Government has poor financial track record

J.J. Schrader, Henderson

Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009 | 2:01 a.m.

As Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Chris Dodd and President Barack Obama’s cast of usual suspects sit behind closed doors figuring out how to slip a health care bill (and God only knows what earmarks that will be attached to it) by the American public, we are once again told to trust the government because it can do it more “efficiently.”

Just like Social Security (1935)? Fannie Mae (1938)? The War on Poverty — with over 21 percent of Americans still living below the poverty line (1964)? Medicare and Medicaid (1965)? Freddie Mac (1970)? Amtrak (1971)?

The government has had years to get these programs right and yet every one has ended up costing trillions in government cost overruns and are either bankrupt or on the verge of such. And for you “But Obama didn’t do this, he’s for change” fans, look at his programs’ track record so far: With the stimulus package, the Appropriations Act of 2009, Cash for Clunkers, the Housing Relief Act, nationalizing the auto industry, etc., how has the economy improved?

And now we’re supposed to just trust Obama and the government with the complete overhaul of our health and medical system? Would you invest your life savings with a financial adviser who had a resume like this government’s? Well, you slowly are. But, then, I’m sure it will be different this time. Obama said so.