George: Trust is Sorely Lacking

Hi Fred and all,

I am very dubious that Mr. Obama's plan for socialized medicine is the answer; and the White House's huge marketing blitz makes one even more suspicious. When governments get involved with commerce, they impose price controls, and price controls bring shortages. Happens every time. That's why central planning didn't work in the former Soviet Union.....or, rather, it did work quite well, if the desired result was to force Russians to do without. Everybody will be covered, they say, no matter how sick, and you can see your doctor whenever you want. Sounds great, but won't costs explode? Of course they will. How could it be otherwise?

Liberals/socialists/collectivists always have these great reasons why we should turn over our money, our choices and our liberties to them, "for the common good", because they know better how to spend money than we poor ignorant slobs who earned it. This time around, the argument is that if you just let Washington run health care, everybody will have access, nobody will be refused, and the costs will be modest -- all sweetness and light and soft music. I don't believe it. The insurance employees will be replaced by more bureaucracy at the federal level - who have a far more generous benefit program and can't be fired if the program isn't working out. How is that more efficient?

Mr. Obama and his worshippers want us to trust them on this. Sorry ----- but trust is sorely lacking at this point. My fear is that unintended consequences of his program would bring us much higher taxes, fewer choices, and shortages. That's my own bias --I believe in the private sector (free people making decisions in their own best interest) much more than I trust government compulsion. I would rather see some combination of already-existing organizations - charities, volunteer health clinics, pharmacies, etc. try to put together a low-cost program to help those without insurance. Things are already evolving in that direction. I bet Wal-Mart could deliver babies for $99, if they were allowed to do it.

George