The Wit And Wisdom Of Arthur Laffer

The economist Arthur Laffer is often cited as one of the most influential in modern conservative history. This is what he said on CNN today.

If you like the Post Office and the Department of Motor Vehicles and you think they’re run well, just wait till you see Medicare, Medicaid and health care done by the government.

Yes, just wait until you see Medicare and Medicaid done by the government. Once the government gets their hands on those government-run insurance programs, they might balloon administrative costs all the way up to 3% versus the private insurance industry's 20-30%!

Again, this is a prominent conservative economist who either doesn't know, or doesn't want you to know, that Medicare is a government-run program. I'd bet on the latter.

Also, I agree with Krugman, since when did the post office deserve a reputation as a whipping boy? Last I checked, they take a piece of paper that you give them anywhere in the country for 44 cents! That's a ridiculous bargain, and for the most part terribly efficient. I've been on enough customer service lines with private companies - I'm sure everyone has - to know that their bureaucracy and systems are plenty awful in their own right. This idea that the government screws everything up and private industry is teh roxxor is a total myth.