I don’t know about you, but I am (ironically enough) sick of hearing the endless arguments regarding President Barack Obama’s health care plan.
And what really bites me about it is the rhetoric against an aspect that shouldn’t garner any argument from free-market conservatives — namely, the public option, which brings cries from multitudes of shrill idiots of the idea, nay, the “horror” and “tyranny” of “socialized medicine.”
In reality, President Barack Obama’s plan is unlike the hard-waiver health coverage plan the UNC System proposed earlier this year, which would REQUIRE students who do not have health insurance meeting the system’s standards to upgrade their policies or purchase such a policy through the university system. All it has is a public option, which offers competitive rates for the uninsured through the government system.
For the free market supporters out there, let’s review our Adam Smith: competition is GOOD for capitalism as it forces producers to constantly IMPROVE and give us the best prices possible. We are not going to a single-provider system like the British National Health Service or even single-payer insurance like the Canadians.
Uncle Sam is simply joining the market to make things more competitive. People, let the invisible hand work! Let the marketplace work!
As for the accusations of socialism in America, I’m going to burst a lot of people’s bubbles by saying this: we already socialize a ton of stuff in this country.
Unless you went to private school, you arrived at this fine University on the taxpayer’s dime in our solid educational system. And if you are here on a Stafford loan, know that if you default on your loan, the federal government will (usually) keep the collectors off your back (unless EVERYONE defaults).
If you drive on the interstate to get home for the holidays or the main roads to get to the store for a beer run, remember that you are driving on concrete and asphalt put there by the Commies and socialists from a prior generation of Red-lovin’ Americans.
Assuming that you want laws protecting you and people to enforce those laws, most of us rely on the protection of the State and its many operatives and agents. Unless you’re Clint Eastwood, or Chuck Norris.
We also like to be able to send letters and packages around the world without actually having to transport them ourselves. The U.S. Postal Service has performed that service for years, and despite the advent of e-mail, is one of many ways to reliably get a birthday card from relatives for only the cost of postage (which ain’t all that bad).
And most of all, if you support our troops (which you should — just fight against the people and policies that place them in hostile areas they should stay out of), you support that damn leftist “socialized military.”
So for all the absolutist, free-market advocates who insist that compromise on health care will open the door for Communists, socialists and any other number of villains from the past, I’ve got three words for you: you’re too late.
Welcome to reality. And welcome (back) to State, kids.
Send Paul your thoughts on socialized health care to letters@technicianonline.com.
