Buy Your Own Drugs, Grandma

Human Events ^ | 6-23 | Staff Editorial

[AAABEST]

What ever happened to "dismantling the welfare state." We're only making it bigger, more unsustainable, in a cynical attempt to buy votes.

You nailed it brother, keep preaching.

[Destro]

Damn right we are a Republic---The Romans made the Swedish Socialists look like Adam Smith capatlists.

Bread and circuses anyone? Social holidays? Make work programs? Or did you miss studying that period of Republican history?

[Sabertooth]

here is the secret plan...

Your scenario appears ever more likely. After President Bush's prescription drug rip-off is enacted, and then compounded and expanded by "bipartisanship" (that's when Republicans act like Democrats), an Amnesty for Illegals will be presented as a necessity for the survival of America.

Would we let the likes of AlGore get away with this?

[EGPWS]

I'm all for incrementalism, but that means advancing toward the proper goal.

Remember the statement by a Democratic Presidential runner? "Take two tax cuts and call me in the morning"! Well, we have had 2 tax cuts, and at the same time our defense spending has increased. The POTUS gives speeches and (gasp) says "may God bless America" at the end of them. Also when is the last time that Democrats in the house and senate have been seen scrambling for an issue and a way to better the the conservative agenda?

If it IS incramentalism, I'm all for it for we HAVE advanced to a proper goal. More so than we have in a decade!

[Deport Billary]

20 years from now, when I'm paying most of my income to keep the geezers alive, I'm not going to care if Bush was president from 2004-2008.

[nravoter]

This is all the US Constitution authorizes congress to act on...

Hey, don't try to confuse us all with a bunch of outdated words you found in some archaic document or other. The Founding Fathers couln't possibly have foreseen the needs of modern society and the political situation of the current administration. < /sarcasm>

[Straight Vermonter]

I have never understood a medical program for the elderly since they are the wealthiest in our country.

[AAABEST]

Just my opinion of course....right or wrong .........mine !

I find you to be right most of the time. IMO you are a lot more knowlegable and insightful than you give yourself credit for.

[EGPWS]

20 years from now, when I'm paying most of my income to keep the geezers alive, I'm not going to care if Bush was president from 2004-2008.

Maybe not but I guarantee you will appreciate his agenda.

[carenot]

My way of looking at it is his increase in spending on these programs are a cost factor in doing business to cut government spending.

I ain't very smart, but that don't make no sense.

[Sabertooth]

If it IS incramentalism, I'm all for it for we HAVE advanced to a proper goal.

It isn't. It's a multi-trillion dollar moneypit, and a boon to the forces of big, wasteful government. That my be your goal,it may be President Bush's, but I do not share it.

President Bush's Prescription Drugs Wealth Redistribution Act issn't necessary to win re-election, and is taking our party in the wrong direction.

You'd oppose this if AlGore was pushing it. Is it all about blindly following along, just for the sake of votes?

[Axenolith]

Imagine the cost of asprin if Bayer was the sole producer?

If Standard Oil and kerosene is any indicator then aspirin would be cheaper (inflation adjusted) than at any other time in history under a Bayer monopoly...

Its a well worn myth that monopolies always create higher prices. Past a certain point cheaper alternatives are sought out.

[Destro]

Your point was that the market decided such things for thousands of years....as far as the history of direct democracy and indirect democracy (republican) goes that was never the case. Before that we had theocratic cheifdoms so I don't know what we could learn from them.

Democracy as created by the Athenians and Republican govt as perfected by Rome (Rome did not invent the overall concept) had as its basis some sort of social welfare program. The Athenian system was not free socialim like we know it-they were more like make work programs--something for something-not a free handout-the citizen had to work for his wage. The Roman Republic was more of what we would call a socialist state because their was no contingent for your bread. It was owed to you just because you existed.

So direct democracy actually is better off at fighting socialist welfare tendancies than a republic which tends to be more welfare oriented in development.

[Sabertooth]

I ain't very smart, but that don't make no sense.

Either we are completely through the looking glass, or the corpse of John Maynard Keynes is now a Freeper.

[Destro]

Competition always lowers prices. Standard oil model and Ma Bell examples included.

[RipSawyer]

"I ain't very smart, but that don't make no sense."


Hit didn' tuh me 'neither, ah don't thank he cud sell that line down at thuh sawmill.

[EGPWS]

You'd oppose this if AlGore was pushing it. Is it all about blindly following along, just for the sake of votes?

I would oppose it if Algore was pushing it yes. Blind? Far from it! I don't get stuck on issues and instead look at the overall situation when I see an action plan in play, which I see our sitting POTUS laying out. If Algore were POTUS we would be focusing on issues instead of an overall change in our situation as Dubya' has focused on. I.E. Abortion, Global Warming, World unity, Internal cumbustion engines, power mowers....

[BlazingArizona]

Heath care, public or private, will be an overpriced ripoff until we face the fact that it's a monopoly. Like all true monopolies, it's one created by government regulation. Only when we free up the barriers to entry and eliminate restrictions on free-market dealings between consumer and provider will we be able to afford our own medicine.