Comments on: Health care is the budget-buster—not education http://publicassets.org/blog/health-care-is-the-budget-buster%e2%80%94not-education/ Government for the People Thu, 17 May 2012 00:22:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Chris Bray http://publicassets.org/blog/health-care-is-the-budget-buster%e2%80%94not-education/comment-page-1/#comment-24 Chris Bray Tue, 19 Jan 2010 01:52:07 +0000 http://publicassets.org/?p=2268#comment-24 Jack, Can you post this graph? I am curious about the relative size of these budgets. Thank you for the information. Jack,

Can you post this graph?
I am curious about the relative size of these budgets.

Thank you for the information.

]]> By: Bill Schubart http://publicassets.org/blog/health-care-is-the-budget-buster%e2%80%94not-education/comment-page-1/#comment-23 Bill Schubart Mon, 18 Jan 2010 20:42:05 +0000 http://publicassets.org/?p=2268#comment-23 Jack, Your point is well taken. Important to note as well that health care is a major driver of education cost. One difference you neglect to mention is the ever expanding market for healthcare with an expanding and aging demographic and a shrinking student population. I believe we should be looking for ways to make our educational infrastructure more useful, spreading the cost across a larger part of our community budgets by making our schools into community centers. Bill Jack,
Your point is well taken. Important to note as well that health care is a major driver of education cost. One difference you neglect to mention is the ever expanding market for healthcare with an expanding and aging demographic and a shrinking student population. I believe we should be looking for ways to make our educational infrastructure more useful, spreading the cost across a larger part of our community budgets by making our schools into community centers.
Bill

]]> By: Ralph W Howe http://publicassets.org/blog/health-care-is-the-budget-buster%e2%80%94not-education/comment-page-1/#comment-22 Ralph W Howe Mon, 18 Jan 2010 20:35:05 +0000 http://publicassets.org/?p=2268#comment-22 AS long as we insist on corporate welfare for insurance companies, health care management companies, and drug companies, through a scala mobile process that has no functional checks, we will see "health care" eating up our funds. Investing in preventative, up front programs in health, nutrition, housing and real jobs would shift from corporate welfare to the common good that reduces premature health care demands and lowers productivity, etc. See Sodexo Report. AS long as we insist on corporate welfare for insurance companies, health care management companies, and drug companies, through a scala mobile process that has no functional checks, we will see “health care” eating up our funds. Investing in preventative, up front programs in health, nutrition, housing and real jobs would shift from corporate welfare to the common good that reduces premature health care demands and lowers productivity, etc. See Sodexo Report.

]]> By: Tom Licata http://publicassets.org/blog/health-care-is-the-budget-buster%e2%80%94not-education/comment-page-1/#comment-21 Tom Licata Mon, 18 Jan 2010 20:27:00 +0000 http://publicassets.org/?p=2268#comment-21 I happened to listen to Paul Cillo and Art Wolff discuss the state of Vermont's economy on today's Mark Johnson show. Paul continually harped on the fact that budget cuts translates into fewer government services. If fewer government services also mean fewer mandates, regulations, taxes, etc..., then fewer of these current services will be needed, as private sector jobs become more available and folks are able to hold onto more of their after tax income: Judging from the poll cited below, it appears it is just what citizens are asking for. Has the Public Assets Institute ever considered that it may be government and its policies that is driving its citizens into the very dependency that keeps government growing and seemingly so needed? According to a new poll from the Washington Post and ABC News, a large majority of Americans say they want a smaller government that provides them with fewer services. The poll asked: “Generally speaking, would you say you favor smaller government with fewer services, or larger government with more services?” 58% aid they favor a smaller government with fewer services, and only 38 percent said they favor a larger government with more services. Paul, you compare education as a percent of Gross State Product; showing it fairly consistent over time. What would education look like as a percent of GSP if one were to strip out, say, the growth of Government (the largest single contributor of GSP) and Health Care (probably the faster single growth contributor)? These two items distort your measure. I happened to listen to Paul Cillo and Art Wolff discuss the state of Vermont’s economy on today’s Mark Johnson show.

Paul continually harped on the fact that budget cuts translates into fewer government services. If fewer government services also mean fewer mandates, regulations, taxes, etc…, then fewer of these current services will be needed, as private sector jobs become more available and folks are able to hold onto more of their after tax income:

Judging from the poll cited below, it appears it is just what citizens are asking for.

Has the Public Assets Institute ever considered that it may be government and its policies that is driving its citizens into the very dependency that keeps government growing and seemingly so needed?

According to a new poll from the Washington Post and ABC News, a large majority of Americans say they want a smaller government that provides them with fewer services.

The poll asked: “Generally speaking, would you say you favor smaller government with fewer services, or larger government with more services?”

58% aid they favor a smaller government with fewer services, and only 38 percent said they favor a larger government with more services.

Paul, you compare education as a percent of Gross State Product; showing it fairly consistent over time.

What would education look like as a percent of GSP if one were to strip out, say, the growth of Government (the largest single contributor of GSP) and Health Care (probably the faster single growth contributor)?

These two items distort your measure.

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