By: ftrotter

ftrotter — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 14:29:37 +0000

Mark,
I agree, there are definitely places where various governments provide excellent “services”. Governments all over the world provide excellent transportation services, like trains systems and highway systems. But they do not make “trains” or “highways” themselves. Instead they team with industry to make the products. I want to focus specifically on “making things” rather than what services should or should not be provided by governments.
This lets me duck the debate about socialized medicine/commercialized medicine (which is good since no one cares what I have to say on the subject), except to say that my comments should not be interpreted to support either one.

By: Mark Spohr

Mark Spohr — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:47:09 +0000

“I defy my readers to give me legitimate examples of something that any government creates, programs, or manufactures internally that is provably superior than commercial alternatives.”
Fred, you need to tone down your rhetoric here. There is a legitimate place for commerce but you must realize that the first priority of business is to make money. When it comes to health, public safety, or public service, commercial models fail.
The best example is the US health care system which is driven by profit for insurance companies, doctors, hospitals, pharma, etc. The result is that the US spends at least twice what other developed countries spend and has significantly poorer health outcomes as well as leaving many without any health care.
The government run health systems of most other developed countries produce better health at less cost than our US ‘free enterprise’ system. Even many developing countries have put together better government run health care systems than the US. Cuba is a good example right on our doorstep. They have better health indicators than the US in most areas and they do it on a shoestring budget.

Comments on: Why is VistA good? the VistA open source development model

By: ftrotter

By: Mark Spohr