You will have noted, I'm sure, the past tense in my title because I fear that since the stern, testing days of 1623, Boston has fallen under the wheels spell of the Democrat party and today its city leaders would not have the intelligence of their predecessors, as spelled out by Donald Boudreaux of Cafe Hayek in a letter to the NYT:
In 1623 the settlers of Plymouth Plantation abandoned their practice of allowing everyone to enjoy, as common property, the fruits of each other’s labor. Gov. William Bradford reported that the result was a remarkable escape from the annual risk of starvation. The institution of private property, and its corresponding requirement that each person pay for what he or she consumes, prompted more responsible consumption as well as a greater outpouring of productive efforts.
This historical experience contains a lesson for health care. The problems highlighted in your report – a surge in health-care consumption along with a shortage of health-care resources – is a predictable result of turning health care into a common-property resource. Consumers have fewer incentives to consume it wisely while physicians and other health-care providers have fewer incentives to supply it in quantities sufficient to meet all of the demands for their services.
It sounds noble to many modern ears that health care should be supplied as a ‘right.’ It likewise sounded noble to the Pilgrims’ ears that food should be supplied as a ‘right.’ But noble intentions are no substitute for proper economic incentives. Just as the Pilgrims’ experiment with supplying food as a ‘right’ failed, so, too, will our effort to supply health care as a ‘right’ fail.
Whatever happened on both sides of the pond between 1623 and now? Bloody socialism, that's what!
It is freedom of choice that distinguishes democracy from dictatorship and why socialism that cannot function in an environment where there is choice must eventually however well meaning it starts out to be become increasingly authoritarian. It moves from being the champion of the people to being their oppressors. What makes socialism particularly invidious is that it does so with the consent of those very same people. Of course the people eventually resent socialism and discard it but only after it has done considerable damage economically and socially.
Posted by: Antisthenes | Saturday, 30 November 2013 at 18:24
Thank God those canting killjoys had to go and bully the poor bloody Indians rather than bullying the inhabitants of these islands. For that reason, I think we should celebrate Thanksgiving too. We, however, wouldn't eat tedious turkey with cranberry sauce but (I suggest) Best Scotch Lamb with redcurrant jelly. Yum, yum. A decent claret or a glass or three of Aussie Shiraz … don't you think? Or even a few pints of best beer - lager forbidden!
Posted by: dearieme | Saturday, 30 November 2013 at 20:57
DM. Lamb (various cuts) is best fried gently over a medium heat six mins each side then put in slightly hot oven to sit for around eight mins. Let it sweat. Melts in the mouth. Any wine beer or spirit will send it doon.
Posted by: Glesga | Saturday, 30 November 2013 at 22:59
As good a summary as I have ever read, Antis, thank you.
As I remember it, DM, and the details of our own revolution are exceedingly hazy to me, it was a 'damn close run thing' that we avoided the extreme "killjoys" taking over here and that Cromwell was, by comparison, a bit 'laissez-faire'. However, you are too hard on Turkey and all the trimmings. We only eat it twice a year, Xmas and Easter, because I do realise it could quickly become boring but even so I really wouldn't have anything else. As for 'decent claret' - I wish I could afford it these days!
But, Jimmy, you missed out the porridge!
Posted by: David Duff | Sunday, 01 December 2013 at 09:05
One of our best culinary decisions was giving up the turkey at Xmas and changing to goose. So much better. And you're left with a reserve of goose fat for roasting yer tatties for ages after.
Posted by: dearieme | Sunday, 01 December 2013 at 16:32
Yes, we tried goose once but it produced far too much fat - and anyway, you can buy jars of goose fat when you need it. But you are right in your original criticism, too much turkey is tedious! That is why we only buy a breast of turkey - but I love it with all the trimmings and proper Xmas pud to follow!
Posted by: David Duff | Sunday, 01 December 2013 at 16:42