In the recent times, scandals have
become the order of the day. In Texas, the Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital had
institutionalized the issue of manipulating the hospitals waiting lists for
many years. According to Zerohedge.com,
immense complaints were received and the VA inspector general launched an
immediate investigation (Durden). Despite thorough investigations, no person
was put behind bars for such malpractices. Within the public domain, it is true
that something was wrong and required immediate action from the government.
However, the hospital went ahead to receive an award and showing how the
discord among the top leadership can mess good policies on the ground.
In
the above case, public policy seems to be violated by the same leaders who are
supposed to formulate and ensure that they are implemented for the benefit of
the public. Hazlitt posits that bad economists are good at manipulating the
public, which is the case in the VA hospital scandal (6). However, to address
this issue there is the need for the good economists to come out and prove the
bad economists instead of complaining about the existence of such economists.
Through public engagement, good economists will carry the day in showing the
public the effects of bad policies and thus help them realize the importance of
having policies that are long term in nature.
With
an educated public, it is easier for the good economists to convince the public
on the advantages of creating long-term policies that considers their concerns.
However, for purposes of addressing the VA hospital scandal, there is the need
for an immediate policy to be set with the view to looking at all the messes
done by the top management and formulating a long-term policy based on the
report of an independent commission findings on the issues facing the hospital.
It is crucial to note that, bad policies exist because of public ignorance as
well as the selfishness of the leaders to accumulate power and wealth. The
public has the power influence the decisions made by public institutions
especially over malpractices committed by any senior of junior officers.
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