Thought Leaders Segment: Health Care Reform with Matt Jacobson

As the Republican Gubernatorial Candidate for the State of Maine, Matt Jacobson, who was a guest on our October 19th, 2009 segment "A Buy American Exemption: The Maine View," brings both a unique and experienced perspective to the issues with which his constituents and both Americans and even Canadians in general are dealing. From health care reform to job creation and the economy, Matt believes that he has a clear cut vision of what needs to be done, and what it takes to lead and effect meaningful change. In this first 45-minute segment of what will be a regular appearance as part of the Business Thought Leaders Series, Matt will present his as well as the Republican view of the proposed reforms to the U.S. health care system. According to Matt, "neither of the two health care bills recently passed in the House and Senate are compliant with the 10th Amendment. In both versions, the federal government would force every citizen in the country to have health insurance provided by their employer, or would require that individuals purchase a federally approved health plan from a private insurance company." "This health plan purchase," Matt continues, "is not a suggestion or a recommendation by Washington — it is a mandate," and would require individuals to "spend thousands of their own dollars with a private insurance company or be subject to heavy fines, fees, extra taxes or other penalties." While everyone agrees that health care reform is important, this type of "top-down, Washington-based solution," concludes Matt, "is not good for the country and is contradictory to the constitutional rights of the states as defined in the 10th Amendment." Within the format of a conversational lecture, Matt will be given the virtual mike for approximately 20-minutes followed by a Q&A session that will be opened to our listeners. This will be an engaging and thought-provoking discussion that will shed some much needed light on health care reform.