Hey Possum like to see you or anyone try to disect this.

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Sniperchoke

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 2, 2009
Messages
922
Location
Dalton, GA
This is the guy I get a lot of my info from...


The Pretense of Knowledge

The ultimate constraint that we all face is knowledge -- what we know and don't know. The knowledge problem is pervasive and by no means trivial as hinted at by just a few examples. You've purchased a house. Was it the best deal you could have gotten? Was there some other house you could have purchased that 10 years later would not have needed extensive repairs or was in a community with more likeable neighbors and a better environment for your children? What about the person you married? Was there another person who would have made for a more pleasing spouse? Though these are important questions, the most intelligent answer you can give to all of them is: "I don't know."

Since you don't know the answers, who do you think, here on Earth, is likely to know and whom would you like to make these decisions for you -- Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, George Bush, a czar appointed by Obama or a committee of Washington bureaucrats? I bet that if these people were to forcibly make housing or marital decisions for us, most would deem it tyranny.

You say, "Williams, Congress is not making such monumental decisions that affect my life." Try this. You are a 22-year-old healthy person. Instead of spending $3,000 or $4,000 a year for health insurance, you'd prefer investing that money in equipment to start a landscaping business. Which is the best use of that $3,000 or $4,000 a year -- purchasing health insurance or starting up a landscaping business -- and who should decide that question: Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, George Bush, a czar appointed by Obama or a committee of Washington bureaucrats? How can they possibly know what's the best use of your earnings, particularly in light of the fact that they have no idea of who you are?

Neither you nor the U.S. Congress has the complete knowledge to know exactly what's best for you. The difference is that when individuals make their own trade-offs, say between purchasing health insurance or investing in a business, they make wiser decisions because it is they who personally bear the costs and benefits of those decisions. You say, "Hold it, Williams, we've got you now! What if that person gets really sick and doesn't have health insurance. Society suffers the burden of taking care of him." To the extent that is a problem, it is not a problem of liberty; it's a problem of congressionally mandated socialism. Let's look at it.

It is not society that bears the burden; it is some flesh and blood American worker who finds his earnings taken by Congress to finance the health needs of another person. There is absolutely no moral case, much less constitutional case, for Congress forcibly using one American to serve the purposes of another American, a practice that differs only in degree from slavery, which we all should find morally offensive.

Whether it is health care, education, employment or most other areas of our lives, I ask you: Who has the capacity to master all the complexity to make choices on behalf of others? Each of us possesses only a tiny percentage of the knowledge that would be necessary to make totally informed decisions in our own lives, much less the lives of others. There is only one reason for the forcible transference of decision-making authority over important areas of our private lives to elite decision-makers in Congress and government bureaucracies. Doing so confers control, power, wealth and revenue to society's elite. What's in the best interests of individual members of society, such as a person who'd rather launch a landscaping business than purchase a health insurance policy, ranks low on the elite's list of priorities.

Walter E. Williams is a professor of economics at George Mason University. Have at it.
emoHoppingmad
 
so when that 22 year old cuts his foot off with his new lawnmower......what do you do ????
Kick him over in the ditch and let him bleed to death????
 
Another good question,"Who is sniperchoke or Andy from Dalton?" Why are you so hellbent in stiring up the masses? Why do you want controvery? Is this the only reason you get on here? What good do you get out of these off the wall posts? Are you unhappy all the time and want everyone else to be unhappy? Don't you fit in anywhere?
 
That's a very good article, hits the nail on the head.

Snuffy - You drive him to the hospital for treatment. He is treated (because they cannot refuse anyone with a life threatening injury treatment) and then incurs massive medical bills which will take him years to pay off. He made the conscious decision to forgo insurance in favor of starting a company. This decision obviously had negative consequences. However, if his company had been very successful and made him a rich young man, should the government step in and take a piece, distributing it to the taxpayers? If not, you're basically saying that the American taxpayer should carry the burden if the result of his decision is negative, but reap no benefit if it is positive. I believe in personal responsibility, and although I greatly appreciate help when I need it, I don't expect it or want it mandated that I get it. Sorry for the rant, just my .02
 
Doc, sorry you can't respond intelligently to the post and have to reduce yourself to personal attacks. What else is a political forum for? Just trying to spread some knowledge.
 
I agree totally Rattletrapper. Bad decisions should have bad consequences. That's where we've gone astray, we want to give to people who make bad decisions and take from those who make good ones. Not saying that starting his company was a bad choice, but it was his choice. If he cuts his foot off, well, he's gonna have to work for a long time to pay off some medical bills.
 
Davo - 12/9/2009 12:40 AM

I agree totally Rattletrapper. Bad decisions should have bad consequences. That's where we've gone astray, we want to give to people who make bad decisions and take from those who make good ones. Not saying that starting his company was a bad choice, but it was his choice. If he cuts his foot off, well, he's gonna have to work for a long time to pay off some medical bills.

If his decision only affected him, ok I agree, however 9 of 10 like himself do not pay, and the expense goes to the rest of us. Because of free loaders, gov't sometimes have to step in, especially when health care is spriralling out of control, one of the reasons is case in point. Because of free loaders, it is getting to the point were more and more people in this country are finding it hard to maintain covarage because of the rising cost. My wife and I spend a fortune on health, care. If there was a better system, we sure could spend more money on consumer goods. Just a thought. Not saying gov't either.
 
Possum, but as the post says that the man getting sick and not paying for it is not a problem of liberty. This is a problem of socialism. These instances are where Churches, communities, and charities come in to act as a saftey net, maybe a rich uncle, if we let people pay cash all medical costs would come down. These community groups are much more efficient than gov't.
 
Sniperchoke - 12/9/2009 10:19 AM

Possum, but as the post says that the man getting sick and not paying for it is not a problem of liberty. This is a problem of socialism. These instances are where Churches, communities, and charities come in to act as a saftey net, maybe a rich uncle, if we let people pay cash all medical costs would come down. These community groups are much more efficient than gov't.

Are you talking about communil wealth?
 
Sniperchoke - 12/9/2009 2:30 PM

Im talking about private charities instead of the gov't forcing people to pay for others.

That would be the perfect world, utopia if you will. There are problems however there as well.
 
Sniperchoke - 12/9/2009 2:55 PM

Yeah but not as many problems as when gov't controls it.

How come the charities are always asking for money now, without the added burden of even more? Seems to me they are already overwhelmed, adding more charity cases would just make things worse.
 
Bfish, How come the government is always taking more money. I would much rather someone ask me for money than just take my money.
 
Sniperchoke - 12/9/2009 4:50 PM

Bfish, How come the government is always taking more money. I would much rather someone ask me for money than just take my money.

Name 10 industrialized countries that have a lower individual tax rate. Seriously, name them. If you can come up with 10, I'll give you a NIB limited run colored Bandit 200.
 
Thats exactly what I don't want to become. The closer your country is to freedom and capitalism the wealthier everyone is. Name 10 countries that are more powerful in the world financially or militarily than us. There are none thats right zip nada. Look at the gov't track record medicare broke, medicaid broke, Social Security soon to be broke the gov't couldn't efficiantly run a laundry mat. You want to know how to solve the current downturn in the economy two words lower taxes. Let the people who earn the money spend it and watch the magic of capitalism.
 

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