Let's make the U.S. Gov't the new Walmart!

[Gaston]

Since capitalists prize competition so much, why don't we make the U.S. Government a competitor? It works for the Postal system vs. UPS & Fedex, etc., why not expand it to healthcare, logging, mineral extraction, electrical power, telephones, broadband, etc.? I mean, since they claim the gov't is completely incompetent, they have nothing to fear, right?

(Note to Mods - we don't have an "evil grin" smilie, and we need one. [evil grin])

[forrest]

Since capitalists prize competition so much, why don't we make the U.S. Government a competitor? It works for the Postal system vs. UPS & Fedex, etc., why not expand it to healthcare, logging, mineral extraction, electrical power, telephones, broadband, etc.? I mean, since they claim the gov't is completely incompetent, they have nothing to fear, right?

(Note to Mods - we don't have an "evil grin" smilie, and we need one. [evil grin])

Like this?

http://www.wvwnews.net/images/teaser/evil%20grin.jpg

Or this?

http://www.weheartpets.com/media/2/zippy.jpg

[Crochety Carpenter]

[QUOTE=Gaston;46191]Since capitalists prize competition so much, why don't we make the U.S. Government a competitor? It works for the Postal system vs. UPS & Fedex, etc., why not expand it to healthcare, logging, mineral extraction, electrical power, telephones, broadband, etc.? I mean, since they claim the gov't is completely incompetent, they have nothing to fear, right?

.... You have noticed that the Postal system is not financially sound and does not compete well haven't you? Also that Medicade/ Medicare are a whole lot worse than private insurance and must be supplimented by tax payers AND private providers? The refusal rate of medicare is more than twice that of the nearest private provider? :smilie_wa

[Gaston]

That's my point - I keep hearing various pundits screaming "we don't want the government in the (X) business!" Healthcare is just the latest X. So there shouldn't be any problem with having a "public option" in healthcare, because it wouldn't be competitive anyway.

:D

[Crochety Carpenter]

That's my point - I keep hearing various pundits screaming "we don't want the government in the (X) business!" Healthcare is just the latest X. So there shouldn't be any problem with having a "public option" in healthcare, because it wouldn't be competitive anyway.

:D

Its very lack of competitiveness is what makes it so dangerous. Why would an employer pay ridiculous insurance costs (which the current versions of legislation would ensure) when he can say "I can't afford it, go to the government plan."

It would be like the government requiring UPS and Fedex to deliver letters to all doorsteps while saying that the post office can refuse smaller markets and deliver only to consolidated community boxes "to control costs". ;)

[Gaston]

Tenncare showed that the "public option" would work. But, it was wrecked by a carpetbagger DINO when the main problem is that they didn't aggressively pursue people who had insurance available at work, but took the cheaper Tenncare. Tenncare wouldn't have cost too much if there weren't so many people on it that had other insurance, too. (Also, they set up Tenncare to pay far more than other insurers and at cheaper premiums. That isn't what I'm talking about in a public option. It should be competitive in both coverage and out-of-pocket).

I'm not interested in gov't as a competitor. I'm concerned about folks who fall through the cracks. I can't see how we can consider ourselves a civilized nation when people stay sick or die because they can't buy/afford insurance. Civilized people don't set their sick out for the wolves to eat.

[Adam Blanchard]

set their sick out for the wolves to eat..... I like that idea batter than the whole out of pocket cost for healthcare in general. I have never had healthcare as an adult. I think I had it through my dads when I was a kid but since being an adult I have either not been able to afforrd it (independently or through an employer) or it wasn't available through an employer to be able to consider. I would love to see a public option that works and dosen't screw everyone in the process but if that never happens then I will be one of the many to never have healthcare coverage. Simple fact of life that I've gotten used to along with never depend on the government for anything, just cause they are for the people and by the people dosen't mean that they give a s**t about the people.

[Gaston]

Adam, that's easy to say when you're young and in basically good health. At your age I thought much the same way. However, I've never seen a truly sick person turn down medical care, not the sane ones anyway.

For several years my healthcare plan was this - I had a credit card, and that would get me admitted. There was no way I could pay off the charges for an extended hospital stay ... so, sue me. I own some ratty furniture, Goodwill clothes, and half of a car. Go for it, big boys, I'll see you in court.

The deeper problem is this - I gave up "The American Dream" of getting ahead by doing the right thing, working hard, and being frugle. I knew at that point (I had cancer) that there was no damned way I would ever get ahead, so out of self-preservation I started thinking like a leech. Then I realised that idea came from my years in business - most companies think that way, too. They're always angling at screwing somebody, usually lots of somebodies, and I guess some of that rubbed off on me no matter how distasteful I find it.

I don't make the rules, I just play the game. Refusing to play isn't a viable option in such a situation.