The other excellent article in my ex-best mate Rupe's newspaper, The Times (see previous post), was by the always intelligent and perceptive Matthew Parris - although I frequently disagree with him! Yesterday he listed six taboo subjects which are immediately hushed up if, inadvertently, they are spoken of. As a definitive proof of how intelligent and perceptive he is, he agrees with me (hurrah!) that our military leadership is cretinous, embarrassing and almost criminally irresponsible. He adds a plug for a book about to be published which my old friend Richard referred to in a comment thread down below: High Command: British Military Leadership in the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars by Maj. Gen. Christopher L. Elliott.
However, that is not the particular taboo subject I wish to talk about today. No, indeed, what do a few hundred dead and injured soldiers count for when placed against the Great God of British Public Life - the Nationalised Health Service! It is the slowest ticking time bomb in our society and when it finally goes off it is going to take down countless politicians (hurrah!) but cause enormous difficulties for ordinary people. Not, mind you, that I feel much sympathy for them. If they lacked the brains to understand that the desire for perfect health is infinite but the money to provide it is not, then they deserve what they will shortly get!
The politicans, both of this and the previous government, understand the dilemna and both have surreptitiously instituted minor changes around the edges of this monstrous behemoth but neither dare speak of it. Having tried for decades to push water uphill they have been forced to begin changes or risk being washed away in the inevitable deluge. The bovine GBP (Great British Public) are dimly - and I do mean dimly! - aware of the problem but they cling to the mantra chanted at them over the post-war years that the NHS provides medical care 'free' at the point of delivery. Asking them to point to anything in this life that is 'free' has no effect! Even 'that woman' shrank from instituting changes to the sacred cow of British politics. But changes there will be - or else!
I.enjoyed listening to some expert yesterday saying that the problems of the NHS were caused by the fact that the human body was designed for just 40 years. Stretching it to 60 was asking a lot. So just cut off access to medical care after 60 years......
Unless you are ex-military of course.
Posted by: Backofanevelope | Sunday, 04 January 2015 at 13:04
Absolutely, BOE, especially corporals and above!
Posted by: David Duff | Sunday, 04 January 2015 at 13:49
A very large chunk of the population that includes almost all Labour voters, regard public provision in the NHS as an end in itself, not merely a means of delivering healthcare. Wales' has less private involvement in the NHS than England and a worse service but politician will boast about saving the NHS from profiteers.
Posted by: Ross | Sunday, 04 January 2015 at 14:20
And because the NHS 'service' is so crap all the Taffs are heading for England to get treatment.
By the way, Ross, your excellent site was lost in my last computer disaster so I am delighted to tell you that you are now bookmarked again!
Posted by: David Duff | Sunday, 04 January 2015 at 14:40
The taboo over here...Medicare.
Posted by: Whitewall | Sunday, 04 January 2015 at 19:01
Ahoy Whitewall !!!
You've surprised (not to say delighted) me.
All our current fuss over Obamacare - speaking as the son of an MD - has at its root, Medicare. S'why "Dear Ol' Dad" told me not to follow in his inter-war Naval footsteps (Dad's plot-bronze lists WWII, Korea, and Nam ... after Korea he went to Med School) anyway Dad insisted that "Once Government gets into the practice of medicine - this was in '62 - efforts to keep our hospital open will inevitably be, for naught."
And with "our" most recent boondoggle, the books since bear that prediction almost certainly.
(Our hospital - for now - is the last County-owned & operated hospital south of the Mason-Dixon.)
Posted by: JK | Sunday, 04 January 2015 at 19:28
JK, you are in the light as usual. VA care is our nation's moral duty to our veterans and the world has seen the scandal ridden bureaucratic clusterflop- yes I spell it poorly--that this medical care turned into. Imagine the insanity of people thinking Obamacare would be workable for an even larger population. Medicare "works" now only because its "budget" is pretty much on auto pilot as no one wants to touch it. AR sounds to be in as much a pickle as New Hampshire regarding hospitals. Here in NC, we are blessed with an abundance of hospitals and military to boot.
Dr. JK...hmm. http://dailycaller.com/2014/12/30/obama-adviser-jonathan-gruber-in-2009-obamacare-will-not-be-affordable/
Posted by: Whitewall | Sunday, 04 January 2015 at 20:32
Whitewall ... I feel it duty to state VA (mind, I'm limiting to Arkansas VA and very specifically) anyway, I have never had a problem with VA care ... upfront though (and you may've seen me mention over on Dip's - which I'd ask you not to repeat there .. here, since it's D&N .. well David's standards where bona fides is concerned ... anyway you may've seen me make mention of a Reagan era appointment)
What I'm saying is VA in some places, Phoenix comes immediately to mind, VA has always had its "problem children" but Arkansas [generally] isn't one of them. Too, in my case, also specifically, my primary MD is one of the "contract-type" which I can explain if NC doesn't have the type. For specialists and surgery-like stuff I do have to go 3 hours down to Little Rock.
I, as an individual, keep as far as possible from the "business" of medicine so I can't speak to the NH situation. I have many medical practioner and admin types friends though and my continued presence at the dinner tables (or the bars) when the conversation inevitably turns to Obamacare generally, spurs me to hit the billiards table - where the bitching and whinging fairly quickly changes from Obama to 'Lil' o' JK' being the meanest man on the planet.
I can easily link to what makes "our hospital" unique of all those remaining south of the Mason-Dixon Whitewall but, because I'm candidly really fond of JK at this stage, I dare not. ... I did not follow in my Dad's footsteps ... and my actual name has been Wikileaked .. David, SoD, Andra *knew me* before that fuckhead Assange .. well, they tolerate JK out of the goodness of the heart. BOE doesn't know me .. but something he said re the Falklands (paraphrased - " ... because of 'stuff' the Yank Government couldn't help but their military and spooks just got on about it ...") BOE I think could.
Very short "our hospital" [so far] has managed to go without partnering with any other entities. Sure the MDs refer to Specialists elsewhere but when it comes to "the books" it's all in the hands Of The People in one Arkansas county.
I hope Whitewall, I've not got you completely lost (much).
Maybe this one example will do it. When I was a lad of thirteen a "man of the cloth" out of this county stirred some fresh naive honeypots and though *some posse of fellers* ensured he'd be "preaching no more such sermons" the work was wrought. This was in "Old Days Hillbillyland" [when the word "abortion" was only available in the context of Arkansas electing a Republican ... ironically I think, my Dad's involvement in the solution to that area's problem making it the first in the region's Republican strongholds]
Nine sets of adoptive parents were arranged, ten children were delivered of nine young women.
"The fee" for medical services was 24 heifers, 1 young bull and six youngish porcines.
Can you Whitewall, imagine Medicare accepting livestock as a co-payment?
Posted by: JK | Monday, 05 January 2015 at 07:11
Oh Whitewall, that Gruber feller.
I don't know why the media didn't pick up on him before they did.
I myself posted to Waka back in 2013 a YouTube clip of the guy "explaining" just as FOX is making hay of now. Matter of fact, I'm *pretty sure* I pasted a link to Dip - I don't do hyperlinks - anyway ... I'm pretty certain I'd received a video'd and uploaded to same nearly a year before anybody was paying attention.
I'd have to get as familiar with other archives than David's though. Here, it's easy.
Oh well.
Posted by: JK | Monday, 05 January 2015 at 07:38
Well JK, that's quite a bit to absorb but yes, we do have contract MDs here--by the boat load. I suspect you are keenly aware of the volume of military presence here in NC so some of the shenanigans that went on in many states have not happened here to a large degree that anyone can tell..so far.
Don't worry about me repeating your handle(s)elsewhere. I have more than one myself. Maybe that Assange fellow will leak himself into oblivion someday by crossing the wrong people too often.
If Medicare doesn't right itself pretty soon, livestock will indeed be taken as payment by the Kulaks if they want to stay in business. As for Mr. Gruber, the fellow who accumulated all the You Tube content waited to get as much content from university archives as he could before opening the curtain on the arrogant Gruber. More to come I think. This Obamacare thing has to be gutted like a fish.
Posted by: Whitewall | Monday, 05 January 2015 at 14:05
JK, JK, too much brandy in the Plum Duff!!
Time for your afternoon nap?
Posted by: Andra | Monday, 05 January 2015 at 19:48