Quote:
Originally Posted by Excaliber
"Palin" and "dream" in the same sentence? I think that's only allowed if it's a wet dream...  |
Nice Earnie, now I see why you were silent for so long on these forums. You need to consider that option again, or think about your posts more carefully before you post it. Counter the ideas, not the messenger, especially in such a sleezey way. Your lack of tact is much more objectionable and destructive of dialogue than some frustrated folks raising their voices at open meetings when the politicians persist in reading misleading or outright false prepared statements rather than answering the concerns of participants who have actually read some of the proposed legislation while they obviously have not.
My opinion is that Obama, Reid and Pelosi et al. are about to back down on government run health insurance option and may be some of the new direct regulation of health care in these bills; however, that will not fix the crisis as it leaves in place all the perverse incentives to over bill, over treat, over medicate and over sue of the current system, largely in place due to GOVERNMENT intervention at the national and state levels that make cost saving and innovation from new entry into this market costly or impossible. For sure those that profit from such government restrictions on heath care entry will line up to support this.
When costs continue to escalate and treatment continues to become more the province of risk managers and lawyers, there will be another push to grab hold of health care and nationalize it. I see that as exactly the wrong direction to go, but that is likely when so many view bureaucrats as the solution to every problem and have so little appreciation how largely unregulated markets work to promote innovation, individual consumer choice and cost control. Only the government can make me buy something I don't want or prevent a seller from selling me something I do want. General motors never got a dime from me after the Citation I bought in 1981. Now they have claim to my income and that of my children and grandchildren without our permission. The same will result from increased and continued government control of health care.
Now about Obama winning all the fights. Agreed. And the national deficit for this year is over $1.6 trillion, more that four times the previous record in 2008. Which was nothing to sneeze at. Thanks to all who empowered this congress and this president for passing on to my kids and their kids an ADDITION to their share of the public debt of $5100 per person in just this year for which they will pay interest on the rest of their lives. Don't even try to give me the inherited argument. Demo congress passed it all with Obama voting yea.
For those of you who like the "hope" and "change" we now have, I'll keep my choice and you keep the "change". My hope is that 2010 sees a dramatic reversal of the current death spiral we have embarked upon in 2006 and 2008 and that a viable alternative emerges. Honestly the difference between the two parties is a matter of degree, not principles. Do you like to slide down this razor blade slow or fast? That has been about it. McCain was a perfect example as was Bush. A 3+ trillion dollar national government is way too big. Over 40 trillion dollars of unfunded obligations is absurd. The real issue of equity and justice is the intergeneration transfer of debt to our children. If you want to buy health care for someone who is an illegal or between coverages or self insured or young and dumb or is lacking job skills, then do it privately, but please allow me the same choice. I do my charity locally where there are no bureaucrats skimming off the top and where I know the need is real. Don't use your social concern to steal the money from our kids so you can feel noble on the cheap. When did we get the right to make such choices for the future generations?
Catch a clue, not only is this huge in direct present and future costs, it will kill future private investment, private jobs, private choice and increasing living standards. I lived in Europe for six years, it is dying quickly under the weight of the costs of exactly this sort of all encompassing government social welfare entitlements and regulation. We are close on their heals and gaining ground. Obama might win that one also. Hope is not a method and change is not good in and of itself. We are getting what we asked for, but I can not see this as positive.
Mike