I have a question for those of you who argue that since “government can’t even (fill in the blank), we don't dare trust it with health care.” Actually, I have two questions.
1. Do you favor or oppose elimination of Medicare, which is, after all, a government-run health-care system?
2. Can you name a single private industry or single business operation that has never, ever, made a mistake in handling your business or provided service that, at any point, fell below acceptable standards?
If someone wants to argue that “government can’t be in health care,” that’s fine. But that means you have to oppose Medicare and Medicaid. Go on, visit a local senior center and tell them that Medicare has to go because government can’t handle health care. Go to a VFW hall and inform the veterans that the VA health system has to go because government can’t run health care.
If you aren’t willing to make that case, you are a hypocrite.
As for these service parallels — give me a break! I have my problems with plenty of government services. I also am sure I have a red-lined file at Comcast HQ after all the complaints I have lodged with its service.
I eat at fast-food places and restaurants alike, even though, at one time or another, I have had cold fries placed in my bag or my glass of tea never saw a refill. I work for a private business. It makes mistakes in customer service — I know because I have personally made some of them.
Hey, car owners, are you telling me that you have never, ever, had a single problem with a salesman or service manager? Really?
If one wants to make a qualitative argument — that private-sector firms make fewer mistakes or provide more efficient service than government operations, that’s fine and dandy. But preserve us from these ridiculous equivalency arguments.
Governments and private businesses are operated by and for people. Humans are prone to error, not perfection.
And, right now, the health-care debate is full of erroneous claims about the reality of life in 21st century America.
