ObamaCare and Mission Creep: Why health care reform will end up covering much more than you think.

From the war in Iraq to the space station, government programs almost always end up costing much more than they were supposed to. They also usually end up doing more than they were supposed to. Would ObamaCare be any different?

Some say ObamaCare would lead to death panels, even euthanasia classes. Now supporters of President Obama's health care overhaul are fighting back against such charges. And the president himself warns: "If you misrepresent what's in this plan, we will call you out."

But you don't have to side with those who warn of euthanasia classes to recognize that government programs often end up doing all kinds of things that weren't in politicians' original plans. Call it mission creep. Politicians pass a program, and then the scope of the program grows and changes.

It's happened with everything from state-level health insurance plans to the Troubled Asset Relief Program. TARP's original mission was spelled out in its name--the governments would purchase troubled assets from financial institutions. However, just over a year later TARP's mission has exploded, and billions in TARP funds have gone to bail out General Motors, Chrysler, and struggling homeowners. TARP money may even fund another stimulus.

"The Best Laid Plans of ObamaCare" is written and produced by Ted Balaker, and hosted by Nick Gillespie. Director of Photography: Alex Manning; Associate Producer: Paul Detrick

Approximately two-and-a-half minutes.

For downloadable versions of this video, go to http://reason.tv.

Go to http://reason.com for health care articles.

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[WingChunGeologist]

The problem with California isn't that it's taxes are too low, it's that too many people are tax recipiants and not taxpayers.

[dirtbagstatus]

when massachussetts mandated health insurance the cost of my plan doubled.now they want that nation wide?Bad idea!

@exodus wake up government programs almost always have cost overuns.I find it hard to believe theyre gonna cut medicare to fund this with all the babyboomers retiring soon then they'd lose a lot of votes.Unfunded liabilities are gonna collapse our system.

[felpaluche]

Nice explanation

[FreedomInAmerica]

Obamacare was signed on March 2010 with 59% of the people disapproving according to a CNN poll. The CBO scored Obamacare on six years of coverage for 10 years of taxes, which is how the CBO showed the bill to be deficit neutral . It’s unconstitutional mandating all citizens to purchase health care. Even Pelosi said, “We have to pass the bill, so you can find out what is in it.” watch?v=KoE1R-xH5To It’s also meant to take over industry watch?v=p-bY92mcOdk

Allen West 2012

[bornthug213]

Interesting

[bmore209]

this guy is an ignorant, stupid, rob blagoavitch

[WingChunGeologist]

@liOVERLOADil

Yes California is a high tax state. We possibly have the highest state taxes in the country (although NYC taxes may be even higher).

I think that California has something like 30 percent of the welfare cases in the USA, with most of that money going to unwed mothers. This ongoing pattern of welfare spending, along with high levels of illegal immigration, has resulted in a massive inmate population that costs CA taxpayers $ Billions every year.

[liOVERLOADil]

@WingChunGeologist Taxes in California are VERY high.

[jm04206]

@KJamesB Hmmmm, how can wars be illegal if they were authorized by Congress? That wasn't the dumbest thing you said Castro, just the one I felt like picking on

[WingChunGeologist]

@KJamesB

There's productive ways to spend money and destructive ways to spend money.

Spending money on infrastructure such as Hoover Damn, TVA and the Interstate freeway system makes America richer.

Spending money to induce young women to have children out of wedlock, and subsidize every other bad decision people makes America poorer.

[duanescot]

@KJamesB where did i say i supported republican spending? can you find even ONE reference? No, you can't, because I DONT! got it? now if you were able to think outside of the terms of a two party system, where the fantasy is that one is good, and one is bad, maybe you would of thought of that before ranting off on some tangeant that I don't resemble in the least bit!