George Will And GM's "Welfare"

New York Post Online Edition: postopinion

GM'S WELFARE PROBLEM
by George Will

October 21, 2005 -- "GENERAL Motors took an interesting turn on Monday: It is going back into the automobile business.
Granted, GM has always been in that, but it has also become the nation's largest private purchaser of health care. This secondary role has become primary.

GM has been forced to allow product-development, pricing and other decisions to be driven by the need to keep sufficient revenues flowing in so they can flow out in fulfillment of GM's function as a welfare state. GM provides $5.2 billion in health care annually — more than Harley-Davidson's revenues — to 1.1 million workers, retirees and dependents. Retirees outnumber current U.S. employees 2.5 to 1. The $4 billion that goes annually to retirees does not go into developing products people want to buy.
So, rather than discuss the health care industry, and we're talking about Doctor's and hospitals here, rather than ask why they are allowed to plan for THEIR respective retirements by fleecing an entire nation, George stops for a moment in his busy day of chalkboard analysis diagrams of Ronald Reagan's final brain scan that is a mandatory class for all west wingers save for Geroge Bush, to bash middle income workers for desiring to have THEIR retirement assured as well."

I appreciate Mr. Will, I sincerely do, but this anything-goes as long as your wealthy and begging for welfare if you are not, is beginning to tire even a staunch conservative as myself.

There are writers of Mr. Wills caliber who do not enjoy HIS financial independence through no fault of their own...as we all know it's, it's who you know that counts for far too much these days...and for someone as fortunate as he it is somewhat boorish to continue to castigate the less fortunate.

Everyone, and particularly everyone who works hard, should be provided decent health care and if the health care is prohibitively expensive then rail about the cost of staying healthy, and ease up a tad on those who would like to stay at least as healthy as the very very lucky George Will.

And PS to Mr. Will: Have you ever SEEN what working on an assembly line does to a person, George? I have and it is one of the reasons WHY their coverage is as good as it is. What's next...cutting Veterans benefits?