We are incessantly being told that the cost of medical care is "too high"-- either absolutely or as a growing percentage of our incomes. But nothing that is being proposed by the government is likely to lower those costs, and much that is being proposed is almost certain to increase the costs.

There is a fundamental difference between reducing costs and simply shifting costs around, like a pea in a shell game at a carnival. Costs are not reduced simply because you pay less at a doctor's office and more in taxes-- or more in insurance premiums, or more in higher prices for other goods and services that you buy, because the government has put the costs on businesses that pass those costs on to you.

Costs are not reduced simply because you don't pay them. It would undoubtedly be cheaper for me to do without the medications that keep me alive and more vigorous in my old age than people of a similar age were in generations past.

Letting old people die would undoubtedly be cheaper than keeping them alive-- but that does not mean that the costs have gone down. It just means that we refuse to pay the costs. Instead, we pay the consequences. There is no free lunch.Thomas Sowell : The "Costs" of Medical Care - Townhall.com (http://townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell/2009/11/03/the_costs_of_medical_care?page=full&comments=true)

I love this crusty ole fart! He puts forth arguments in such a way even our college forumites can understand.

Thomas Sowell : The "Costs" of Medical Care - Townhall.com (http://townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell/2009/11/03/the_costs_of_medical_care?page=full&comments=true)

I love this crusty ole fart! He puts forth arguments in such a way even our college forumites can understand.

:yay: I love Dr. Sowell!

Oh, but there is a free lunch and it is called socialism.

If I don't make much money or even have a job at all and I like the idea of some rich SOB paying for my health care, that is free. To me.

If that rich SOB decides he's going hire a few less people or not give out raises or maybe even reduce benefits, or, heaven forbid, move the company over seas, my income will be negatively affected.

So, following the free lunch, free health care line of reasoning, I would now be entitled to some free benefits to make me whole again, to make my wage a living wage or to make my unemployment benefits more acceptable and civilized.

Now, you might be saying "But hey, at some point, that rich guy will either be out of business, run out of money or move away to avoid the taxes."

True, true. However, if we simply use the full faith and credit of the US to borrow the money, I still get my free lunch/spending money/welfare.

Now, that is the problem, that is the issue at hand; the left wing mentality that we are sooooo rich that we can afford to give people things.

It's worse, that problem, because the right agrees.

Oh, but there is a free lunch and it is called socialism.

If I don't make much money or even have a job at all and I like the idea of some rich SOB paying for my health care, that is free. To me.

If that rich SOB decides he's going hire a few less people or not give out raises or maybe even reduce benefits, or, heaven forbid, move the company over seas, my income will be negatively affected.

So, following the free lunch, free health care line of reasoning, I would now be entitled to some free benefits to make me whole again, to make my wage a living wage or to make my unemployment benefits more acceptable and civilized.

Now, you might be saying "But hey, at some point, that rich guy will either be out of business, run out of money or move away to avoid the taxes."

True, true. However, if we simply use the full faith and credit of the US to borrow the money, I still get my free lunch/spending money/welfare.

Now, that is the problem, that is the issue at hand; the left wing mentality that we are sooooo rich that we can afford to give people things.

It's worse, that problem, because the right agrees.

It is the general observed condition of humanity that, a criminal nature and short-sightedness are, more often than not, found in the same people. More plainly stated, criminals tend to be short-sighted.