Health Care Reasonings

To nationalize or not to nationalize...

Health care certainly needs reform, that's for sure. The way it stands, people wait on line for hours, insurance often won't fully cover life-saving treatments, and many people can't afford insurance at all. I have a number of friends who's insurance companies essentially dropped them when they needed serious treatments because they were too expensive.

However, I'm not sure nationalizing health care would make any difference. In fact, it will likely make matters worse. I read countless stories of the horrors of socialized health care from Canadians and Europeans alike. Waiting for endless hours to see a doctor, only being allowed to see certain physicians who might not necessarily be the best, and being led along by gov't bureaucrats who don't know jack-shit about medicine. I sympathize with people who can't afford insurance, but we have to remember...Health care is a privilege, not a right. The same way that Social Security money is a privilege earned through years of work. In an ideal capitalist society, we have to work for what we have. Nothing is handed out. Unfortunately, we live in a partially socialist society where redistribution of wealth takes the form of welfare and unemployment (necessary evils, but evils nonetheless).

Another problem with this bill is the destruction of competition. One of the most important aspects of our economy, the one which keeps it alive and fighting in an unstable global market, is competition. The consumer has choices; there is no legal monopolies. However, if this bill were to be passed, it would destroy any incentive companies had to stay with a private plan. Most employers would drop the private plans in a heartbeat for the gov't plan. So, what happens to the private insurance industry? Stocks will plummet, their revenues will dry up, and they'll have to fold.

So much for creating jobs.