Spencer's Super-Happy Fun-Time Right-Wing Word Pit

Michael made a comment about your note "Straightening Healthcare":

I had laugh when I was watching part of Pres Obama talking at the town hall meeting about health care reform on CSPAN. Yes I left it there on purpose for a bit. Anyway someone asked how private ins and medical companies were supposed to compete with the government. Pres O then said one of the best arguments against his plan. He said, and I paraphrase, that as and example fedex and ups are doing well it is the post office that is always screwed up and needs to be fixed...

So am I supposed to want the post office management taking care of my Health care?

Well, Mike... I'm glad you brought that up. I was wanting to talk a bit about this one anyway. This failure to grasp concepts is so strong with Obama. It's like he has some sort of "idiot force" that makes him an "idiot jedi".

First, let's look at the meaning behind his statement. In response to a question about private insurance being able to compete with government insurance, the O-man dropped this "wise" statement...

"I mean, if you think about it, UPS and FedEx are doing just fine, right? No, they are. It's the post office that's always having problems."

Now my first reaction was just like yours, Mike. I laughed and thought: what an idiot! I don't want my healthcare run by those jokers! But after looking at his statement, I can see what he was after. You see, he was trying to reassure us that the free market would be able to compete with the government and used the US Postal Service as an example of a government run business that has to compete with private industry.

Where the fail comes in is that the Postal Service's business plan is nothing like health care. Let me count the ways.

• Packaging and packing materials are not regulated by the government like say... pharmaceuticals and medical equipment thereby giving the USPS an edge over the competition.
• My business is not required to use USPS or FedEx or face a fine. If I want my own couriers, I can have them.
• FedEx employees are not required to register with the state or federal government and are not required to take out a mal-delivery policy.
• FedEx is not required to ship packages before receiving payment as hospitals are required to treat patients before receiving payment.

Oh, and just one more thing. You don't have a right to health care. I believe that the term is "pursuit of happiness" not "happiness". Pursuit. That means you have the right to try.

Thanks again, Mike.

Oh, and speaking of health care - did you know that diarrhea is hereditary? Yeah... it runs in the jeans.