Posted by
Good Al on Wednesday, July 15, 2009 12:56:08 PM
Why is it so many politicians are always so big on
breaking up monopolies in the private sector? Well, I'd contend their
motives are not so pure, because most so called monopolies in the
private sector were aided by government. In general though, monopolies
tend to limit peoples choices and quality of goods and services,
whereas, competition brings the cream to the top. If I am the only
person within a hundred miles selling apples, and there is a good
demand for apples, I can sell inferior apples at a higher price than
normal. Now, If John Doe moves in down the street, selling better
quality apples, at a more reasonable price; what will I have to do in
order for my business to survive? Well, I'll be forced to improve my
product and lower my prices.
Now, if I am the
government selling the apples, I can just make the rules of selling
apples such that John Doe cannot make a profit, and thus, his business
will go under. Right now, in our Federal government, and down to many
of our local governments, there is a push to change all the rules of
economics and dismantle the notion of free markets. Already, the House
has passed a so called energy bill that will bring destruction and
chaos into our everyday way of life. The "Cap and Trade" bill has more
to do with the taking of liberty, than its stated purposes of "energy
independence" and "cleaner environment." It will lead to more energy
dependence on foreign sources or shortages, a less clean environment, a
decrease in our standard of living, and overall an all out assault on
what is left of a free market. That energy bill is still in the Senate,
and if passed it has to go through reconciliation with the House before
a vote on its final passage. So if you have concerns about the
destruction of the American way of life, it'd be a good idea to contact
yours and others elected officials in
Washington.
Now, a similar effort to take more
liberty is being worked out in the House under the guise of health
care. I hope somebody is waking up to the tyranny that is being
perpetrated by this Congress. Has anybody noticed what has happened in
the health care industry since the 1960's when government instituted
Medicare? Government intrusion into an industry always leads to
increased costs and increased inefficiency. Does anybody who is
clammering for government controlled health care know a veteran that
uses the VA health care system? Our soldiers have fought for us through
the years and we have rewarded them with a government health care
system. A system that gives them long waits, long rides to facilities,
less choices, and very much frustration. Go ask some veterans what they
think of government health care. Well, I always thought this was a
grave injustice to our veterans. So now, we are about to expand
government into the health care of every American citizen, not to
mention illegal aliens.
Once again, just as the
"Cap and Trade" bill had more to do with taking of liberty, so it is
with the coming health care bill. The new legislation is so "good," the
Democratic leaders do not even want their fellow lawmakers to read it.
Just as Speaker Nancy Pelosi rammed the energy bill through without
anyone having read the bill, so will it be with the health care bill.
How can the Democratic Party Congressional leadership confidently pass
a bill they have not read. Why does this not bother the party faithful?
Well, they have their apparatchiks writing the bills with the overall
goal of government control. As long as the direction of the bill is for
more government control, they are not concerned with the details. They
will not have to live with the details, the American citizens will. The
Democratic Party is the party of government and it hopes to create a
voting block of dependents so large it will be near impossible to
thwart at the voting booth. For years they have scared senior citizens
into voting for them on the basis that the other guy was going to take
away their Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Just think how they
will use this health care takeover. Do you really want your health care
dictated by politicians?
I hope
my fellow Americans of all types regardless of labels will take notice
of this. First of all, is it proper for our government to be taking
over industries as they have over the past year? Do you really want
your health care controlled by government entities that are influenced
by politics? Do you really want a government monopoly controlling
matters of life and death for you and your family.
I began this piece by speaking of monopolies. The
same politicians that are always so excited about ending private sector
monopolies are the very ones bringing about a government monopoly in
health care. Let me just tell you, when government takes over
something, you lose the incentive to do better. Government looks at
everything as a finite pie, and if you don't fit into their prescribed
definitions, that is just too bad for you or your loved one. Liberal
politicians make the word "profit" a dirty word, but without a profit
incentive, no business has the motivation to do better. In my example
of selling apples above, as long as there was no competition, the
product suffered in quality and the price was not in line with the
value of the product.
Once the government becomes
the only health care provider, who will you go to when you do not like
the care that you are receiving? Right now, I get perturbed with the
U.S. Postal Service in my area because of the way they deliver my
conservative magazines late, and apparently used. Guess what, by
government fiat, I don't have another postal service provider, so I
learn to accept inferior service. You can point out many problems in
our current system, but the answer to those problems is not creating
government monopolies. The answer is found in my apple story above. Get
the government out of the system, and let more competition and new
methods enter into the system. More liberty equals more efficiency and
quality in all facets of the economy.
Well, if you
are very wealthy or well connected, you will always have a way around
the system. Just ask some of those that were in the oligarchy of the
old Soviet Union. Communism was not a problem for them, but for 10
million peasants that died in Stalin's government induced famines, it
was.
The following video by Steven Crowder of PJTV
is very illustrative of what happens when government monopolizes the
health care industry, as evidenced in Canada. It is true of every
industry government takes over (just wait and see what happens with GM
and Chrysler), but when it comes to health care, we are affecting
people on a level of life and death.
Ronald Reagan warned of all this government intrusion in to
health care back in the 1960's. If his words had been heeded at that
time, we would not have a lot of the mess that we have now. The very
government that created the mess is proposing to take over the whole
mess. What do you think that holds for the level of quality in the
health care industry? American ingenuity has brought about so many new
treatments in medical care despite the government intrusion we now
have, but that is about to come to an end if we allow this health care
bill to pass Congress. Innovation and ingenuity thrive in a competitive
marketplace, not in a government bureaucracy. Listen to what Ronald
Reagan has to say, and then let your representatives and Senators hear
what you have to say.