GRAVETTE — I wasn’t going to write an “Off the Cuff” this week. There really wasn’t anything on my mind. Now don’t snicker. I know what you’re thinking.

But there was a blank spot on this page which needed something in it, so I debated: Should I print pictures of Christmas yard displays? Should I lambast Congress for some of the shenanigans they continue to surprise us with?

Well, the answer came rather quickly. I’ll print some Christmas pictures on other pages. And the esteemed legislators really don’t surprise us since they are in a continual state of dreamland, anything that I would write would be old news by the time you are reading this.

However.

However, I do feel an urge to make a few comments about the so called Health Care bill. Everyone or at least a majority, seems to believe there are problems with health care in this country. That is really a misnomer. It is not the care that hasthe problem. It is all those other facets of the system that are so often unexplainable.

It seems every time the government attempts to fix a problem it only gets worse. And every subsequent fix-attempt only complicates matters more: the infernal revenue code, the massive paperwork involving education reform. The list goes on.

If I remember right there was a saying that became a battle cry that helped start the revolution from which our nation evolved: “Taxation without representation is tyranny.”

Have we come full circle?Imagine fining/taxing people if they don’t want to buy health insurance. Should the new slogan be: “Taxation without representation is tyranny.” Makes you wonder.

Enough. Let’s get to something we can control. Let all of us say to one another: Merry Christmas. And God Bless Us Everyone.

Opinion, Pages 4 on 12/23/2009