Trump’s RFK Jr. Cabinet Pick is Crucial

SBINSIDER NEWS\ANALYSIS OPINION| December 22nd, 2024

Donald J. Trump the President-elect is wasting no time putting forth his picks for important public positions. In the process, he has so far had only one miss, Matt Gaetz, was been deemed too extreme to be confirmed by the GOP Senate and he dropped out.

SBINSIDER is focusing Trump’s pick for the Department of Health and Human Services which has a huge budget and affects everyone in SaddleBrooke due to our age group and participation in Medicare.

Health Care Costs are Driving Spending

Trump has picked two former Democrats (now independents) for important cabinet-level positions: Robert Kennedy Jr as head of Health and Human Services where he is tasked with the “MAHA” movement-to Make Americans Healthy Again-a herculean task. Most of the costs of our health care system are directly related to lifestyle choices aided by the food industry doing what capitalist companies do-maximizing profits by producing food at its lowest cost and making it highly addictive.

Kennedy is Trump’s Salient Pick

RFK Jr. has been on a crusade his entire career against the hi-fructose added to all our foods, chemical additives for color and taste and highly refined, processed foods which are bereft of nutritional value. The results are very clear. The percentage of people who are considered obese has risen from 30% in 2000 to nearly 43% in 2024. Adult onset diabetes has skyrocketed to be about 30% of adults over 65-and those folks need constant medication. Being overweight is highly correlated with heart disease and stroke.

Children being diagnosed with ADHD and Autism has also shown a clear upward trend in the past 40 years. Some of the increase has to be attributed to increased awareness of the syndrome and it has been a goldmine for the pharmaceutical companies.

The question lingers, did the food industry covertly conspire to create a food supply that brought on chronic illness and the drug companies were more than happy to provide a treatment (no cures) for the victims?

Barack Obama Tried

Back in 2008, Obama campaigned on changing the delivery of health care by Medicare and Medicaid, with the basic idea that bad lifestyles where the main driver of rising cost. His “Obamacare” legislation was design in his words “to bend the curve on costs.”

It did not work as planned. And the negative outcomes for the actual doctors and other workers in the system has not been good. Perhaps that was the plan all along-screwing up the current system to eliminate private health insurers over time and then put in place a single-payer plan, like Canada and Britain. The proponents say by eliminating the cost of insurance the overall cost to government would be reduced and more people would gain access to better care.

The problem with health care is basic economics. When something is free, more of it will be used. Plus, we have a large elderly population which naturally consumes more health care.

With that in mind, which countries are judged to have the best system? Each of these systems has its strengths and challenges, and the “best” system may vary based on individual needs and values. The World Health Organization (WHO) and various health policy research organizations often publish rankings and reports that provide insights into different healthcare systems globally.

1. France: Often praised for its universal healthcare system, France provides high-quality care with a mix of public and private providers. It has a high patient satisfaction rate and excellent health outcomes.
2. Germany: Germany’s healthcare system is characterized by a mandatory insurance model that provides comprehensive coverage. It is known for its efficiency, advanced medical technology, and high standards of care.
3. Sweden: Sweden offers a publicly funded healthcare system that emphasizes equal access to services. It is known for its focus on preventive care and strong primary care services.
4. Switzerland: With a system based on mandatory health insurance, Switzerland offers high-quality care and a wide range of services. It is known for its efficiency and patient satisfaction.
5. Singapore: Singapore combines public and private healthcare systems effectively, providing high-quality care at relatively low costs. It emphasizes preventive care and has excellent health outcomes.

But what do these countries have in common? Largely homogenous, they have tiny budgets for Defense and are not paying $1 Trillion annually just on a public debt.

Which bring us to the question, does this problem have a solution? If RFK is somewhat successful on lifestyle changes, his reforms would not show up for 30 years at the earliest. Charging the people working now more for Medicare costs would reduce the pressure on the budget, but would not be well received by the voters-especially after Trump pledged repeatedly not to touch the system.

If something cannot go on forever, it will eventually stop. At $37 Trillion in debt, the Elon Musk’s of the world have pointed  that this trend of borrowing and spending cannot be maintained. As Trump likes to say “We shall see.”