Oct 01 2009
Fed Ex vs. US Post Office – Health Care
President Obama made a huge blunder this summer when he said government run health care could never compete with private health care – and then compared Fed Ex/UPS to the US Post Office. He rightfully noticed USPS is in constant financial trouble and would probably be out of business if it had to compete with the myriad of private options.
Back then, the evil of ‘profit’ was not such a big deal as it is today with the government run option facing rising opposition.
I don’t mean to use a human tragedy for political message purposes, but a story on Drudge yesterday had me crying with pride and sympathy – it is just touching. Sadly, it fits all too well with the current debate over government control vs individual choice (and responsibility). It is a story of that shining city on the hill President Reagan called us to rally around:
Because of caring people and a caring company, a terminally ill little Green Forest girl was flown home Friday by air ambulance from M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, so she can spend her last days surrounded by the people who love her most.
Jada Harper, who turned seven on Sept. 1, has an inoperable malignant tumor in her brain and is in a coma with a ventilator doing her breathing for her. She has been at the famous cancer center in Houston since July, but her situation is now at the point not much else can be done to help her.
Friday afternoon, Jada was flown home to the Ozarks — on a gurney, attached to the machine that breathes for her. FedEx Freight paid the $11,000 bill for the special medical flight her family was unable to afford.
I am still tearing up as I read and write this. I have twin daughters who just turned 10, and this story just pulls at this father’s heart. We have two older children too, both facing the challenges of this tough economy and the threats of this world. Maybe I am just getting soft in my old age.
What some people may not know (but as a government contractor I know too well) Â is that the US Post Office could never legally make this same gesture. It would be a crime of misuse of funds if the US Post Office was charitable like this. And that is true for all those wonderful incidents of caring that happen each day when a hospital or a doctor or a drug company say “do not worry, we will make you well and we’ll deal about money later”.
This giving part of America is poised to be snuffed out by Obamacare. Companies can decide on their own when it is time to just fill the need and forget the bottom line, as Fed Ex did in this case. I have no doubt a US Post Office manager or worker would jump into the breach and do the same if they could. But the difference here is a government run entity is bound by libraries full of regulations. They cannot make an exception, they cannot redirect resources. They cannot perform the simple act of human charity without permission.
As one person from I think Canada noted, government rationed health care means immediate access to a waiting list. Waiting lists are for lesser countries. This little girl’s family did not have time for a waiting list. And the evil private company (for profit) stepped in and made us all proud to be Americans again.
Whoever made that decision at Fed Ex, I thank you. Today I walk a bit taller, a bit smarter. And to the family, my prayers go out to you. You are in our hearts today. We have had a glimpse again of that shining city on the hill.
Fed-x is a great, compassionate company. UPS is trying to force them to unionize, which would END this sort of human compassion. I have clients who worked/work for Fed-x – they all exhibit this greater sense of moral clarity… it is part of their corporate culture
I think this is why Obama gets such a backlash from half the population. He never gives credit for all the wonderful things that AMERICANS do everyday. All he says is do more, implying we aren’t doing enough and thus are bad people.
Sounds like Tom Hanks did his character justice in Castaway.
Maybe I am just getting soft in my old age.
Yeah, probably, but I like to think of it as “gained wisdom”.
*sniff* Sorry, got something in my eye. I think it’s wisdom, but I’m not sure.
Big difference between the USPS and FedEx. USPS is a union shop that pays thousands of workers for not working. FedEx is a non-union shop that doesn’t have people on the payroll it doesn’t need. Union rules also prevent the USPS from moving a worker from a facility where they aren’t needed to one where help is needed. In other words, you ensure greater inefficiency with a union contract. It prevents a company or even a government agency from responding to changing conditions.
UPS is also a union shop (Teamsters). Whenever I am offered the choice, I pick FedEx or FedEx Ground for shipping. The reason is that I don’t want a portion of my shipping fees going to Democrats. The unions from the USPS and UPS donate heavily to Democrat campaigns and the Democrat party. I avoid doing business with people who would support that corrupt political institution.
[…] […]
Gateway pundit is reporting a poll result that has 63% of Americans believing Obama’s Health Care Reform plan will take away their private health care plan.
If 63% of Americans fear losing their existing health care plan and only 85% of Americans are covered by such private health care plans.
Then Obama Administration’s marketing of Health Care reform has managed to convince three out of four such people that he is out to destroy their health care plans.
This has huge negative implications for Democrats.
Gateway pundit is reporting a poll result that has 63% of Americans believing Obama’s Health Care Reform plan will take away their private health care plan.
If 63% of Americans fear losing their existing health care plan and only 85% of Americans are covered by such private health care plans.
Then Obama Administration’s marketing of Health Care reform has managed to convince three out of four such people that he is out to destroy their health care plans.
This has huge negative election implications for Democrats.