News and Tribune

Columns

November 21, 2009

KRUEGER: The Fast Food Thinker

old oaken bucket

In today’s age with 30-second sound bites, fast food and instant gratification, I find it sad nobody seems to look at the whole picture and the details before making a decision. Who wants to read, listen and digest many details, and the overall impact on some topic. “Hey I’m in a hurry. Public option. What’s that? Restrooms? Oh the government will provide us with health insurance. Great. I’m for that!”

If you ask the average Joe what he thinks Cap and Trade is the reply might be, “It’s an exchange ceremony at a graduation ceremony” instead of a horrible energy policy. If you ask them what ACORN is their answer more than likely will be it’s something that drops from a tree.

So let’s cut to the chase before an “I Love Lucy” rerun comes on TV and I lose you.

Right now the main topic being discussed is government insurance the public (ha ha) option. Your biggest problem is not the profits insurance companies make but the pay of the top dogs. Well surprise. None of them are in the top 10. Aubrey McClendon, Chesapeake Energy, $112.5 million; Sanjay Jha, Motorola, $104.5 million; Larry Ellison, Oracle, $84.5 million; Robert Iger, Disney, $51.1 million. Do we want the government to take over and run the energy, tech companies and Disney? Replacing them with government employees presents another problem. Besides duplication resulting in more employees according to Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2008 the average government worker was paid over $37 per hour in total compensation versus a private worker of just over $26 per hour. All of this paid for with your tax dollars versus purchases in the private sector. Furthermore, depending on the job, a private worker is anywhere from 2 to 12 times more likely to get laid off than a government worker. Talk about tax-funded job security.

Now let’s address the difference between Washington as opposed to state and local governments. State and local governments have to work within budgets and be responsible. Private companies do as well. Washington does not. Evan Bayh was told this by a colleague in an op-ed piece he wrote after being elected in 1998 in the Indianapolis Star.

The federal government is so inefficient with congressmen stepping in if a manager attempts to control costs that the cost of everything will be much higher … all paid for by your taxes. Remember when the DOD paid $600 for a toilet seat and $400 for a hammer. Medicare pays $4,000 for a wheel chair a person can purchase for cash for $1,000. This is true almost across the board in Medicare and the person in charge of trying to control costs said congress will always defend their special interest and no change will take place. We all know that’s true.

Now if you still insist those big bad CEO’s from insurance companies should be punished and go against your own interests and those of your loved ones and have the Public option (government insurance) then consider this:

Just this week I was told by an employee of the federal government agency he shipped five empty boxes to Alaska UPS Overnight! There was nothing special about the boxes. Don’t they have boxes in Alaska? Moreover he lamented he’s witnessed cases where they could have spent $5 but insist on spending $20 for something. Indeed remember the piece on “60 Minutes” a few years ago wherein a federal government agency sent out an 11 pages requirement to make a No. 2 pencil. Why wouldn’t a standard No. 2 pencil from Office Depot do the trick?

In Germany all insurance is private, there is no government insurance and costs are 30 percent less. The government insurance (public option) just isn’t needed and should be killed. Instead ask yourself this. A local hospital chain demanded the insurance company reimburse them with a 12 percent increase. This is the HOSPITAL. Then assume the insurance company adds on a 3 percent profit making it 15 percent. Who is blamed? The problem is government. Administrative costs have increased 500 percent in the last 20 years. In Japan a doctor pays $30 per month for medical malpractice (tort reform) insurance. We pay 10 percent to 16 percent of the of 2.5 trillion on malpractice measures. In England they spend 30 cents for a pill where we spend $1.20 for the same pill. Illegals flood our emergency rooms.

If Washington addresses these problems first along with allowing the OPTION of allowing each of us to choose an insurance company in each state and provide true COMPETITION we would then see our costs go down for everyone and millions provided with health care. Then and only then would we address those remaining without affordable health care.



John Krueger is a former Clarksville councilman and can be reached at MeredithSpecial@aol.com.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Columns
  • Clere, Ed photo.jpg CLERE: Walkout is absurd

    The walkout by Indiana House Democrats entered its third week yesterday as tensions continued to rise and misinformation proliferated.

    March 7, 2011 1 Photo

  • Ladd, Mike.web.jpg LADD: New Albany has new energy

    New Albany is evolving. Public art has become more prevalent in the downtown, drawing more locals and outside visitors to our community; bringing more publicity.

    March 7, 2011 1 Photo

  • Dodd DODD: Vegas is always a good bet

    It was the Dodd family in Las Vegas. We went ostensibly to celebrate my son Cameron’s 17th birthday. That was simply a smoke screen. My real plan was an early retirement from my ill-gotten casino fortune. Before my risky sojourn we had many hours of family fun.

    February 11, 2012 1 Photo

  • Stawar, Terry web.jpg STAWAR: I’m not exaggerating, I’m aspiring

    Exaggeration is a commonplace phenomenon. For one thing, it lies at the heart of the advertising industry.

    February 10, 2012 1 Photo

  • Nash, Matt.web.jpg NASH: Holding officials to higher standards

    A few weeks ago in my weekly column, I discussed a growing trend of people, mostly elected officials, who believed that they are above the law.

    February 10, 2012 1 Photo

  • Harbeson, Debbie.jpg HARBESON: It’s super living in Indiana

    My husband and I attend an annual Super Bowl party, which is normally a small gathering of friends, but this year our host’s home was bursting with guests.

    February 9, 2012 1 Photo

  • Gesenhues, Amy.w.jpg GESENHUES: The Susan G. Komen precedent

    My mom is a breast cancer survivor.
      I have walked many a mile in support of the cause and raised a sizable number of dollars for breast cancer research. The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure initiatives are not lost on me.

    February 8, 2012 1 Photo

  • Beam, Amanda.jpg BEAM: Just smile

    Whispers will soon abound outside of school as the corporation enters negotiations this summer with the teacher’s union over a new contract. Aides are not covered under the union.

    February 7, 2012 1 Photo

  • Howey, Brian A.jpg HOWEY: Keeping Peyton in the Hoosier pantheon

    The critics of keeping Manning suggest he would return to a team struggling to contend. I’m not buying that. The Colts were decimated for a second consecutive year with injuries, particularly on defense. With the top choice in each round, they can quickly reset, as San Francisco and Cincinnati did this year.

    February 6, 2012 1 Photo

  • cummins CUMMINS: How to live a stable life

    Then I heard Newt Gingrich say that he will establish a colony on the moon by the end of his second term. I’d vote for him if he would go.

    February 6, 2012 1 Photo

Twitter Updates
Follow us on twitter
Follow me on Twitter
Hyperlocal Search
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Popular Searches
Powered by Local.com
AP Video
Obama Scraps Birth Control Mandate US Airmen's Killer Sentenced to Life in Germany Navy Names Ship for Gabrielle Giffords Raw Video: Deadly Blasts in Syria Romney Slams President Obama at CPAC Gingrich: Pres. Obama 'waging War on Religion' 5 Killed in Wrong-way Crash on I-10 in La. Uzbek Man Pleads Guilty in Plot to Kill Obama Denver's Largest-Ever Drug Bust Nets Dozens Marines: No Punishment for Nazi-like Flag Vets Look to Translate Military Skills Into Jobs Raw Video: School Bus Burst Into Flames LA School Reopens Amid Sex Abuse Scandal $25B Settlement Reached Over Foreclosure Abuses Pentagon: Allow Women Closer to Front Lines LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart
SEASONAL CONTENT