Steve Chapman on the administration's plans to take over health care:
Some statements are inherently unbelievable. Such as: "I am an official of the government of Nigeria, and I would like to deposit $60 million in your bank account." Or: "I'm Barry Bonds, and I thought it was flaxseed oil." And this new one: "I'm Barack Obama, and I favor more competition in health insurance." ...That's what we call a BGOO - a Blinging Glimpse Of the Obvious.
There are reasons, though, to think that the president's real enthusiasm is not for competition but for government expansion.
Somehow, Steve concludes, no matter the problem, "the administration proposes the same solution: more federal spending and a bigger federal role."
When all you have is a hammer, etc.
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4 comments:
Oops. Not George Will. Steve Chapman. (Although I suspect that George Will would agree!)
Thanks, corrected!
"Free" market competition in the realm of health care has failed miserably. The U.S. ranks way behind other industrialized democracies as far as health care ratings (by the WHO and others). We spend far too much money for very bad outcomes.
It's all largely irrelevant though because I think it's clear from the Universal Declaration and from the unalienable rights in our own declaration, that health care must be a protection granted to all Americans -- without the burden of massive debt attached to it.
Clint:
The WHO's criteria for "good" health care is skewed against Free Markets. The formost criteria is "Does the government pay for everything?" If no, go to the bottom of the list.
Health Care statistics and the ratings that depend on them are misleading. Different countries report health outcomes differently, but WHO campares them apples to apples, even though one of them is an orange. The one most often cited is infant mortality. In the US a baby is a live birth if it takes one breath. In other countries, the baby has to survive 24 hours before it is considered a live birth. Still others don't count any babies as a live birth if the baby is pre-term. Its a nice way to improve your statistics without improving your outcomes.
In addition, how do conclude that health care is an inalienable right like freedom of speach or religion or the right to bear arms? My natural rights do not impose responsabilities on other people. I have a right to say whatever I like. This right places no responsability on you to listen, respond or even care. If I have a right to health care, this places a burden on doctors and nurses to provide it regardless of whether they want to or not. A "right" to health care makes slaves of all doctors and nurses
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