Monday, September 25, 2006

On debunking

Will McMartin eviscerates Carole Taylor's claim that health care spending is out of control in B.C., pointing out that health care costs haven't grown significantly as a percentage of GDP, and only project as an increasingly-high amount of B.C.'s Consolidated Revenue Fund due to a tendency to shift costs so as not to count toward that fund.

It's worth pointing out in addition to McMartin's column that Taylor's particular means of shifting costs may not be the only contributing factor to the B.C. numbers or to similar claims across the country. For that matter, it's entirely possible that cuts to other programs made precisely in the name of preserving health care are now being cited as evidence that health care is unsustainable due to its increasing percentage of expenditures.

But whatever the shell game being played at a particular time, it's always useful to take the time to point out the obvious fallacies behind the immediate claim of a neocon looking for an excuse to hack into public investment. Because while it's a shame to have to use up resources pointing out a pattern which should be easily recognizable by now, it would be all the worse to let the sleight of hand go unchallenged - especially when public health care and other essential programs may ride on the outcome.

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