Medicaid expansion, spending programs based on taxation

In Tuesday, Sept. 3 edition of the Daily Bee, Medicaid expansion promoters Luke Mayville and Rebecca Schroeder write earnestly about the benevolence of this program.

It is apparently their thinking that any government spending program with a compassionate intention is justified, and that anyone who seeks to limit said program is being mean — if not worse.

They need to be reminded that spending programs like Medicaid are based on taxation, a feature that leads thoughtful people to oppose them. Frankly, it seems rather shallow to argue for a program without recognizing its basis in taxation, pretending that the money for it drops gently and harmlessly from the sky. Taxation always and necessarily puts a great burden on human beings, including severe burdens on the poor.

In their next Medicaid expansion opinion, then, Luke and Rebecca should be frank and honest about the gravity of the arrangement they are defending. They might begin thus: “Recognizing that Medicaid funds are taken by force and the threat of force from our fellow-citizens, we nevertheless wish to argue in favor of this program.”

JIM PAYNE

Sandpoint