A small-town newspaper in the state of Colorado has called for more socialism in its editorial column.

"Colorado needs a health care funding solution"

"The cost of public health care at any of the state’s hospitals should be affordable to patients, and the public health care they receive at a Colorado hospital should be top-notch.

If we believe both of those statements are true, Colorado must overhaul its budget process. Both quality and affordability in public health care require substantial investment, which is hindered by the state’s budget system during financially lean years.

Health care is one of the only areas of discretionary spending in the state budget. State sentencing laws require a certain amount of spending for prisons; a constitutional requirement protects funding for K-12 institutions; and federal requirements for Medicaid eat up another large portion of Colorado’s general fund. When those budget items must grow, but the state budget cannot, that squeezes public health care.

There are reassurances that health care funding isn’t on the chopping block for next year. Boulder Rep. Jack Pommer, who will head the Joint Budget Committee, said last week health care funding won’t face cuts in 2010 because the state must maintain a certain spending level to receive federal stimulus funding."


Is this the beginning of the end of American capitalism as we know it?

[NOTICE: Yes, the article is actually talking about higher education. The Editor has exchanged 'higher-education' for 'health care'. If one is socialist, so is the other.]