First do no harm

From Thomas Sowell, that lovely thinker:
No matter how disastrously some policy has turned out, anyone who criticizes it can expect to hear:  “But what would you replace it with?”  When you put out a fire, what do you replace it with?

3 comments:

DL Sly said...

I missed this comment by Sowell. However, now, between this and a comment I read on RCP the other day, "'We have to pass it before we know what's in it' is the definition of a stool sample.", I have the perfect comebacks now to any comment by liberals, progressives, et al.
Thanks!
0>;~}

E Hines said...

“But what would you replace it with?” When you put out a fire, what do you replace it with?

It's not an entirely apt comparison. Especially since no one--even Sowell--looks to replace the fire, but the goods ruined by the fire and by the fire fighting efforts.

What will we replace Obamacare with? I've commented elsewhere that the House has a number of plans, either in the works or already passed and sent to the Senate (where the Progressives killed them).

Now, though, is not the time for Republicans or Conservatives to sit silently on the sidelines watching this train wreck unfold (not to mix metaphors, or anything), but rather to start talking up concrete alternatives.

On the noon o'clock news today, Congressman Chaffetz (R, UT) told the throat that the Republicans were working on an alternative. Sounded rather Nixonian to me.

Eric Hines

douglas said...

This argument hit me last week, upon hearing the whines about 'what are the Rs going to replace it with?' or 'the Rs have no plan', 'party of no' kind of blather from some talking head.

The response to 'what's your alternative?' should be 'let the states handle it'. You like this stuff, get like Massachusetts and pass your plan. One size fits all doesn't.

At the very least, the Rs should have opening state lines and tort reform as the cost of getting out of this mess for the Dems. Else, they can become the party of no.