congress and the Republican majority in the Georgia General Assembly, define what they’re trying to do with government — that is, to make it an instrument to cultivate personal responsibility and self-reliance — and coalesce around those agendas...The Democrats who control Washington are, without doubt, using programs like the State Children’s Health Insurance Program to move the nation to universal government-financed health care. Their intent was clear when President Bush vetoed earlier versions that moved the nation to that goal at a slightly slower pace.

Note that Jim doesn't fall into the easy myth that S-CHIP is "welfare". That's good. Those who benefit from S-CHIP are working class people who need a little help obtaining health insurance for their children. They pay premiums. There are limitations. Ignoring ideology for the moment, there is a lot of good in the program.

But Jim is right. Democrats intend to use the success of S-CHIP to push the universal healthcare camel-nose under the tent flap.

And that is where honest disagreement can occur.

It might surprise some that two years ago during the heated Peachcare debate, I was on the "wrong side" from some of the usual Democrat suspects. And here's the punchline - I used the same argument Jim used above.

Democrats (with notable exceptions such as Jim Marshall) view the Constitution's "general welfare" clause as a broad landscape where the brush of good can cover large swaths. Republicans (when they aren't advocating letting lunatics like Rush Limbaugh lead the party) see a narrow road where government provides rest stops as infrequently as possible.

In the case of healthcare, both sides have opportunity to make compelling cases without dipping into the crazy pool. It's as good a time as any to talk to us like adults. Believe it or not, we'll appreciate it.