Just wait till it's free

In the health care debate, I read a quote that I thought very astute: If you think medical care is expensive now, just wait until it's free.

Our government seems to handle most things so brilliantly, why wouldn't we all jump at the chance to let it handle our health care? I offer for an example the "free" converter boxes.

Since analog television signals will cease in February of next year, our generous legislators decided it would be unthinkable for people to not have a working television set. After all, the Declaration of Independence says we are endowed with the rights to life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and a working tv. So some of them came up with the idea of giving $40 vouchers to analog set owners (whether they actually need the $40 or not) so they can buy converter boxes. But wait -- only one working tv in a home would certainly constitute a deprivation, so each family is entitled to two $40 vouchers. But wait -- what if you don't need a coupon because you're on cable or satellite and your current set will work just fine after the transition? Never fear -- you still are entitled to the vouchers. But wait -- what's this on the voucher? Why there on the bottom -- it's an expiration date (must be used within 90 days). But wait -- is that fair? Why of course not. Suppose you just can't get down to Wal-Mart within 90 days to pick up that free converter box that you really don't need in the first place? But wait -- we're going to allow you to reapply if you miss the deadline. Now I'm not smart enough to be a government administrator, but seems to me it would be easier and less expensive to just say across the board, "We are rescinding the expiration dates on these vouchers." But wait -- "an agency spokesman said NTIA (the agency overseeing the voucher program) will have a better understanding of the coupon program in the coming months." Again, I'm not smart enough to be a government administrator, but I'd want a pretty good understanding of a program of this magnitude before I implemented it, not after.

So how much of our money is this little fiasco costing? $1.5 billion. I can hardly wait for Hillary care!