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Standing in line at the post office is an instructive experiment in health care reform. How so? Let's consider a typical example. Most days when you go to the post office you have one clerk working the desk and a line at least four or five people long, sometimes longer. People are often shaking their heads in frustration at having to wait and wondering why they can't open another window. Is it that they're short handed? Are they cutting the budget for front window clerks? Who knows?

The reason for the poor service is not relevant to my post here only the fact of the poor service. Do we think that having the government involved in health care (more than they currently are) is really going to be any different? I'm sure some of the people standing in line at the post office sighing in frustration are the same people who think we need a major overhaul in our health care system and can't wait for the federal government to work its magic on health care reform. But, do they think the same government which has trouble serving people efficiently at the post office will be better at serving patients in the hospital?

By contrast consider a visit to the grocery store or even better the UPS store. With rare exceptions you are presented with lots of choices and more than one person to wait on you and check you out. You can do the same study of contrasts elsewhere as well. Consider your experience renewing your driver's license versus your experience having your oil changed in your car.

Problems with government service are and have been legendary for years. They are so common they are the butt of jokes. But, the real joke is that no one seems to see that the same problems which plague the government services we have will plague any new ones we create.

No, the private sector is not perfect. Sometimes there are long lines and inefficiencies. But, these are memorable because they are the exceptions. Long lines and inefficiencies are memorable at the post office because they are the rule. While no one is harmed (usually) by them at the post office, will the same be true when it comes to health care reform?

The post office offers another useful contrast in the health care debate. While the post office is an example of a constitutional government entity (it is specified in the Constitution Article 1 Section 8 which enumerates the powers of Congress), health care reform of the magnitude currently being proposed is not. I think it would be instructive for someone at each of the town hall meetings currently being held on health care to ask their representative or senator a simple question: Where in the Constitution does it specify that Congress has the power to regulate health care in the manner being proposed? The answers we get to this question will be quite revealing and may lead to some real governmental reform!

Learn more about this author, Kevin J. Browne.
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