[oblomov]

Perhaps the Marxians are on to something when they speak of "late capitalism". The management of large companies are no longer interested in acquiring their revenues through voluntary exchange. Instead, they must do so by enlisting the coercive power of the state. The state is more than willing to enter a combination with the corporations.

Why are they in such a hurry to extinguish individual liberty? Is it "for the children"?

[Wolfie]

Instead, they must do so by enlisting the coercive power of the state.

Which is absolutely nothing new. Why do you think "K" Street exists? As for socialized medicine, we'll get it when Corporate America demands it, and not a minute sooner.

[Alberta's Child]

No surprise here. A government-run health care system would enable these companies to eliminate one of the largest cost items from their bottom line.

It's worth noting that "big business" would have been 100% behind the Clinton administration's proposed health care reforms in 1993, except that those reforms would have required employers to pay almost all of the insurance costs anyway.

[NCSteve]

One must never make the mistake of confusing corporatism with capitalism. Corporatism is simply an oligarchic form of socialism. Corporate America left the confines of capitalism early in the last century. It isn’t even remotely surprising that corporate managers would join in calls for government health care.

[Alberta's Child]

I understand your point, but I’d look at this a different way . . . There is no reason why any of these companies should have been responsible for paying medical insurance premiums for their employees in the first place. This archaic relic of the World War II era has resulted in a huge distortion of our concept of what exactly “individual liberty” is all about.

[Brilliant]

I don’t know why they think it’s “unlikely.” Big business wants to shift the cost of these healthcare programs to the taxpayer, so that they don’t have to pay them.

[CertainInalienableRights]

Interesting.

Corporations could completely remove themselves from the healthcare issue - just stop offering it and compensate their employees commensurately.

As a healthy single man, I’d actually prefer to self-insure if my company gave me the money they’re using to pay my premiums.

[Red6]

Idiots!

Business has been on board for a long time. Health care is one of their highest overhead costs and they would love to reduce this.

A national health care plan (AKA social medicine) would mean that the onus is on the government, not the private firm and the government would manage costs through rationing programs essentially. It costs less because you get less.

[traviskicks]

bookmark

[durasell]

It’s already a done deal.

[sono]

Affordable healthcare will remain elusive in the US until something is done about the Tort Tax.

[dfwgator]

I’ve been saying it for years, Nationalized Health Care is inevitable because ultimately the corporations will demand it.

[mysterio]

Many corporations are proving themselves to be nearly as dangerous as government.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

It’s not an unlikely ally among Corporate Socialists.

Some companies, not all, profit by colluding with the government not only to hand over some of its overhead (healthcare, originally used to attract talent) but also in disseminating the PC doctrine the government requires/encourages (sensitivity training, etc.). They’ll also collude with governments to eliminate competition and form monopolies.

All economic systems have their dark side. This is part of the dark side of Capitalism.