So easy a [caveman] can understand it!

 (Excerpt from Letter of the week with a slight modification.)

So ... here's how to explain the public option so even a [caveman] can understand it:

Suppose you own a grocery store and the government opens a grocery store right beside yours. Since all their expenses are paid by the taxpayers, they don't have to make any money in their store, so they start selling a gallon of milk for a dollar while you sell your milk for $3.49. They sell a loaf of bread for 50 cents while you sell one for $1.89. They do the same with everything they sell. Which store do you think everybody in town will go to? How long do you think you will be able to stay in business?

There you have it. Nothing more need be said. The great communicators through the ages have been those who can simply explain the important things of life, from Ronald Reagan and his homilies to Jesus and his parables. Perhaps the media and the political parties would be smart to start culling the fertile field of teachers for their next spokespersons.

Terry Ray,  World Net Daily

HT cvblr

Comments

[Joe Mamma]

Here's another analogy:

In many ways, foreign health-care models are not really "foreign" to America, because our crazy-quilt health-care system uses elements of all of them. For Native Americans or veterans, we're Britain: The government provides health care, funding it through general taxes, and patients get no bills. For people who get insurance through their jobs, we're Germany: Premiums are split between workers and employers, and private insurance plans pay private doctors and hospitals. For people over 65, we're Canada: Everyone pays premiums for an insurance plan run by the government, and the public plan pays private doctors and hospitals according to a set fee schedule. And for the tens of millions without insurance coverage, we're Burundi or Burma: In the world's poor nations, sick people pay out of pocket for medical care; those who can't pay stay sick or die.

[Dan (BipolarNation.com)]

Liberals like to regulate and when the regulations fail, regulate more. It's the current case in health care, and it's how things have gone with the financial crisis.

[Joyce]

Agreed we do currently have government run plans such as the VA. Is there a guarantee the coverage for vets would not change? One can assume, as the bill currently is written, senior care is likely to be rationed.

So Joe are you arguing for the entire system to dumb down to Burma standards?

And JM, Please address the topic posted and explain who would not go to spend fewer dollars at the grocery with cheaper prices.

Also, not mentioned the volume of shoppers would increase. Many more people looking for a bargain one could assume the lines in checkout would be 5 times as long.

[Joe Mamma]

I shop where I get the best bargain. There must be dozens of auto insurance companies to choose from. Same with life insurance. So why do I have so few options with health insurance? The World Nut Daily grocery store analogy is too simplistic. The same comparisons could be made for child care - I could spend money at a day care center or drop the little ones at grandma's house to avoid paying someone who's in it to make a profit. So long as grandma's willing to provide that free service.

I don't know about Burma but I can tell you that in Somalia, Haiti and the Gulf the locals flocked to US Forces for free medical attention. And we didn't turn them away. Why would we treat our own people any differently than we treat foreigners?

[Happenstance]

"I shop where I get the best bargain. There must be dozens of auto insurance companies to choose from. Same with life insurance. So why do I have so few options with health insurance?"

Regulation. From state to state, there are different sets of laws that govern health care set forth. Health insurance agencies are legally bound to those regulations before they can and are able to sell.

The child care comparison is apples to oranges. There is no coercion in the market that makes grandma set that standard price (free). Also, not everyone has access to grandma care unless she opens it to all children.

I think they make a fair assessment at addressing a market concern where the government is backing it.

[Cookers]

Joe,

When required, who is not receiving health care in the United States?

The fact it, they actually are receiving health care, they are not paying their bills, and those unpaid costs are being passed on to paying health care providers and insurance companies.

To try and compare our health care system to Burundi or Burma is so disingenuous as to not even be a serious argument.

Our government is not able to efficiently and effectively administer national health care. That is a fact that cannot be disputed. The current Medicare/Medicaid financial state, the DMV, the financial state of the post office can be pointed to as examples.

The key issue with health care is the cost - not the quality. So why are the Democrats not seriously looking at how to effectively lower costs without affecting quality by addressing issues such as torte reform? (Torte reform in Texas has led to significant improvements in their cost structure.) Because to them, the real issue is foisting another governmental control onto our country to take yet another freedom away.

How long will it be before we no longer have any freedoms to take? What then?

[Joyce]

@JM "I shop where I get the best bargain." Uhh-huh. That statement just confirms the death of private insurance companies. Hmmm. Wonder how many more employees BO can get canned?

Government intervention and regulation is killing free enterprise in America.

[maddypie2]

Nice try Joyce but jm and his kind won't ever get it.
Well at least not until we all live in bo land. Than he'll get it but
oops...too late.