Viewpoint

It’s Just One Man’s Opinion

From the Chief Medical Editor Larry E. Patterson, MD

Pride goes before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. — Proverbs 16:18

I recently received a “letter to the editor” that was a bit different than the usual one, and thought I’d respond in this venue. The letter read:

Dr. Patterson’s November 2012 Viewpoint stated: “Now that the election has come to pass, one fact remains constant despite the outcome: Central planning does not work.”

Please Dr. Patterson what are you saying? That President Obama is a member of the Supreme Soviet? There are a lot of ophthalmologists who voted for President Obama. Perhaps they believe in evolution, global warming, gay marriage. Yes, politics is complicated, but please keep your personal Republican bias out. It has no place. (Author’s name withheld)

There were several misunderstandings in this brief letter, so I felt it might be helpful to elaborate. The quote was taken from a Viewpoint that was written and submitted weeks before the November election. I truly had no idea who would win. Indeed my central point, that central planning does not work, remained “despite the outcome.” Put another way, central planning does not work, period. It doesn’t matter who wins the election.

I freely admit that I am biased, however my bias is neither Republican nor Democrat. My bias is based on history, which is littered with failures of central planning, often led by brilliant men with advanced degrees. You don’t have to reference the failed Soviet system. We have plenty of examples close to home. Time and space do not allow for full discussion, but just do a bit of research about the stated goals of the departments of Energy and Education when they were created, how much money has been spent since their inceptions, and what the results have been. Examine the war on poverty and the food stamp program. The list goes on.

But look right here at medicine. If you have closely examined the Affordable Care Act — also known as Obamacare — you see an immensely complicated, convoluted program that will soon be taking decisions out of doctors’ hands and putting them into the hands of unelected bureaucrats (see IPAB). It is driving private medical practices into the hands of large corporate hospital conglomerates at an alarming rate. And it is run by the same types of politicians and bureaucrats that brought us Medicare and Medicaid — programs that, while helping to provide most of us a living, are growing at such an alarming rate that they threaten the very financial future of our country.

Democrats and Republicans alike, as well as us, the electorate, shoulder the responsibility for the mess we are in — due to a mistaken belief that central planning works. Pride by “intellectuals” in high places goes before the fall, with apologies to the writer of Proverbs.

Having said that, this is an opinion piece. Odds are, if you continue reading them, and I hope you do, you will get my opinion. And we will continue to welcome your letters.