Dreams into Nightmares

Perhaps the single greatest flaw of politics is that it encourages people to behave romantically rather than realistically -- to confuse intentions with results. To dream is marvelous, wonderful, human; but to dream without constraint and regard to reality is to turn dreams into nightmares. Here's a letter that I sent to the New York Times on Tennessee's "TennCare" scheme. My letter is in response to this story. ....... Editor, New York Times Dear Editor: Your headline about TennCare reads "Once a Model, a Health Plan is Endangered" (Nov. 20, Front Page). How was TennCare ever a model? Only eleven years old, the costs of this taxpayer-funded health-care scheme have ballooned so outlandishly that a politically supportive governor might well kill it. And if it is somehow saved, all agree that it will feature bloodcurdlingly bureaucratic restrictions. A model inspires and informs through its successful operation. TennCare was never a model of anything other than politics' proclivity to elevate quixotic fantasies over reality. Sincerely, Donald J. Boudreaux Chairman, Department of Economics George Mason University