The Privatization of Government

Because I'm sure you're all wondering, here's what I have to say about Bush's newly unfurled Health Savings Plan: It's crap.

For further elucidation, keep reading. Being young and (relatively) healthy, I'd be lying if I said I thought about health care non-stop 24/7. However, in the few and far between times when I actually needed it, it was nice to have around. Forthose of you who don't know, getting sick is EXPENSIVE (ask my friend who got turned away from the student health office and was forced to go to the emergency room where he was diagnosed with mono). I mean really. I haven't had my teeth cleaned in a year. Soon I'll have to bribe my HMF (that's Handsome Man Friend, new readers) to kiss me. Yuck.

What disturbs me more than not having a national health plan, is this new movement towards privatization of services that adds up a retraction of government from the people. First it was Social Security (you can kiss that one goodbye, y'all), next it was Katrina (good luck on yer own, suckas!) and now this. You have to save the money, you have to make sure you have enough money (wait, isn't that like how it is NOW?)

My burning question of the day is this: Why is the Bush administration so adamantly foisting away it's responsibility to the American people? What happened to the Social Contract? Why on earth do we have a government if they're just going to tell us to do it ourselves anyway?

Look, I'm not one of those cry-to-yer-mommy-liberals -I believe in taking care of myself and my own- HOWEVER, I do believe there is utility in government, ESPECIALLY in times of NEED (see below) and when I need help. Why else pay taxes?

And this isn't just on a Federal level. This libertarian-run-amok philosophy has trickled down to the states as well. What really kills me was the September 2005 interview on NPR with San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. (I know, it's a bit late, but the recent 100 year anniversary of the San Fran earthquake got me thinking. Plus, I'm slow). In it, he talks about the preparedness of his city for another earthquake. His recommendation? Everyone should be prepared to take care of themselves for 72 hours. (check out 72hours.org if you don't believe me)

That's right. Yer on yer own American public.

Does anyone else find this ludacrious? That the government is saying "whoops, we can't do anything so our best plan is that you take care of yourselves?"

Wha?

I want my money back.

M. (

To check out the impetus for this entry, read the April 17 2006 issue of the New Yorker, under Talk of the Town, entitled "Consumption")