I see this morning that yesterday’s health tax ballot here in Oregon passed handily.
I don’t know if the yea voters did so in a fit of largesse at the public trough. Or if they poked the Yes key (is there such a thing?) out of consistency with their well-practiced personal pocketbook expressions of compassion for the needy.
Whatever the motivator, they approved a pile of new tax dollars for hospitals:
Oregon’s Medicaid program survived intact Tuesday, after voters approved hundreds of millions of dollars in health care taxes in a special election.
Measure 101, which led 61 percent to 39 percent with returns partially tallied, was the only issue on the ballot. It will raise $210 million to $320 million in taxes on Oregon’s largest hospitals and many health insurance policies by 2019.
Correction: Oregonians approved a pile of next tax dollars from hospitals. And many health insurance policies.
I must not understand the Way Things Are. To me it seems they approved increasing the cost of going to the hospital and of buying health insurance. To me that seems like approving new taxes on yourself. (And on me.)
If you want to read more, try my source for the above two news paragraphs: Oregon voters overwhelmingly pass health care taxes.
PS: I know that God is the One with the healing hand. Too many Oregonians and other such native Americans bite that hand also. That’s far worse than biting the hospital’s hand. Now chew on this: The Benefits of Sickness. Unless you would prefer some inspirational reading from my writings about Psalm 23: My Shepherd Leads Me.
And if you want to get real uncomfortable — more than paying more taxes — read what I wrote about the story of the rich guy who wouldn’t sell his stuff so he could donate the proceeds to the poor.
