Reasons to let the government run things

Posted by on

The president had it “Town Hall” photo-op today. And he used the opportunity to explain how the government health care plan is a great idea:


[direct link]

Note where he said, “U.P.S. and FedEx are doing just fine. It’s the post office that’s always having problems.”

My fears are now allayed: I’m thrilled to hear that government-run health care will be as efficient as the post office. And that’s according to the president.

Your hard-earned money will be collected from your paycheck via taxes, and sent to finance a program that will be run like the post office.

Let me say that I have a brother-in-law that works for the post office. He’s a good guy. And most of the postal workers I’ve met are good people, too. I say that so they won’t … well … go postal on me.

Anyway, the president has convinced me. We need to have government-run health care. And the post office example sold me.

But, there are some of you, I’m sure, that aren’t yet convinced. So, as a loyal American (who doesn’t what to be flagged), I present other reasons to let the government run health care. Here are things that will present excellent examples of how government-run organizations (regardless of the level of government) operate:

  • Amtrak
  • The quality of public schools
  • The NEA funding of porn
  • The DMV
  • Oil for Food
  • Paying farmers to not grow crops
  • Student visas
  • The TSA
  • FEMA
  • The IRS

If these examples don’t show you just how wonderful a government-run health care system will be, I don’t know what will convince you.

1

44 Comments

  7. The one thing, albeit a bad thing, to come from gub’ment health care that will sound good to some is job creation. Think of the bureaucracy of the SS Administration and other programs where much or even most of each dollar goes to the workers who send out the checks. And think of the overworked and underpaid staff at your clinic waiting for their monthly payroll. Try not to think of the waiting rooms crowded with patients there to scam some pain meds.

    Reply to this comment

  8. * LBJ’s management of Vietnam.

    * LBJ’s management of the U.S. domestic sector.

    BTW, Basil, I hope you’re not being sarcastic when referring to the U.S. education system. Afterall, some people consider it a good thing that many Americans are now stupid enough to believe that the New Deal worked.

    [Well, I do have two sisters that have made careers teaching in the Georgia state school system. But, they fall into the category of my brother-in-law: good people in a government bureaucracy. – B]

    Reply to this comment

  10. Interestingly, the one government entity that can be truly looked upon with pride, is our military. We have without a doubt one THE BEST military in the world. Our fighting men and women can get the job done no matter where they go. I say it is interesting because the Constitution actually allows for the government to run the military. It’s almost as if the government can do a decent job running something that they have the constitutional power to run.

    [Having served in the military (Army), I would say that there are many inefficiencies in the system. However, the nature of the military, with its strict chain of command, allows it to accomplish its goals. For the government to accomplish something with the level of success our military has, it would have to be implemented in the same manner. I’m not sure folks would like that.

    I would be interested in Harvey’s (Navy) thoughts on this. – B]

    Reply to this comment

  11. Lily, perhaps you’ve never had the pleasure of requistioning supplies in the military? Or have the mission change because politicians put pressure on the Brass at the Pentagon? Or had to follow Rules Of Engagement? It’s not the Soldiers/Sailors/Airmen/Marines fault, but there are parts of the Military that are a Clusterf**k.

    [Well put. – B]

    Reply to this comment

  12. Pingback: Catmman

  13. Wow. I am so totally confused by his response. So, he doesn’t want taxpayer dollars to fund the government run health care system? How, then, will it operate?

    Ah, he says, through billings, just like . . . um . . . private insurance? Then why have a government system?

    Am I missing something or does this guy tell fibs with the best of them?

    Reply to this comment

  14. Here are two efficiencies that are overlooked. The government collects taxes and then in turn invests the money, like in Freddy Mac and Fanny Mae. They use the earnings from these endeavors to pay for health care or…..they just print the money. Hell, what a deal. A dimes woth of ink and a dimes worth of paper and whaellaa! A trillion dollars.

    Reply to this comment

  15. I think I’ll repeat my Stamps comment. In the Post Office we have to pay for our stamps and their boxes only come in seven-ish- shapes and sizes plus they ship around the country within 2-6 weeks. If our Health care will be like this I can only assume that means that all of your treatments will cost a few dollars, as long as they fit in seven-ish- doctor specialities, and should only last 2-6 weeks, also they will not be available on sundays ( maybe saturdays depends on how the economy is doing) and government holidays.

    Reply to this comment

  16. So, when a doctor, or nurse or whatever under Obama care finally reaches the breaking point and walks into the ER and opens up with a sawed off shot gun, will the be referred to as “Going Medical”?

    Oh, wait! What was I thinking? By time something like that happens, all of the legally owned fire arms in the country will have been confiscated! The only people who have guns will be the Stasi… er… police and, of course, criminals.

    Reply to this comment

  21. You are correct in assuming that I have never served in the military.

    I have no doubt what you all say about the “efficiencies” in the military are very true. My son is a full time Mandarin Chinese Linguist for the Air Guard. And while he can’t tell much of anything that goes on because it is all classified, I have always gotten the impression from him that there is a reason that Military Intelligence is considered an oxymoron.

    But I think that the reason the military can, in spite of itself, do such an incredible job under every imaginable condition, is because the kind of people who are in the military are people who are volunteering to lay down their life for their country. People like that just get the job done whatever it takes.

    At the DVM you get the kind of people who won’t lay down their donuts to wait on people in line if it’s their coffee break time. I think we all suspect which kind of people will be running government health care.

    Reply to this comment

  22. I hate to say it but I kinda think that the USPS — like the National Parks Service and the US Mint — are three of the things that the Feds do relatively well.

    But with that said, govt running healthcare is a very, very, very bad idea that totally sucks monkey turds. If you think HMOs are cheap now with what treatments they allow, just wait ’til healthcare is “free” from Uncle Doctor Sam. Especially when the poor can already get treatment in any county hospital — on our dime. There really is no need to get the Govt involved in that.

    And I also hate to say it, but I sincerely believe — from personal experience — that the majority of us govt employees are, like Basil’s relatives, very hard-working, dedicated to our missions, and trying to keep up with an ever-increasing workload with less and less staff.

    It’s not the govt employees you hate, it’s the lazy minority of govt employees that make the rest of us look bad. It’s also a current President and a Congress that is unresponsive at best and hostile at worst. It’s also the inefficient bureaucracy and Federal, state, and local regulations under which we, the rank and file, have to operate or spend 5-10 in Leavenworth.

    When I could not get hired in the private sector, even with 3 college degrees to my credit and a straight-arrow spotless reputation, my govt paycheck kept a roof over my head and food in my stomach; it “gave” (for lack of a better word) me practical, marketable experience. And being single with no other source of income, my govt paycheck also kept me off the unemployment line and the welfare rolls, and instead put me on the taxpayer rolls as well as enabled me to develop and use my education and experience in a productive manner.

    And because I was raised to be grateful for what I have, I have also returned my relatively good fortune by donating cash and/or household goods of my own to individuals in need as well as to favorite local charities. I’m just a lowly civilian, but as a govt employee in a way I feel like I’m serving my country that is very worth serving…even when the current CinC is a communist idiot.

    And yes, as an American citizen I also thank God that (for now) I have to freedom to express my less-than-flattering opinion of the current CinC. 😉

    Reply to this comment

  23. How about the government run health systems that are currently doing a stellar job?

    The VA…oh, uh, I mean…

    The Indian Health service….yeah, no. Ok, how about,

    Medicare….erm….

    Military hospitals? Been there, done that, no thanks.

    Well, crap! These guys aren’t helping!

    Reply to this comment

  29. Obama at least promises that his socialized medicine will be done the American way. Which means grand opening specials, 20% off coupons, cheerleaders, and free samples of Ensure. Sign me up.

    Reply to this comment

  34. Pingback: PapaTodd.com » Reasons to let the government run things

  36. georgia beach scott black conressman say’s he getting hate mail, nazi graffiti swastika kind of trouble? gee sounds like another round of rope action trouble? remember all the ropes being put ons by blacks saying they were offended BS? create! black gets beat up handing out don’t tread on me literature by three blacks in missouri” lawyer white just happen to be hanging out with unemployed him at the time? remember black professor with rope on her door? remember the jena six blacks on one white protest offended by rope in tree justice? same time three blacks murdered execution style by illegal immigrant let out on bail for child RAPE? nothing happing on the black rap page on that one? than theirs good old professor gates racial profiling outrage? arrested for disorderly conduct charge? goverment run health care where nobody understands the 100013 page bull bill or reads it? judicial black monica conyers husband john the chairman public statement of nobody got the time to read it and if they tryed to understand it one would need two lawyers? TRUST! quack! quack! quack! yes our wonderful darlings in washington priority ALERT health care crissis of hurry hurry step right up and TRUST FANNY MAE stimulus us? americans future are in their best illegal interest thats for open borders swine flu for sure! immigration authority bringing in TB criminals minnesota? oops leporsy TB and sexual dieases too arkansas? hillary handing out condoms in africa to fight sexual violence priority? yes TRUST? what? who? where? YEAH THE QUACK QUACK QUACK obama washington attack crissis priority alert elimination health care cost saver ALERT AMERICA. the more of U.S. they eliminate the more they save? control control control ALERT. INDEPENDENT NATION on full ALERT? AMEN.

    [Now who can argue with that?! – B]

    Reply to this comment

  37. Evidence does not lie and looking upon how those government-run programs are doing now it would be insanity to let them start up another one.

    Let them prove first that they can run what they already have properly and in the black and then we’ll talk about letting them have healthcare. Good luck trying to achieve that goal within a ponzi scheme.

    Apparently ponzi schemes are illegal for everyone except the Federal Government.

    Reply to this comment

  40. Remember, many of our service men and women who work for the USPS are Verterans. Thank you Vets for the outstanding mail service that I receive. I always will use the USPS because they do not charge a GAS TAX like UPS. Support the USPS Veterans, they fought for your freedom and many work for the USPS.

    [Maybe that’s why they’re such good shots. – B]

    Reply to this comment

  41. Department of agriculture;
    Budget in 1952 – $176 Million
    Budget in in 2002 – $22 BILLION
    Number employed in agriculture in 1952 – 6.5 Million
    number employed in agriculture in 2002 – 2.3 Million
    that is $9.6 million for every person employed!
    Want that same efficiency in Health Care?

    Reply to this comment

  42. I am actually so old I can remember when Americans used to mock the Soviet Union for its unwieldy bureaucracies. Really. Big time. That just quietly died over the years, under both Republican and Democrat regimes. That’s too bad — we’ve lost something important here since those wonderfully light-hearted, free days.

    Reply to this comment

  43. To be honest I haven’t read all the comments so if this was already mentioned I apologize.

    I haven’t seen a lot of mention of the fact that Obama’s comparison of FedEx and UPS to the post office is a little misleading on another level. When was the last time you tried to mail a letter through FedEx or UPS? They are not allowed (by the government) to compete in that arena… only packages. You might notice also that even when you mail a package via the post office, they sub-contract to UPS.

    Reply to this comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.