Fraud, Sickness, and Trump

A.    Fraud:  Beware, my friend, of anyone or any party that proposes to pay for any government program by eliminating fraud.  The fundamental problem with this claim is simply that the amount of fraud, how it is done, and to what fiscal extent are largely unknown – admittedly so by the feds.  Only special cases are understood.  Specifically, all flavors of federal medical care should be singled out.  Some estimate it amounts to $60,000,000,000/year.  Fraud is amazingly difficult uncover, to prosecute, and then to prove.  Even organized crime has recognized it as an income source far less dangerous or risky than traditional venues. Miami, for example, is considered the Medicare fraud center of America, with New York a close second. Fraud in the defense industry, largely through cost overruns, has been rampant for decades, but what has been done?  Give just one example?

B.    Sickness to continue:

·       Democrats: Repealing Obamacare will "make America sick again."

·       Republicans: Keeping Obamacare "makes Americans sick."  And broke!

Looks like at least half of us will be sick, one way or the other, with the remaining disgusted by government ineptitude.

C.    On Trump. For vastly different reasons…

·       Democrats fear most of all a Trump success.

·       Republicans fear the same.

Trump has changed the rules, and neither side understands what’s happening, much less what to do about it. The pollsters have been sent to the woodshed; the pundits keep playing their old tunes; the academics, as usual, are clueless; our foreign opponents are shivering; the business people are hopeful; and the citizens are praying.