Show #271 Airing Sunday, October 3, 2004
There seems to be a growing sentiment around our country that government is bad. The thinking goes like this: You can’t count on the federal, state or even local government to do anything right. So government jobs and programs should be cut back.
Big, faceless government is an easy target for both political parties. It makes for great campaign sound bites to say “no government is good government.”
But is this slogan healthy for America? Some big government programs provide very important benefits. What worries me is that cutting or eliminating them would cause terrible harm to our citizens.
Take Medicaid, for example. Medicaid is one of the biggest government programs. Yet it provides a critical safety net for middle class Americans who need expensive long term care. Without Medicaid, millions of folks who suffer a catastrophic illness or injury would lose every cent they’ve worked so hard to save.
Some of our leaders in Washington would like to see Medicaid eliminated. They say people should take responsibility for themselves, and the government shouldn’t serve as our big brother.
But after the recent spate of deadly hurricanes, I’m confused. Many of the same leaders who wish to cut back government programs immediately pledged federal aid for the victims of Frances, Charley, and Ivan.
What’s the difference between devoting federal tax dollars to hurricane victims as compared to folks who have to go to nursing homes?
Many victims of the Florida hurricanes lost their homes. But folks who need long term nursing home care also frequently lose their homes, and their life savings.
Hurricane victims suffered due to an act of God. Nursing home patients are also there due to acts of God. But here’s one difference. People who move to Florida voluntarily take on some risk by going to live in hurricane territory. People who are stricken with dementia, or broken hips, or other catastrophic illnesses generally have done nothing to voluntarily put themselves in harm’s way.
Many hurricane victims have inadequate or no insurance coverage. Most nursing home residents have no long term care insurance. Some Florida residents can’t get insurance because they chose to live in hurricane territory. Many older folks can’t get long term care insurance because they have preexisting conditions.
Much of the federal hurricane relief money will be going to folks who are well off and could survive without help. Medicaid is only available to people with very little money or property. And wealthy people typically cannot use the planning tools to qualify for Medicaid benefits.
Now don’t get me wrong. I think the government should help hurricane victims who have suffered catastrophic loss. But they’re no more deserving of government assistance than middle class folks suffering from catastrophic illness or injury.
So here’s what I don’t understand. Why do so many of our leaders in Washington say Medicaid is bad, because it’s big government, and it should be cut, while at the same time they rush down to Florida with billions of dollars in aid for the hurricane victims? Isn’t hurricane relief also big government, paid for by our taxes? Where are the cries of personal responsibility?
I guess the lesson here is that big government isn’t always bad. At least, not when the political winds are blowing and national elections are just one month away.
