Have you heard this lately?
This is a government takeover of health care!
That is THE talking point of the Republican Party. I have never heard any single piece of political propaganda repeated more than that one. It is repeated because it is short, simple and easily assimilated by the simple minded. It defines who and what we are, that the American Government (answerable to the people) is an evil entity out to destroy freedom and liberty while it is far better to have Dow Chemical, Goldman Sacks, Citibank and Wellpoint (answerable only to the profit for the wealthy board of directors) controlling our lives. Which is crazycrap.
This basic issue was covered by Michael Moore on Bill Maher the other night but needs repeating. The earthquake in Chile was hundreds of times more powerful than the earthquake in Haiti. 300 were killed in Chile compared to 300,000 in Haiti. Chile is a regulatory big government nation, Haiti is THE Ayn Rand Libertarian and Tea Party Republican paradise with no central government denying freedom and liberty through regulations. The difference is 100 times more devastation including 299,700 more bodies.