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Knowing Facts From Fables In Life And Death
IBD Editorials ^ | August 23, 2010 | The great THOMAS SOWELL

Posted on 08/23/2010 4:34:59 PM PDT by Kaslin

There is so much political spin, and so many numbers games being played, when it comes to medical care, that we have to go back to square one and the simplest common sense in order to get some rational idea of what government-run medical care means.

In particular, we need to examine the claim that the government can "bring down the cost of medical care."

The most basic fact is that it is cheaper to remain sick than to get medical treatment. What is cheapest of all is to die instead of getting lifesaving medications and treatment, which can be very expensive.

Despite these facts, most of us tend to take a somewhat more parochial view of the situation when it is we ourselves who are sick or who face a potentially fatal illness. But what if that decision is taken out of your hands under ObamaCare and is being made for you by a bureaucrat in Washington?

We won't know what that leads to until the time comes. As Nancy Pelosi said, we will find out what is in the bill after it has passed. But even now, after ObamaCare has been passed, not many people want to read its 2,400 pages. Even if you did, you would still not know what it would be like in practice, after more than 150 boards and commissions issue their specific regulations.

Born In The Bathroom

Fortunately — in fact, very fortunately — you don't have to slog through 2,400 pages of legalistic jargon or turn to a fortune teller to divine the future. A new book, "The Truth About ObamaCare," by Sally Pipes of the Pacific Research Institute, lays out the facts in the plainest English.

(Excerpt) Read more at investors.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: sowell; thomassowell

1 posted on 08/23/2010 4:35:00 PM PDT by Kaslin
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To: jazusamo

Ping


2 posted on 08/23/2010 4:35:48 PM PDT by Kaslin (Acronym for OBAMA: One Big Ass Mistake America)
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To: Kaslin

“The most basic fact is that it is cheaper to remain sick than to get medical treatment. What is cheapest of all is to die instead of getting lifesaving medications and treatment, which can be very expensive.”

Indeed. Truth from Dr. Sowell


3 posted on 08/23/2010 4:40:49 PM PDT by dynachrome (Barack Hussein Obama yunikku khinaaziir!)
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To: Kaslin

” you would still not know what it would be like in practice, after more than 150 boards and commissions issue their specific regulations “

Our Legislative System (Congress and President) no longer make law, but has degenerated into ‘Manufacturers of Bureaucracies’ - and it’s the unaccountable and unsupervised Bureaucracies that make the laws....

In modern America, “Representative Democracy” has become a hollow joke....


4 posted on 08/23/2010 4:43:42 PM PDT by Uncle Ike (Rope is cheap, and there are lots of trees...)
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To: dynachrome

I agree


5 posted on 08/23/2010 4:43:42 PM PDT by Kaslin (Acronym for OBAMA: One Big Ass Mistake America)
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To: Kaslin; abigail2; Amalie; American Quilter; arthurus; awelliott; Bahbah; bamahead; Battle Axe; ...
Author Sally Pipes did bother to stop and think about it in her book, "The Truth About ObamaCare."

Thanks for the ping, Kaslin.

*PING*
Thomas Sowell

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Please FReepmail me if you would like to be added to or removed from the Thomas Sowell ping list…

6 posted on 08/23/2010 4:56:13 PM PDT by jazusamo (But there really is no free lunch, except in the world of political rhetoric,.: Thomas Sowell)
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To: jazusamo

You are very welcome


7 posted on 08/23/2010 5:00:50 PM PDT by Kaslin (Acronym for OBAMA: One Big Ass Mistake America)
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To: jazusamo

It’s infuriating.


8 posted on 08/23/2010 5:39:02 PM PDT by Gene Eric
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To: Uncle Ike
I'm not sure at what point that bureaucratic regulations took on the force of law. The EPA issues a white paper "directive" and suddenly you can recruit the local, state and federal law enforcement in to "enforce" that directive or regulation? And in many cases the agency itself has gun toting "officers" to go hither and yon to harass the citizen. The words of the Declaration of Independence ring in my ears:
He has erected a Multitude of new Offices, and sent hither Swarms of Officers to harrass our People, and eat out their Substance.
How in hell do we get our selves out of this mess we have created. Step one I believe starts on Nov. 2, 2010.
9 posted on 08/24/2010 3:48:31 AM PDT by mc5cents
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To: Kaslin

Bump for later...


10 posted on 08/24/2010 7:50:29 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (Save the Earth. It's the only planet with Chocolate.)
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To: Kaslin; jazusamo; PGalt
we need to examine the claim that the government can "bring down the cost of medical care."
. . . we have "higher infant mortality rates" than other countries with government medical care systems. But we count every baby that dies and other countries do not.

. . . if you leave out people who are victims of homicide or who die in automobile accidents, Americans live longer than people in any other Western country . . . Doctors do not prevent homicides or car crashes

. . . In the things that doctors can affect, such as the survival rates of cancer patients, the United States leads the world.

. . . The most basic fact is that it is cheaper to remain sick than to get medical treatment. What is cheapest of all is to die.
An organization which is recommended as "the worst form of government - except for all the others" can only inspire limited trust.

An organization which, having already taken responsibility (via Social Security) for supporting your lifestyle, takes responsibility to seizes all authority over efforts to keep you living, is demanding that you trust it.

To willingly accede to any such demand, from anyone, is foolish and craven.


11 posted on 08/24/2010 8:16:05 AM PDT by conservatism_IS_compassion (DRAFT PALIN)
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To: jazusamo

Thanks for the ping.


12 posted on 08/24/2010 10:42:54 AM PDT by GOPJ (Are Time Magazine staff members conserve-a-phobes?)
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To: mc5cents

“I’m not sure at what point that bureaucratic regulations took on the force of law.”

I believe they call it an “enabling act.”


13 posted on 08/24/2010 6:05:44 PM PDT by dsc (Any attempt to move a government to the left is a crime against humanity.)
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To: conservatism_IS_compassion; All
An organization which, having already taken responsibility (via Social Security) for supporting your lifestyle, takes responsibility to seizes all authority over efforts to keep you living, is demanding that you trust it.

To willingly accede to any such demand, from anyone, is foolish and craven.

BTTT!

14 posted on 08/24/2010 7:43:45 PM PDT by PGalt
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