ExtraOrdinary Times - ExtraOrdinary Thoughts! Page 10

Privatization... A Rip Off

America is noted for its individualism which served it well during the initial formation of the nation. But individualism carried to an extreme is an obscenity before God. It is when "I" becomes the most important thing in our lives that greed and corruption takes over. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees because they cared for themselves on the backs their charges (the people) whom they claimed to represent. On the other hand, Jesus welcomed the tax collector who was performing his lawful duties.

I strongly believe in individualism, however, this should be tempered with the acknowledgement that we live in a society. As a society, EVERYONE benefits from better roads, education, products, and services. Unfortunately a good portion of the population has been brainwashed into believing that if they don't receive a benefit directly, then they shouldn't have to help pay for it. This result in penny-wise pound-foolish policies particularly when it comes to government.

All of us know the image of the stereotypical bureaucrat... an uncaring incompetent employee who cares about nothing but their paycheck. Corporate America has used this stereotype to sell us a bill of fraudulent goods... privatization! Private corporations claim they can do any job more efficiently than government employees. How can this be? In the case of soldiers, a mercenary costs over $100K per year (plus CEO pay!) while a sergeant costs a mere $25K... this is saving?

In this case, the primary purpose is to hide from the American public the true number of forces involved in a war. Worse yet such forces operate in gray areas and appear to be accountable to no one for their actions. If involved in support services, while a soldier is obligated to work in dangerous situations, civilian contractors can simply refuse leaving our soldiers hanging.

Now they want to extend this sham to Social Security and Medicare. They claim these programs are charities while in realty Social Security is an INSURANCE program with defined payouts. Privatization would allow the corporations to raid our treasury once more and leave us nothing... sort of like all of those private pensions these multinational companies have trashed! The real "cure" for Medicare (and health insurance crisis) lies with opening it up for all Americans regardless of age or health.

Consider that the head of the federal government agency that oversees Medicare and Medicaid for more than 86 million Americans earns about $150,000 per year. The former chief executive officer of United Health Group Inc., which provides health insurance to about 11 million people, earned $8 million a year in pay and bonuses. His company stock options totaled $1.6 billion. That $1.6 billion has to come from somewhere... possibly excessive premiums, low balling payouts, bouncing claimants due to pre-existing conditions.

Don't confuse socialized medicine with TRUE insurance. If Medicare (or a new national nonprofit insurance) was open to everyone, instead of insurance companies taking healthy people's money then dumping them when they get sick, Medicare would finally collect the premiums it needs to take of them.

It is up to us to insure that government works for us... and constantly fight for freedom to choose our treatment. Even if universal health is adopted, we MUST maintain our rights to use alternative health practitioners if we so desire!