2009-08-11 The Whole Foods Alternative to ObamaCare

2009-08-11 John Mackey Wall Street Journal \Obamacare\Whole Foods Market\US/healthcare/reform/2009\socialism\other people's money http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204251404574342170072865070.html The Whole Foods Alternative to ObamaCare The Whole Foods Alternative to ObamaCare  "The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." &mdash; Margaret Thatcher

With a projected $1.8 trillion deficit for 2009, several trillions more in deficits projected over the next decade, and with both Medicare and Social Security entitlement spending about to ratchet up several notches over the next 15 years as Baby Boomers become eligible for both, we are rapidly running out of other people's money. These deficits are simply not sustainable. They are either going to result in unprecedented new taxes and inflation, or they will bankrupt us.

While we clearly need health-care reform, the last thing our country needs is a massive new health-care entitlement that will create hundreds of billions of dollars of new unfunded deficits and move us much closer to a government takeover of our health-care system. Instead, we should be trying to achieve reforms by moving in the opposite direction—toward less government control and more individual empowerment. Here are eight reforms that would greatly lower the cost of health care for everyone: A thoroughly dishonest beginning (Obamacare is deficit neutral) to an editorial which spurred a liberal boycott of Whole Foods Market (Mackey is co-founder and Chairman of the Board). Conservatives are suddenly finding a new love for the "365" brand, while arguing that the boycott shows the intolerant nature of liberals: "taking your business elsewhere" is apparently only acceptable to conservatives when it's the thing you should be doing instead of imposing regulations... or if it's in support of their values.

Commentary:
 * /woozle

&ldquo;While we clearly need health-care reform, the last thing our country needs is a massive new health-care entitlement that will create hundreds of billions of dollars of new unfunded deficits and move us much closer to a government takeover of our health-care system.&rdquo;   