The Tyranny of Healthcare.

In 2004, Stats Canada had estimated that 23% of adults could be classified as obese with an addition 36% of adults considered to be overweight. Take into account that approximately 15% of Canadians live below the poverty line, it is apparent that there is an critical nutrition problem in Canada.

With these alarming numbers in mind, there can be only one reasonable course of action. That would be to turn control of our dietary needs over to the government, so that they can maintain our nutritional needs. Once we have government ran grocery stores, they will be in position enforce what products and how much we can consume individually. If will allow a tax increase, then we should never have to pay for our groceries, that should take care of the concern for those who otherwise could not afford an adequate diet.

By this point most people who heard the suggestion of "Universal Nutrition" cringe at the prospect of the government controlling food supplies, or being able to tell you what you may eat. Most of us know, and history has demonstrated, that we all would suffer if government was able to control the availability and distribution of food. So why are we so defensive of the government ran healthcare system? It is as diverse and as complex as providing nutrition to all citizens, but somehow we trust them with one and not the other. When they fail at the task of running healthcare, opposing party's promise to do a better job with fresh ideas if only we grant them the ability to form a new government. Time after time we see healthcare used as an election issue only to see the system deteriorate further between election cycles.

The underlying problem is not which government runs the system, it is that no government is capable of running such a system. Governments excel at crafting policy and the regulation of set policy. With this mindset they tend to be reactionary with what needs to be done. Policy is usually developed after a situation has occurred, and once written, tend to be ridged in their application. Systems such as healthcare require foresight and complicated planning with versatility so immediate corrections can be made as unforeseen circumstance arise. The people in charge must be proactive and decisive, in order to keep the system viable. These aspects are in total contrast to how Government works.

This is not to say that government has no role in healthcare. Since in our system of government they are to operate as function of the citizenry, their ability to regulate is necessary in order to ensure standards are meet and that fairness is applied. With that said, the application is better left to a nonpublic, nonpolitical source, that will strive for quality and readiness. The last component is us, the individual. We must do what we can to ensure our own well-being, or else someone, whom you will never meet, will make those choices for you, without your say, and feel justified in doing so. That's tyranny.