All Power to the Post Office

Capitalism Magazine ^ | 6/25/07 | Richard E. Ralston

[libertarianPA]

The U.S. government now pays for and controls half of the health care in America. That is up from less than 10 percent forty years ago. Government spending on health care has increased at a rapid rate as its share of health care has increased. Yet those who complain about the total amount of spending on health care in the United States to justify complete government control never discuss how much of the current spending is attributable to or mandated by government programs.

During a recent interview, a talk radio host told me that all private health insurance should be eliminated in order to give us all a reason to work together to make sure the government runs a good health care system.

My first reaction to that statement was to question how that approach has been working for public education. But I will come back to that. A better analogy would be that conditions in our prisons might be expected to improve if we were all required to live in them. Socialists and some Liberals would find this level of government-enforced uniformity to be a noble sacrifice to which all citizens must submit. Many Conservatives would reluctantly agree—but suggest a voucher system that would allow us each to select the prison cell of our choice.

[Lizavetta]

all private health insurance should be eliminated in order to give us all a reason to work together to make sure the government runs a good health care system.

When the government controls something, there is no "working together". They take our money for it, divert most of it elsewhere, deliver a shoddy product that's perpetually "underfunded", provide zero accountability, and endeavor to take over even more of the private sector.

What does "working together" with the government mean? Voting? Look around you - you can see how well that works.

I don't care if I have to live in a yurt. I will always use private doctors and private hospitals.

[Pining_4_TX]

May we build our yurt next door to your yurt?

[norwaypinesavage]

My father-in-law recently had two teeth pulled on separate occasions. The first, in a small town, cost $250. The dentist told him to stop his blood thiner medication four days before the extraction, and restart it a day after.

The second was in a large town. The second dentist required approval from his heart and general physicians. The approvals took several months. Each required several tests and visits. The total bill for the second extraction (paid by US) was over $12,500. Such is the result of government health care.

[henkster]

As with HillaryCare under Clinton, when our next president proposes national health care, watch out for “the switch.” The “Switch” is when the AMA goes from opposition in the issue of public health care to silence. When that happens, you will know they “got theirs” and doctors won’t be making any financial sacrifices. Watch how the cost soars as new layers of bureaucracy are added.

[libertarianPA]

My girlfriend has a friend who lives in England. We were over there two months ago and she was complaining how bad the NHS is - she told a story of her friend whose uncle was complaining of pains in his side. He waited for hours, at the end of which the doctors gave him painkillers and sent him home. About a week later, he died of kidney failure.

My girlfriend’s friend is pregnant and wants to move back to the U.S. - a big part of it is that she hates the NHS and doesn’t want her child subjected to that system.

You’d think this would make an impact in philosophy, but this girl is still a screaming liberal and her husband is a proud socialist. This is the voluntary denail of reality that is sending this country down the exact same path.

[TheDon]

During a recent interview, a talk radio host told me that all private health insurance should be eliminated in order to give us all a reason to work together to make sure the government runs a good health care system.

[TheDon]

Perhaps we should all move to New Orleans...

[chrisser]

You’d think this would make an impact in philosophy, but this girl is still a screaming liberal and her husband is a proud socialist

They're still great ideas, its just that the wrong people have always been in charge.

Every time.

Since 1917.

[gipper81]

My girlfriend’s friend is pregnant and wants to move back to the U.S. - a big part of it is that she hates the NHS and doesn’t want her child subjected to that system. You’d think this would make an impact in philosophy, but this girl is still a screaming liberal and her husband is a proud socialist. This is the voluntary denail of reality that is sending this country down the exact same path.

But this is impossible. Tony Blair got up in front of Parliament week after week, year after year, noting how well the NHS has improved and made everyone's lives better .... to the applause of his Labor party.

[libertarianPA]

Did you see the follow-up story? When he bought the Brooklyn Bridge right after his speech?

[DugwayDuke]

“...all private health insurance should be eliminated in order to give us all a reason to work together to make sure the government runs a good health care system.”

This is ‘code talk’. It translates roughly as: ‘if the rich were made to be a part of a single system, then they would have to pay the taxes necessary to support the system’. This is pretty much the same reason liberals don’t want bums persecuted for living in the street.