Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: jb6
Ultimately, the case for some government intervention and regulation in health care is compelling on the grounds of efficiency (because costs are out of control) and moral justice (because our societies rightly take a more egalitarian view of health than of material possessions). The issue is precisely how much redistribution of income and government intervention is warranted.

For a little more complete reply:

There is NO compelling case for government intervention in health care for ANY reason, least of all for "efficiency". A very persuasive case can be made that previous excursions by government into health care is the predominant reason for high health care costs in the first case.

Nor can there be a case made out for government intervention in the interest of "moral justice" whatever that might be. Government intervention will always and inevitably result in lowered standards, reduced access, higher costs, and more sickness, disability and death, across all income levels and social strata. How is this moral? Or just? It's just nuts.

Finally an "egalitarian view of health"? What the Sam Hill is that supposed to mean? That we all get sick equally? That we all suffer the same level of pain in our joints?

Illness and health is in fact the most UN-egalitarian of things. Illness mocks egalitarianism in that it is random and implacable. It may strike both rich and poor, but those it strikes cannot take comfort in that poor fact.

The fact is that Marxism is dead except on college campuses and in the fevered brains of some so-called economists, most of whom can't hold a true economic thought in their heads long enough to write it down.

3 posted on 02/16/2005 11:29:32 PM PST by John Valentine
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]


To: John Valentine

I can think of little besides defense that government does, which cannot likely be done more efficiently by the private sector. The recent privately funded spacecraft is one example... private enterprise got a ship designed from gounrd up and into space for less than the cost of rolling a shuttle to the pad.


4 posted on 02/16/2005 11:47:59 PM PST by WindOracle
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson