(Fred Weinberg) – This time of year, it seems appropriate to remember the late North Carolina State basketball coach Jim Valvano whose Wolfpack upset Houston in the 1983 Final Four Championship game. Especially in the context of what just happened to President Donald Trump last week.
Valvano died of cancer about 10 years after that game, but not until after he had a chance to accept an Espy award with a speech that was actually more inspirational than the win.
His advice was, “Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.”
Donald Trump was sent to Washington by an overwhelming majority of the nation’s counties because their voters were tired of being ignored by the Washington political establishment.
Just as they were ignored by the Republican Congress last week.
After Trump announced, the media and most Republicans thought he was a joke. That he could never, ever get the nomination. He didn’t give up.
After he was nominated, the media and the Democrats thought he was a joke. That he could never, ever win. He didn’t give up.
After he won the election, the media, the Democrats and the Republicans thought he was a joke. That he would never be able to govern. He hasn’t given up. And most likely, he won’t. (Not his style.)
They have tried to cut his legs out from under him. The Republicans seem to have forgotten that Trump got where he is by taking Valvano’s advice.
Do these clowns in Congress—who cannot seem to get together to do what it is they have promised for the past eight years—think their constituents will gladly send them back? That President Trump is going to go away? That he will give up?
Seriously?
We’ve heard lots of ridicules excuses from all sides. None of those excuses will wash with an increasingly enraged voting public.
Let’s talk about health care.
I’m not an economist. In my humble opinion, with some limited exceptions, God invented economists to make astrologers look good. But at age 65, I’ve learned enough about our health care system to understand that you do NOT reduce the cost of health care by insuring everyone. In fact, that is the fastest way to increase the costs.
Which is, of course, why economic illiterates like Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer think that is the way to proceed. (Imagine: Nobel Economics Laureate Nancy Pelosi.)
The way you reduce the cost of healthcare—in Obamaspeak “bending the cost curve”—is to actually reduce the cost of healthcare.
As an example, before Obamacare, WalMart brought out a whole list of generic prescription drugs for $4 a month or $10 for 90 days. That brought people streaming into their pharmacies who, not coincidentally, spent money on other things the super centers sold.
Imagine if there were an MRI machine and a CAT scanner in WalMart super centers. You could get an MRI while picking up your $4 prescription.
Imagine if companies which were not married to the status quo were allowed—encouraged—to compete with all of the people who are now objecting to a rewrite of Obamacare because they want the government to pay for everything and not be able to do things like make providers bid on services and products to Medicare which tends to set the pricing everywhere for almost everything.
If you want to know what’s wrong with our healthcare system, follow the money. See who has an incentive not to do anything. See how much those people have donated to members of the United States House of Representatives and the Senate. See which members.
Then, you will understand the wave of inertia which the Trump administration just ran into.
But times are changing.
The mere fact that Donald Trump was elected should tell you that change is in the air. If members of the House don’t get that, they may soon have a new title. Former Members. Especially the Republicans who never blow an opportunity to blow an opportunity.
The public wants change. Change is going to happen. With or without the current House and Senate.
How much louder do I have to type?
Mr. Weinberg is publisher of the Penny Press. Get to know more about him by visiting www.PennyPressNV.com.
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