This week, the wacky
government of Venezuela banned Coke Zero from being sold in the
country. Citing harmful
ingredients, it claimed to be protecting the health of its citizens, while
the government purports to conduct an investigation into potentially dangerous
ingredients in the soft drink.
In reality, the move has nothing to do with the safety of
Coke Zero, nor is the government's concern genuine. In fact, in 2008, Coke removed an artificial
sweetener, sodium
cyclamate, from the drink. Sodium cyclamate is banned in the US, though it
is legal in other countries. Venezuela's
Coke Zero, however, did not contain this sweetener.
Surprised at the lack of details justifying the ban coming out of
the country's health ministry? You shouldn't be given Venezuela's President's propensity
toward nationalization of homegrown companies and bullying of foreign
companies. For example, Venezuela
has nationalized 74 of its oil
companies and is set to complete nationalization of these companies by the end
of the year. More recently, the government strongarmed Coke into giving up a parking lot to the government.
While this episode is just another example of Chavez's
anti-American lunacy, in the midst of our discussions about the proper role of
government as it relates to the private sector and health care, this example of
a government on steroids should give us all pause. Venezuela is a prime example of
what can happen when government overreaches, intrudes in to the private sector,
takes over domestic companies, kicks around foreign companies and even bans
products with no explanation whatsoever - all in the name of the greater good,
out of disingenuous concern over citizens' health.
When a government runs health care, as would surely happen
in the U.S.
given that government-run health care would ultimately
drive private insurance companies into the ground, the line between running
the government and running citizens' lives becomes murky. Want to take a jab at
a company by forcing it to pull a product? Easy, do what Venezuela did, claim the product
threatens the health of consumers.
Public healthcare is not affordable, is not efficient and is
not the answer to the health care problems our country faces. There have been
many pieces on this issue here
on the American Issues Project Blog.
Aside from cost issues however, there are also issues of control. And
what we can learn from Venezuela's actions this week, is that a government-run
health industry will not only be the first step toward destroying the best
health care system any society has ever known, but it will also be the first
step toward total government control.