Health Care

Warning: This is a political rant. Run away if you believe that government is the answer to everything.

The Story of Og.

Once upon a time, Og climbed out of his cave, and noticed that his club arm had a little twinge in it, so he went to Ooblek, the medicine man, and swapped some nice flint arrowheads for herbs, chanting, and smoke wafted around by an eagle's wing. Ooblek earned a nice living searching for herbs and bartering arrow heads in exchange for his knowledge as a healer. All was right with the Neanderthal world.

As he was going home, Og thought of the time it took to make 5 arrowheads, and that it was too much to pay for the treatment he had received. He rounded up a handful of his friends, and went to Oomlaut, the Chief with his grievance, and announced that he could no longer afford to pay for herbs and smoke, and what was Oomlaut going to do about it?

Oomlaut called the tribal council together (omitting Ooblek) and they decided that the services of the medicine man would be free to all of the tribe. Og and his buddies were elated.

Soon Ooblek was inundated with cave rats with runny noses, and as the word spread, troglodytes seeking aid from other tribes. His day was so full that he soon ran out of herbs, his eagle wing lost its feathers from overwork, and he took up flint napping and quit practicing medicine.

Winter came, and the tribe all died.



There are several lessons to be learned here. Health care is not a right. Government leaders don't want to know how something works before they change it, and excessive demand leads to shortage and eventual disaster.

There is no right to health care. We have a right to seek and purchase health care, but no right to obtain it. You may wonder "Why do you say that?". Rights are actions we can take without infringing on the ability of others to act as they choose. Rights proceed from God's gift of free will and his admonition to love others as we love ourselves. If you are alone on a desert island, you have a right to do anything you want. If there are other people present, your actions carry responsibilities and your rights are diminished when they have an effect on others.

Health care cannot be a right because there has to be a provider of the care. The act of demanding health care places a restriction on the action of the health care provider since the service requires the time of the person providing it.


The Beneficent Oz (A. K. A. Congress) after listening to the wailing and gnashing of teeth from constituent land, decided that health care is broke and needs to be fixed. No one has asked how it got broken because the answer is that Oz broke it, with mandated coverage and free medical care for people who won't pay (but will vote). It's broken because of the self interest of Congress. They will do whatever we let them if it will help them stay in their powerful jobs.

The only thing that is certain about the bills before Congress right now is that, if they are passed, they will create shortages, rationing, and eventual calamity. Our doctors will be overrun with patients, overworked, and eventually will change careers or retire. The possibility of financial reward from Medicine will decline, fewer bright young people will seek medical degrees, and the situation will feed on itself until our country is populated by people who have a life expectancy of 40 years.

Winter is coming, folks. Call your congressmen and let them know how you feel. Tell them your vote will go elsewhere if they ram this abomination down our throats. If you really want to stir the puddin', ask which article of the Constitution gives Congress the ability to force individuals to purchase anything, let alone health insurance.


Live long, and prosper, while you still can.

Oh, Give Thanks....

...unto the Lord, for his mercy endures forever.

This Thanksgiving week has given me pause to reflect on the things for which I have good reason to be thankful. A brief list follows.

Marilyn and My Family. I have been truly blessed to be married to the most wonderful woman on earth for over 40 years. She's a constant source of delight and wonderment, and has given me 4 exceptional children who have grown into adults anyone would be proud of. I'm looking forward to spending some time with all of them (and totally blowing my diet :) ). Mention of family compels me to specifically include the people my children have chosen to spend their lives with. Without exception, they've chosen well, and I'm proud to have them and their children as part of the family.

America. She may be on the down side of middle age, but she's still the best place on the planet to raise a family. May God guide her people and our leaders to keep her that way.

Our Service Men and Women. Those who serve in the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines and Navy are worthy of our most heart-felt gratitude. Their sacrifice to keep us safe and free should be cause to personally thank every one of them that you see in uniform.

My Parents and Grandparents. They sacrificed a lot to make me the person I am, and I am always grateful to have learned from them. Mom, Dad, Grandma and Grandpa Brockmann, Grandma and Grandpa Blake, Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the wisdom and values you have shared with me. Your wise counsel guides me every time I interact with my Grandchildren. I hope I can pass on what you gave me.

My Friends. I have been blessed to hang out with some of the best people who walk the planet. I've rarely seen any of you when I did not learn something, or been outrageously amused. You, collectively, are proof that growing older is mandatory, but growing up is highly overrated. Stay young, regardless of how many birthdays you celebrate.

My Health. I may have a few (well deserved) defects, take enough pills each morning that I sound like a castanet when I come down the stairs, and am becoming more high-maintenance, but I am healthy enough to enjoy life, and can still make the leap into my Jeep when I want to go somewhere.

There are a lot more things I could list here, but I think I've hit the high spots.

Stay well, and take time this Thanksgiving Day to give truly heart-felt thanks to our God, because he truly is unendingly merciful and loving.