Obama, Democrats betray America

Having fought two wars for the America I love, I am deeply troubled by its current situation. Our hard-won democracy and freedom are under serious attack by Obamacare. Instead of improving health care, this legislation drives the country toward socialism by expanding an already large class that depends upon government handouts, which buys votes for the incumbent political party.

President Obama and congressional Democrats are betraying the American working people by vastly increasing their debt. The only way Democrats managed to pass the health care bill was by deceptive tactics, payoffs and deals behind closed doors. They used "reconciliation" because they did not have the votes to pass it in the normal way — a violation of established rules. Moreover, they withdrew $535 billion from Medicare to show phony total costs below $1 trillion and increased taxes by $1.5 trillion, thus driving up costs for everyone's medical care.

Americans want health care reform, but they do not want their care controlled, encumbered or rationed by government. The Republican initiatives, which would reduce costs and still make improvements, were omitted. Instead, Obamacare will be a harsh, nonresponsive system managed in Washington and monitored by the IRS. The system is so poorly designed that, even with all their pressure tactics, its sponsors could not win support from 34 House Democrats, who joined all of the Republicans in voting against the bill.

Although Obamacare is now law, we can still take back America. We can end Obamacare by voting Congressional Democrats out of office and creating common-sense, market-oriented, and patient-centered health care reform that does not raise taxes or multiply our debt but instead will foster prosperity for the majority without sacrificing individual freedom.

Enar Sanders, Crofton