Every once in a while, the perfect situatuion arises where parents can use an opportunity to teach their children the important principles of life. These are precious times that can’t be wasted. One of these presented itself this Christmas.

In thinking about providing quality health care–a recurrent topic around my household, I was able to clearly demonstrate the difference between what occurs in a free market economy where I work, in comparison to government health care, where the practice of medicine is rapidly moving. My daughter wanted to go to the liquor store for a Christmas purchase for her father-in-law. In Washington, this is a state-controlled and operated business.

We entered the store only to find two very long lines of approximately 18 people each behind two (that’s right two) cashiers. Unwilling to wait that long, I told her that I had errands to run and quickly left to go to a Target store in the same shopping mall. I made my purchases there in a fraction of the time because Target had 18 (that’s right, 18 cashiers) with two people behind each one. 

The free enterprise system works for good reasons. You either provide quality services in a caring atmosphere or you end up not providing services at all. If the liquor store had to compete against Target, they would be out of business tomorrow. The same problem exists in government health care facilities where the principles of care that inundate the post office and liquor stores prevail. Where do you want to go for your health care needs?