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The Government Bundle: Would You Like War With Your Health Care?
Submitted by Roger Tourant via Mises Canada,
A recent business innovation that has seen wide market acceptance is the bundling of goods and services. For example, telecommunications providers such as Bell and Rogers often bundle their phone and Internet services. Such bundling provides substantial benefits for both businesses and customers. Firstly, it lowers the prices of products compared to purchasing the items individually. Secondly, it dissuades customers from purchasing the same products from competitors. In the private sector, purchasing a bundle is voluntary. In fact, purchasing any products offered by Bell and Rogers is optional for everyone. Not purchasing products or services is called freedom and is not a crime.
The government bundles its products, too. However, unlike private businesses, the government gives us no choice but to purchase its one “mega-bundle”. From the viewpoint of the state, to not purchase its bundle is considered a crime rather than freedom and comes with punishments that can be extreme. Consider the case of Ontario optometrist Jack Klundert who attempted to avoid the costs of the government bundle on constitutional grounds and as a result was relentlessly pursued by the Canadian Revenue Agency through the courts. He won his first two jury trials, but lost his third. After seizing almost $900,000 of Klundert’s hard-earned money, the court attempted a coup de grâce by hitting him with a $522,000 fine and a one year jail sentence. In the eyes of the person who values freedom, Klundert is a hero. In the eyes of the state, he is a villain. The government likes to give us the illusion that we are free, but practically we are not.
Unlike the bundles offered by private businesses, the government bundle does not lower the prices of its products, nor does it dissuade customers from purchasing the products from competitors. The reason is that the government monopolizes the industries which it controls and makes it illegal to purchase its products from anyone else. Whenever an individual attempts to compete with state-run monopolies, the result is fines and imprisonment. For example, Dr. Karen Dockrill left Canada after being prosecuted for offering medical services to customers outside of the government’s monopoly health care system.
Because of its monopoly, the government never knows how to price its bundle. One need only look at the failed socialist states of the USSR and Cuba to realize that when price signals are broken, then the economy and society breaks down. Because the concept of profit makes no sense relative to the state’s provision of monopolized goods and services, the government has no way of knowing whether it is doing a good job satisfying its “customers”. It can only guess by responding to bribes and the wishes of corporate sponsors and well-funded special interest groups.
If the government was small then its bundle would be limited in expense and scope. A small bundle of products might include a basic court system that applies a few known laws equally to everyone (unlike our current system that applies a corrupt pile of laws unequally). A small bundle might include limited border protection. For example, the people of Iceland do not pay for a standing army because they are fully protected by their coast guard.
The government bundle has grown significantly over the decades because politicians have come to believe that their most important role is to deliver all sorts of “stuff” to Canadians and to nudge society into becoming a modern-day Utopia. The consequence of this growth and philosophy is the fact that bureaucrats and their regulations now intrude into almost all aspects of Canadian economic and social life.
Another aspect to consider is that the larger the bundle, the more likely the unwitting taxpayer is to receive goods and services that he does not want. It is like going into Walmart and being given the choice of only one product: the Walmart Bundle. Such a bundle might include diapers even though one does not have children or tickets for bus service even though one never takes the bus.
Other aspects of the government bundle are downright criminal. For example, I abhor being legally compelled to purchase the bundle’s army services because they are being used primarily to execute unjust wars abroad (such as the Canadian army’s unjust wars against the people of the Balkans, Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq and possibly Ukraine, Iran and Russia). Unjust wars are criminal wars and those who perpetrate them are war criminals – and I detest having to fund war criminals.
I am also not fond of the bundle’s corporate welfare services that siphon millions of dollars from the pockets of the poor, middle class and those on fixed incomes to the pockets of state-connected businesses and special interest groups.
Nor am I fond of the bundle’s medical services that have, according to Dr. Jeff Turnbull, past president of the Canadian Medical Association, placed Canada “below Slovenia and last or second last in terms of value for money”.
I am also not pleased with the bundle’s central bank services that manipulate the Canadian dollar and interest rates (with the commensurate suffering brought on by bigger and bigger business cycles).
The list goes on.
Every four or five years we are given the illusion that we can decide on the content of the government bundle by voting in a democratic election. However, are there any real choices once the state becomes extraordinarily expansive and intrusive? This is the reason that all mainstream political parties promise the same basic bundle: lots of goodies, big spending, big debt, big war and lots of bureaucracy, rules and regulations.
Being forced to purchase the government bundle is decidedly not freedom. Freedom is the ability to reject any bundle be it that offered by Rogers, Bell or the state. The tyranny and inequality created by the government bundle have driven individuals to conduct private business outside of the state’s system of regulation, control and taxes. The rise of Bitcoin is an example of private society’s answer to corrupt government money. Secessionist movements are also becoming more commonplace and mainstream. Alternatively, if the government bundle becomes too onerous then emigration can be an appealing option.
When it comes to the government bundle, wouldn’t you rather leave it than take it?
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I'm paying for maternity leave care. Last time I checked, no girlfriend, wife nor uterus... but heck, minor details.
Have you been to your gynocologist ?
Yes, and he told me that the only thing I had to fear, was fear itself.
Taxation is robbery. Mass robbery.
One size enslaves all.
Welcome to the humant colony.
^ Armed robbery.
BUT WHAT ABOUT MUH ROADS???
Whenever I complain about taxes, there is inevitably some tax-leech or some liberal do-gooder to tell me I'm selfish and evil.
How about we start simple. How about the government (local, state, and federal) itemizes the list of services and the cost of those services it provides to me? How hard could that be?
Or am I being silly and I should just shut up and pay my tithe (times 3 or 4)?
Tell them government doesn't build roads...or anything else. Government employs bureacrats to mind the contracts that it doles out to the 1% for the building substandard, yet environmentalist certified, roads, hospitals, space ships, boats, drones, and last-but-not-least, temples to deified dead tyrants.
Winston, that's actually not a bad idea. We might be able to crash Obamacare if we could get all the men to visit a gynecologist. Sure, it would be a short visit, but somebody's still getting a bill for the services. I'm getting a pap smear next week, personally. I don't even know what that is, but hey, I'm covered, so I'm getting it.
Or just put in for "Maternity Leave" with your employer (especially if it's the government). When they point out you are a man, simply tell them they're being sexist, threaten a lawsuit and point out that your wife/girlfriend supports you fully in the matter. I figure you could do this about..... oh.... every nine months or so.
That's poop smear and it's not what you think.
NoDebt, that is brilliant! Clearly 'outside of the box' thinking on that one.
Make sure you get a woman as your specialist, just so you can knock your N-count higher.
...but if you like your vasectomy you can keep your vasectomy.
tim cook will pay for gays to have uterus, and enjoy motherhood, he's leaving a legacy
"would you like war with your health care"
Tha depends, can I nuke my new state Obama system?
Everybody knows that all the good technology comes from nations at war. Like during WWII when they discovered common mold (penicillin) is an anti-biotic. We need to keep paying the M.I.C a trillion per year, and keep making war (as opposed to trading for resources) if you want those types of medical breakthroughs to continue.
either my sarcasm skills have really gone down, or people actually believe that (and that I also believe) the greatest technical advances come from wartime economies. I made the post here in the context/reference to the nuclear verbiage, since the entire industry is about making weapons. Those reactors are obviously not for power generation, since japan has turned theirs off by force, germany by choice, and the lights are still on ...
OT, some Haiku:
Nasdaq draw close 5000
like moth to flame
and Tim Cook to young boys ass
Would you like spies with that?
Hope!!!!!!
HOPE AND CHANGE !!!!!!!!!!
Don't worry. We will all be laid off from all work, so having work related healthcare decisions will basically not be needed....
But before we get all the way down the toilet, we will circle it for a while and be changing jobs every few weeks and need to change healthcare every few weeks....
Foreward!!!!
What if the product is "me"...as in " my existence" tho?
Will "the private sector" protect me from say...a drone strike based upon my "identity" that was stolen a rehypothecated a million times over to the point where I became nothing more than blip on a "radar" screen?
All the code knows is whether I have been eliminated or not.
Sounds great for the betting parlor...not so good for the existence of life on earth tho.
Shouldn't there be some controls or rules on stuff like that?
Or shall we merely be content with "the protocols" and leave it at that...
Look, I'm an entreprenuer. Don't laugh, I still call myself that inspite of the US Govt in collusion with Big Biz attempts at "extincting me". I will give them much credit though, my family has been on reduced rations for 8 yrs now adn counting.
My point though is to bring attention to these crybaby Big Biz and TBTF WS Banks, who in the spirit of Crony Capitalism were all too happy to ride the Govt Train while it was putting up barriers to entry and competition at levels that would have made James Pierpont Morgan, John Rockefeller and the Original Robber Barons blush, unequal taxation, regulatory and compliance hardships, etc; solely designed to give Big Biz a huge advantage with which they knew would destroy the entreprenuer and small to mid size US Biz.
I warned all along how these "deals with the Devil" always end up; with the Devil turning upon you! Well, CRY BABIES, suck it up and welcome to the slippery slope.
HealthCare Reform was never about doing the right things by payers but written by the HealthCare Cabal (Doctors, Hospitals, and Insurers) who knew everyone would be forced into the exchanges to be sheared instead of reducing the HUGE disparities charged across regions adn even same towns for identical procedures at 20x costs. To make it a crime for people to drive 20 miles across the US-Mexico border and buy snake anitvenom where manufactured for $200 per vial instead of thru US Cabal for $20,000 - $60,000 per vial, etc etc.
For first time in 'Murican history, more biz are dying than are being created. But i guess that is okay since Janellen can print all the wealth the country will ever need.......or atleast for those who matter.
Well said. The so-called elected govt isn't here to help small business or Main Street just 1% and their puppets.
Never ever has been.
You bring up a great point I'd like to emphasize. Trying to deal with the "regulatory and compliance" issue within business. Trying to do so with the fucking Liberal Technocrat plants on the other side is, for argument sakes, like trying to deal with a hot ex-girlfriend who has now blown out 150 pounds and sitting in the control chair.
If that's not a good analogy, then try to put pressure on the hog to get something done......
Be similar to, oh say, trying to take the 5th twinky away from the fat bitch.
You should have seen what Larry Summers et. al. and Enron did during the same time frame, a company Burrelles Luce, (an information servives company) had a wide open account for the word "Bundling". The other major account was Enron ICW (in connection with) very serious trouble. (I could imagine what else was up and wish I could could still question some folks in editing). B. Luce also developed the software to scour the internet for certain keywords and monitored all radio, television, newspaper and magazines for info. and had thousands of transcriptionists in Maine, New Jersey and Utah working continually on the domestic side. They were the second largest recipient of US Mail outside of the Library of Congress. Moving ahead...
Does Putin make his people buy government bonds?
I am forced to pay for the govt bundle but get little back. A lot of other people dont have to pay for the govt bundle at all, and they just get to receive it.
I believe that the current term for that is "spreading the wealth around". Not that Barry invented the concept, as it predates him by decades if not centuries.
In the USA, we pay taxes to keep government SWAT thugs from raiding our homes and murdering our families.
we pay taxes to keep government SWAT thugs from raiding our homes and murdering our families.
THAT is the long and the short of it.
Well said.
Seriously mistaken.
We pay taxes so the government(s) can raid our homes and murder our families.
That too. :(
Would you like a big steaming pile of Shemitah with that?
bonds weren't buying it!
supbrime is contained!
Would you like flies with that?
health care? I expect butter with my guns thankyouverymuch, you can keep your "health care"
It also comes with organ harvesting.
Obamazon
One stop shopping for your trip to poverty.
Big government .. Big busiess .. monopolies offer bundles .. often there is no real choice in the new monoplistic system .. just a choice betwen expesnive crap and very expansive crap .. deregulation is a mixed bag ..big banks became even bigger too big to fail or prosecute.. and electronic media monoplies .. just corporate gangsterism called the 'news' ...or choice in cable . . more no choice at all .. they bundle a huge amount of awful and you decide which big bundle of awul you want ...400 channels of awful is still awful ..I thiink both David Stockman and Paul Craig Roberts came around to the pov that there does need to be some regulation . kept to a minimum and enforced.... as it is we are screwed by big business in cahoots with big government .. and so far the real private sector does not sem able to rise above the fascist system that exists in 21st century USSA. Big government bundles or big corporate bundles... they all suck moldy socks.