Government health care Archives - Page 8 of 9 Voice For Liberty

Aug

Eliminate all health insurance profits, and what’s left?

Those who advocate government takeover of health care and the elimination of private insurance cite the "wasteful overhead" and "high profits" of health insurance companies. There's a lot in this argument that doesn't make sense. For one, most companies that are trying to earn a profit seek to eliminate as much waste and overhead as possible. Competitive markets force them to do so. It's puzzling to me that those who rail against greed don't acknowledge that it is a powerful motive for efficiency and cost reduction. While the health insurance market isn't as competitive as it could be, due to…

Aug

By Bob Weeks

Eugene Robinson doesn’t get it

"I don't know if you'd call it passion or manufactured passion ... the uproar at these meetings is counterproductive .. and it's organized, which I think is the most disturbing part of it." That's the Washington Post's Eugene H. Robinson speaking today on MSNBC's Morning Joe. Host Joe Scarborough inquired is it disturbing because it's organized? Robinson replied that if he were a Democratic strategist, he'd be tempted to ask unions to send people to meetings. Scarborough said unions been doing just this -- organizing people to go to town hall meetings -- for years. The exchange went on for…

Aug

By Bob Weeks

Sebelius takes cover in loving union arms

"Possibly to avoid any confrontation with concerned citizens who have read the proposed health care legislation in Congress, HHS Secretary Sebelius will hold a conference call on Friday with health care activists and SEIU members." SEIU -- that's the Service Employees International Union -- recently called for higher taxes in Wichita through Harold Schlechtweg, its local business representative. Now this union will provide a friendly audience for former Kansas governor, now Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius. Read more background at the Kansas Meadowlark post HHS Secretary Sebelius to use safe SEIU conference call for "myth busting." By…

Aug

By Bob Weeks

Profit motive in health care is essential

Those in favor of government health care often argue that private insurance companies are inefficient, wasting huge sums in administrative overhead that provides no benefit to patients. At the same time, the same people blast private insurance companies for being driven by the profit motive. I wonder: who has the greater incentive to avoid wasting money on useless overhead? The government, or a private company that can keep the money saved as profits? Further: private health insurance companies operate in competitive markets. Those companies that spend needlessly on overhead that doesn't add value will go out of business. That's the…

Aug

By Bob Weeks

John Stossel covers Canadian health care

John Stossel covers health care, particularly health care in Canada, on the ABC television news show 20/20. Why anyone would want to bring this to the United States is a mystery. Click on Health Care: Does Canada Do It Better? to view the video. Reaction from viewers is at Reaction To Healthcare Segment. By the way, pets in Canada can get advanced treatment faster than humans can.

Aug

By Bob Weeks

How will government run our health care?

An excerpt from "Why Government Can't Run a Business" by John Steele Gordon, from the May 21, 2009 Wall Street Journal: The Obama administration is bent on becoming a major player in -- if not taking over entirely -- America's health-care, automobile and banking industries. Before that happens, it might be a good idea to look at the government's track record in running economic enterprises. It is terrible. In 1913, for instance, thinking it was being overcharged by the steel companies for armor plate for warships, the federal government decided to build its own plant. It estimated that a plant…

Jul

By Bob Weeks

The right to health care

Is there a right to health care in America? If you believe in liberty, the answer is no. Back in the days of the Clinton administration and the attempt at health care nationalization, Leonard Peikoff delivered a lecture titled Health Care Is Not A Right. It's well worth reading. Speaking of the Declaration of Independence, the beliefs on which America was founded, Peikoff wrote: The term "rights," note, is a moral (not just a political) term; it tells us that a certain course of behavior is right, sanctioned, proper, a prerogative to be respected by others, not interfered with --…

Jul

By Bob Weeks

In Wichita, concern shown for direction of health care

Today, about 30 activists gathered in Wichita to express their concern over the possible takeover of health care by the government. I've assembled a slide show of photographs taken by me and others. Click here to view it. For me, what I will remember from today is the story told by Wendy Aylworth about the death of her cousin's daughter. The video of Wendy speaking is below. A narrative written by Wendy is at Canadian health care: a personal story of tragedy. Related: Government Health Care Protest at Congressman Dennis Moore’s Office from the Kansas Meadowlark.

Jul

By Bob Weeks

Health rations and you

Normally I shy away from using humor when discussing such a serious issue as health care. But this is a humorous look at what lies ahead if we're not diligent. It's from The Health Administration Bureau, a project of the Sam Adams Alliance.

Jul

By Bob Weeks

Canadian health care: a personal story of tragedy

Here's a message -- much more than that, a heartfelt story -- I received from my friend Wendy Aylworth. She cares very deeply about the direction America is headed regarding health care. Now her family has suffered a tragedy caused by government control of medicine. Here's her story. This issue touches close to my heart. Government should not be the entity to decide if you’re worth giving medical care. This Friday I’ll be attending a rally titled "Hands Off My Health Care." (See Wichita tea party planned to protest government-run health care for details about the Wichita rally.) Rallies are…