The 6 Pack Economist

One of the ads that google gave me when I was re-reading my post on the death of capitalism was on Socialism vs Communism.   I find it entertaining because the difference is simple.  Socialism is communism with sugar on top.  Its like argueing if its better to be stuck in the water with a bunch of tiger sharks or great white sharks. 

In socialism the incrediably rich don’t have to change their name.  In communism they have register as part of the communist party.  Anyone not part of the super rich get screwed in either system.  Socialism will legislate the small guy out of business while communism just take it.

And remember all big corporations started as small business.

 One of the unique things about America is that super rich families tend to fall from grace.  It usually takes about three generations.  This is because of the competive nature in which America generally works.  Sure family names stay around and old money is still there but even this old money doesn’t last forever.

 It usually starts with one member of the family who is smart, industrious, and most times a little morally repugnant.  This person builds an empire of oil refineries, hotels, movie studios, search engines, or whatever is the flavor of the generation.  This person works very hard to build something from nothing.  Their children see this hard work and eventually after their parent built up the business and they too have gone from something little to something great takes over the business.  The empire grows bigger and eventually starts running on auto-pilot this second generation have children.  But these children have always had everything.  They do not understand the struggles the previous two generations had to go through.  They too believe that life is a bunch of cherries and everything comes easy.  Without these struggles they are handicapped to take over the business.

 This third generation is usually where the hedonistic attitude begins.  Once this hedonism takes over it is quick fall from grace.  Drugs, Parties, Lots of Sex, and extravagant money is no object spending quickly depletes the family fortune.  Occasionally they have some kids that are not morons and keep it going longer but few of these families ever regain their former greatness.

 One great example of this is the Hiltons.  The Grandfather built the empire, his son kept it going and growing, and well Paris will destroy it if she can. 

 This shows that the economic theory of relativity holds another interesting consequence.  Because the third generation never saw what having little was like they have a very hard time imagining the struggles that were need to accomplish this.  They never truly appreciate what they have.

 I wanted to add one other thing about this third generation.  They also tend to be the ones that are more open to income redistribution.  I think this is because they feel guilty for having so much while others have so little, but it also because they did not see what it took to get there and the hard work of those before them.  Perhaps it is a sense of being overwhelmed that they could never build the empire bigger.  I am not sure.  After all I am just a guy blogging who hopes that my grandchildren have an empire to destroy.

Deep inside the stimulus bill was a series of rules and regulations relating to healthcare records.  I highly suggest you read this link about the healthcare record system.  Did you read it yet?  Seriously just read the article. 

Ok now that you are back and hopefully you are scared.  If you are not scared then you did not read the article.  The stimulus package has essentially setup a great big database to keep track of your health records.  The basic idea is pretty noble.  Unfortunately it will not stay that way.

Let’s start off with the comedic result of this debacle since laughter is still not tracked. 

Heather recognizes her husband is having a heart-attack and calls 911.  Lucky for her she called during regular business hours so someone picked up.  Unfortunately she was directed to the non-heart related emergencies and had to call back.  When she called back it turned out that it was during a mandatory break period.  Heather gave up and dragged her husband into the back of the car.

Heather arrives at the Barney Frank memorial hospital but she cannot find a parking place.  She double parks and drags her husband to the emergency room.  With her husband in her arms she goes to the nurse’s station.  There are four people ahead of her.  Two have what looks like broken limbs of some sort, another has a bloody rag on his head, and one other is hacking away. 

After 10 minutes she moves to the front of the line to let the nurse know that this is an emergency.  The nurse responds that she is helping another patient.  But the nurse’s four inch long neon colored nails are preventing her from efficiently punching in the current patients name and address.  Heather drags her husband back to the end of the line again.

Forty minutes later she reaches the front of the line.  Shortly after explaining the symptoms her husband has the nurse tells Heather that she is in the wrong line.  The line for heart related emergencies is down the hall and to the left.  Heather exhausted by this point can barely explain the symptoms to the nurse at the heart related emergency counter.  Mid way through the explanation the nurse informs Heather that it is time for her break and walks away.  A new nurse sits down but the new nurse informs heather that she does not have the proper paper work for this emergency and proceeds to call a supervisor. 

The supervisor comes over to try and help out.  In between taking bites out of his ham and cheese sandwich he punches a few numbers into the computer and then allows heather to drag her husband to a bed. 

The doctor comes over to see her husband.  Heather believing her husband is only unconscious is relieved to see a doctor.  The doctor lifts up the husband’s wrist, pronounces him dead and walks out the room.   Heather in a fit rage screams at the doctor but he keeps walking away only the words “security please” are heard. 

Heather is thrown on the curb.  She is crying and gasping and sees her car is now being towed away.  In shock she has a heart-attack.   She is dead too.

Ok it is not that funny unless you have a dark, dry, and sarcastic humor like me.  In all seriousness I don’t think the system will break down like this quickly.  Instead it will take years for it to happen but gradually it will break down.  If you are one of the truly rich I would not worry as you will still be able to get care.  It is everyone else that will get screwed.