Monday, January 15, 2007
Sick
The Daily Mail on Saturday tells us of NHS "patients" being offered the option to pay for their operation and thereby "jump the queue" and receive treatment.
Of course the "journalist" manages to miss an important point. The treatments have already been paid for, either by the patients themselves or others ("from each according to his means to each according to his needs")in the form of National Insurance (Insurance being misleading as the only side of the bargain is payment of the premium). So by asking for another payment, note there's no suggestion of a refund for the premiums paid, the poor people are being asked to pay twice for the same thing.
All of us who pay the National Insurance tax have all paid for these operations, now they cannot happen, we should all get a refund.
Imagine if this was a private company, taking payments in return for healthcare, then when people fell ill, expecting them to pay for treatment, they'd be an outcry. We'd have pictures showing directors houses and cars, we'd have calls for legislation to "protect" the public, every leftie going would be denouncing capitalism, directors salaries and complaining of how people get conned, and how others profit from their misfortune, the reality is that if you have the money and are in pain, you'll be very tempted to give it to the NHS.
I see the NHS as a huge gravy train, not for the majority of staff perhaps, but those at the top are bigger swindlers and robbers than many others. There's been a programme on BBC2 showing some self-made millionaire trying to get Rotherham hospital running efficiently; the chief executive of the hospital (for me) is no manager, but no fool either, he produces government figures and is probably classed as good at his job, ultimately I think he must know the hospital could be run better, I also think he knows he'll get no credit for doing so, just a lot of hassle, but does he resign? Does he forego his (judging from his house and car) generous salary? Yet (for me) he knows as much as the director of a company that continues trading with inevitable bankruptcy that people are being fleeced.
Years ago, when the worker was portrayed as slaving away for the capitalist, at least the capitalist provided something (capital). Now the worker slaves away for the apparatchik - who waxes fat on the food of the poor, but the apparatchik is supposed to work for the people, the reality is he does nothing, but produce figures and take the salary. What a sick system.
Of course the "journalist" manages to miss an important point. The treatments have already been paid for, either by the patients themselves or others ("from each according to his means to each according to his needs")in the form of National Insurance (Insurance being misleading as the only side of the bargain is payment of the premium). So by asking for another payment, note there's no suggestion of a refund for the premiums paid, the poor people are being asked to pay twice for the same thing.
All of us who pay the National Insurance tax have all paid for these operations, now they cannot happen, we should all get a refund.
Imagine if this was a private company, taking payments in return for healthcare, then when people fell ill, expecting them to pay for treatment, they'd be an outcry. We'd have pictures showing directors houses and cars, we'd have calls for legislation to "protect" the public, every leftie going would be denouncing capitalism, directors salaries and complaining of how people get conned, and how others profit from their misfortune, the reality is that if you have the money and are in pain, you'll be very tempted to give it to the NHS.
I see the NHS as a huge gravy train, not for the majority of staff perhaps, but those at the top are bigger swindlers and robbers than many others. There's been a programme on BBC2 showing some self-made millionaire trying to get Rotherham hospital running efficiently; the chief executive of the hospital (for me) is no manager, but no fool either, he produces government figures and is probably classed as good at his job, ultimately I think he must know the hospital could be run better, I also think he knows he'll get no credit for doing so, just a lot of hassle, but does he resign? Does he forego his (judging from his house and car) generous salary? Yet (for me) he knows as much as the director of a company that continues trading with inevitable bankruptcy that people are being fleeced.
Years ago, when the worker was portrayed as slaving away for the capitalist, at least the capitalist provided something (capital). Now the worker slaves away for the apparatchik - who waxes fat on the food of the poor, but the apparatchik is supposed to work for the people, the reality is he does nothing, but produce figures and take the salary. What a sick system.
Tags: NHS, state apparatchiks, statism, welfare state
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.
Labels: NHS, state apparatchiks, statism, welfare state
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Shove an RFID up an apparatchik (Not literally)
Looking at various things yesterday, I came across this gem on this DVLA website, scroll down to "Number plates and registration marks" and then "Electronic number plate trial feasibility report" a pdf report on some trails the DVLA has been running.
The idea is for an RFID chip to be included in your number plate, or tax disc, which can then be read by government (and no doubt other) chip readers for various purposes.
I haven't gone through the report myself, a quick look in the introduction tells us all we need to know about how apparatchiks work. Apparently a provision was introduced in the Vehicle Crime Act 2001 to allow this, and deliberately worded so. So these so called civil servants plan their statist oppressions some five or six years in advance.
Of course the wonderfully gender neutrally named "Ladyman" was only to pleased to authorise the trials (perhaps "for the children" or to "protect against terrorism" or maybe there's a new platitude) which have been taking place.
Anyway I know all my readers will be as pleased as I am by the success of the project; it will also come as no surprise to find the EU is also looking into this, and indeed this helped spur on the DVLA trial.
Personally I don't remember seeing any of this reported in the media, (I admit I could easily have missed it), but I suspect our crusading journalists; don't even have enough motivation to check out government websites for snippets of stories. They're far too busy chasing princes girlfriends, reporting on big brother and other banalities.
The idea is for an RFID chip to be included in your number plate, or tax disc, which can then be read by government (and no doubt other) chip readers for various purposes.
I haven't gone through the report myself, a quick look in the introduction tells us all we need to know about how apparatchiks work. Apparently a provision was introduced in the Vehicle Crime Act 2001 to allow this, and deliberately worded so. So these so called civil servants plan their statist oppressions some five or six years in advance.
Of course the wonderfully gender neutrally named "Ladyman" was only to pleased to authorise the trials (perhaps "for the children" or to "protect against terrorism" or maybe there's a new platitude) which have been taking place.
Anyway I know all my readers will be as pleased as I am by the success of the project; it will also come as no surprise to find the EU is also looking into this, and indeed this helped spur on the DVLA trial.
Personally I don't remember seeing any of this reported in the media, (I admit I could easily have missed it), but I suspect our crusading journalists; don't even have enough motivation to check out government websites for snippets of stories. They're far too busy chasing princes girlfriends, reporting on big brother and other banalities.
Tags: statism, state apparatchiks, media
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.
Labels: media, state apparatchiks, statism
Friday, December 22, 2006
Grooming Apparatchiks - Got to catch them young.
Sorry for not posting on this at the time, but better late than never. The Times reported here on Wednesday 20/12/2006 about a primary school exercise in where children were told that Father Christmas did not exist.
Now whilst I can understand the ire of the parents being focussed on this aspect, really the reporter has no excuse for missing the other issues: "The worksheet handed to the Year 5 pupils said “many small children believe in Santa” but that his letters were actually handled by an official at the Post Office. ... the pupils were then asked to compose a reply to one of the “small children” explaining why a request for presents was being turned down." I mean just what sort of Christmas exercise is this? What other worksheets are included in the series? I can imagine one like this:
"You are an official working in the council considering objections to parking tickets. Mrs Jones has been issued incorrectly with a ticket, explain to her why you can't cancel it."
Or how about: "You are an official working for NICE, explain to Mrs Jones why the drugs she needs will not be available. Compose a different letter, granting the drugs and explaning the first letter as a mistake, in case the media gets wind of this."
I suppose for those that enjoy and excel at these "exercises" a more advanced range might be available, based on examples of (socialist (national or not)) state triumphs over humanity from throughout the 20th century.
Maybe I'm considered too cynical, but: "Their parents, some unbelievers themselves, had to explain why not everything that you are taught in school may be true." With all the politically correct and revisionist views circulating the so called "education system" this is something I'd have ensured the children knew before they started attending school.
Now whilst I can understand the ire of the parents being focussed on this aspect, really the reporter has no excuse for missing the other issues: "The worksheet handed to the Year 5 pupils said “many small children believe in Santa” but that his letters were actually handled by an official at the Post Office. ... the pupils were then asked to compose a reply to one of the “small children” explaining why a request for presents was being turned down." I mean just what sort of Christmas exercise is this? What other worksheets are included in the series? I can imagine one like this:
"You are an official working in the council considering objections to parking tickets. Mrs Jones has been issued incorrectly with a ticket, explain to her why you can't cancel it."
Or how about: "You are an official working for NICE, explain to Mrs Jones why the drugs she needs will not be available. Compose a different letter, granting the drugs and explaning the first letter as a mistake, in case the media gets wind of this."
I suppose for those that enjoy and excel at these "exercises" a more advanced range might be available, based on examples of (socialist (national or not)) state triumphs over humanity from throughout the 20th century.
Maybe I'm considered too cynical, but: "Their parents, some unbelievers themselves, had to explain why not everything that you are taught in school may be true." With all the politically correct and revisionist views circulating the so called "education system" this is something I'd have ensured the children knew before they started attending school.
Tags: state apparatchiks state education
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.
Labels: Education, state apparatchiks
