Vice President Joe Biden in a speech given to an AARP town hall meeting stated that, “We have to go spend money to keep from going bankrupt.” This quote was in the greater context of a speech on the need for a government health care plan. The full article detailing the event can be found here.

Now I am familiar with the old business adage that you have to spend money to make money, but what the V.P. is saying makes no sense whatsoever. Really Joe, we have to spend more money to keep from going bankrupt? No, I think that the best way to keep from going bankrupt would be to put and end to out-of-control spending, limit government’s involvement in healthcare (Medicare and Medicaid withstanding), and reduce the overall size of government. But we all know that with the current leadership in the Oval Office and Congress this is not the direction that the ship of state is going in. In fact it seems that we are charting a course full steam right toward that iceberg.

Now if you will indulge me and allow me to vent – this article really highlights a number of issues that get your Mandarin’s blood pressure up:

• The idea that the government knows what is best for you – in other words, you are too stupid to take care of yourself, therefore your benevolent government will take care of you. Last time I looked this was the land of the free. It is the ability to freely make choices and decisions about one’s daily activities that spark innovation and productivity. Are there times when people’s decisions are going to be wrong? Of course: just look at our prisons (filled with people who made the wrong choice) or go to YouTube and watch some of the videos that are mentioned in each year’s Darwin Awards article.
• The idea that the government can run a business – and that really is what healthcare is – better than the private sector. No business can compete with the monopoly power of the U.S. government. I find it ironic that if Blue Cross and Blue Shield were trying to take over the entire health care industry, the federal government would haul them into court for violating anti-monopoly laws. If you want a prime example of the ability of the government to run a business compared to the private sector, compare the efficiency of the U. S. Postal Service with FedEx or UPS.
• The complicity of the heads of various unions and special interest groups like the American Medical Association and the AARP to go along with and promote the ideas of greater government control of the health care industry. What I find most infuriating is the fact that the leadership of these groups, while claiming that this is a great idea, somehow has gotten themselves special privileges such as not having their health care benefits taxed. In addition, the AMA and AARP, while not truly unions, act as if they were. Just yesterday the AMA announced that they support the President’s health care initiative. I know quite a few doctors that have openly stated that they want no part of this health care plan, and a few have stated that they may even leave the field. Again, the leadership of the unions or special interest groups do not reflect the ideas and feelings of their memberships, rather they reflect their own political interests.
• The incessant fear mongering by the current administration that the country will collapse without health care reform. Or better still the claim that there are 40 million uninsured people out there with no access to health care. The way they describe it, there should be 40 million corpses strewn across the landscape because they were turned away by the uncaring healthcare industry. Let’s examine the situation – many of the so called uninsured are that way by choice either because they are young and feel that they won’t get sick, or would rather spend the money on a more expensive car or home. Then we have to look at the large illegal immigrant population that while uninsured still manages to get health care from any emergency room or free inner-city clinic. If you wanted to save money and costs, the government may want to address this issue, but I forgot, once “immigration reform” goes through we’ll have another 15-20 million Democrats.

Now that I have vented, let me state that it is my utmost belief that the individual empowered with the freedom to choose his own destiny is the most valuable resource that this country has. Stifle this individual freedom with increasing government control over our lives and the innovation and productivity engine that is the individual will stall. Let’s be very clear in that I am not calling for anarchy – I do believe that the government through its clearly defined role in the Constitution is important and should uphold its responsibilities. This was supposed to be a government by the people for the people, not a government to control them.

The Mandarin

The Mandarin, whose real name is 吏恆, joined the order in 1309, and introduced the Gormogons into England during the 18th Century.

The Mandarin enjoys spending time with his pet manticore, Βάρἰκος, or Barry (who can be found in the Bestiary). When not in the Castle…well, frankly, nobody is quite sure where he goes.

The Mandarin popularized the fine art of “gut booting,” by which he delivers a powerful kick to the stomach of anyone that annoys him. Although nearly universal today, the act of gut booting or threatening someone or something with a gut boot is solely due to him.