Contributed by: filbert Wednesday, August 12 2009 @ 08:17 AM CST
Remember the old Federal Express ads that said “when you absolutely, positively need it delivered overnight?” No? Here’s one:
Now, consider that President Obama says, in defense of government health care, that “FedEx and UPS are doing just fine.” Well, that’s true. They’re private companies, and compete with each other, and with the U.S. Postal Service. How about that “public option?” From the Heritage Foundation:
1.) The U.S. Post Office is the only entity allowed by federal law to deliver first class mail to your mailbox. In fact, Fedex and UPS are strictly prohibited from delivering “non-urgent” letters. If the government can fairly compete and is setting fair rules, wouldn’t the post office be open to competition at your mailbox?
2.) If Americans were offered “free” postage paid for by massive government spending and tax hikes, would Fedex and UPS still exist?
3.) The Post Office is on track to lose a staggering $7 billion this year alone. How will a government-run health care plan manage taxpayer resources more efficiently?
4.) Postmaster General John Potter says he lacks the “tools” necessary to run the Post Office effectively like a business. Would a government-run health care system have the tools it needs to run as effectively as the private sector entities it is replacing?
5.) On the one hand, the President remarks how great his public health care plan will be. On the other hand, he notes it won’t be good enough to crowd out your private insurance, i.e. the Post Office comparison. So which is it Mr. President? Will it be so great that private insurance disappears or so awful that it isn’t worth creating in the first place? 6.) But the most important question is this: if you have an urgent piece of mail you need delivered, life or death, who are you going to call?
When you’re advocating for a major change in policy, shouldn’t you . . . you know . . . actually use examples that help your argument rather than hurt it?