Toast and Water vs French Hen and Italian Wine

The health care summit this last week chaired by President Obama, offered few new insights into the problems we collectively face as a nation. Let's start with what should be obvious, doing nothing or signing the current legislation into law are both options even the mentally impaired won't consider.

Why do we have a health care problem? Let's envision America collectively eating at a restaurant. Some of us order lavish meals with a cigar to finish things off, others get by on toast with water. So long as each of us is paying for what we eat when the bill comes how much can we really complain? The problem is in this restaurant where you sit determines who picks up the check. Of course no one will stand by and let another diner go hungry, that's not the American way, we are better than that. Over time though those who continue to order toast with water and still get stuck with the tab for the French Hen and Italian wine will find the experience less rewarding.

Unfortunately as those who object to consistently having to pay for others dinning enjoyment frequent the establishment less, the restaurant has to implement new policies to break even. The new policy has a flat rate pricing structure, everything from toast and water to the five course meal costs the same. Surprisingly enough even fewer toast and water dinners frequent the restaurant, after all they only want toast and water but not at five course meal prices. The restaurant losing money due to the lack of toast and water customers is once again forced to raise prices. At this point even those dinners who pay for and enjoy the five course meals are no longer able to afford the excellent service. The restaurant at this point has the benefit of being able to ask Congress to force all Americans to eat only at this restaurant. The new plan which covers all will provide toast with water at five course meal prices.

In the next several posts we will explore some of the options available. At 17% of our economy this is not an issue we can afford to get wrong, or procrastinate indefinitely on. For those who hope to see President Obama fail on this issue, I would suggest extended training with the Taliban, you will be surrounded by others with similar goals. For those who specifically endorse the current legislation, I would suggest time travel to the Ukraine in the 1930's as collectivism was imposed upon the misinformed peasants, you will find yourself celebrating the breaking of a few eggs to make an omelet.