Megan McArdle let’s the cat out of the bag:
I know, most of you have already figured out why I oppose national health care. In a nutshell, I hate the poor and want them to die so that all my rich friends can use their bodies as mulch for their diamond ranches.
Not all of them, of course, we’ll keep some of them around to serve us Gin & Tonics and keep the house clean.
More seriously, Megan has a great post about the real arguments against government-run health care that deserve to be read in full. Here’s the money quote:
[F]or me, it all boils down to public choice theory. Once we’ve got a comprehensive national health care plan, what are the government’s incentives? I think they’re bad, for the same reason the TSA is bad. I’m afraid that instead of Security Theater, we’ll get Health Care Theater, where the government goes to elaborate lengths to convince us that we’re getting the best possible health care, without actually providing it.
(…)
Once the government gets into the business of providing our health care, the government gets into the business of deciding whose life matters, and how much. It gets into the business of deciding what we “really” want, where what we really want can never be a second chocolate eclair that might make us a size fourteen and raise the cost of treating us.
It’s all about giving the state control over biggest part of our lives. That may not be the intent of the people who are advocating ObamaCare. In fact, for the most part, I think they have good intentions, but we know where that leads in the end.
Here is what I want from health care reform. I could forgo a public based system if these came to pass.
1. Greater competition between insurance companies instead of letting 1 or 2 companies control 75% to 90% of their regional and local markets. The only way premiums will come down and quality will go up. An insurance premium for a healthy individual of more than about $150.00 a month that doesn’t cover basic preventative care is worthless and outrageous. I’d love to see an insurance ala cart type system.
2. Prevention of insurance companies from dropping people who get sick or denying treatments that are deemed necessary by their doctor. I don’t necessarily have an issue with someone’s insurance premiums going up if they get sick (as long as its reasonable) but no one should ever be denied needed care.
3. Preventative care should be the priority of all insurance plans. I should be able to go to a doctor at least once or twice a year for a physical and not have to take out a second mortgage to do it. Low cost nutrition and exercise programs that are covered by insurance premiums could go a long way of reducing long term care costs.
Vast – Where I think you are confused is in the belief that we will get something from our government just because we will it so. Government never has worked that way. The more power we give our leaders to “help” us, the more control they have over us.
Look back over history. The normal condition for the bulk of the population in any country is slavery. The health care of slaves is at the convenience of the masters. Hence the slaves that get the best care are house slaves. Masters do so love their “pets.”
If we the People want good health care or good anything else, then we must take the time to understand what the Founders did when they wrote the Constitution. The Founders created a system of constitutional government that pitted the power brokers against each other. They divided both the Federal and state governments into executive, legislative, and judicial branches. In addition, they created a federation, pitting state governments against the Federal Government.
Finally, and this is the most important part, the Founders deliberately limited the power of government. Instead of making government responsible for everything, they let the People buy from and sell to each other in an open market place (with some regulations to ensure honest transactions). So it is we each get to choose the doctors who care for our health, the stores where we buy our bread, the house we live in, the cars we drive, the clothes we wear, and so many other things.
And what works best? Where do we have to stand in long lines or wait in traffic jams? Who is more likely to arbitrarily deny us our preferences? Do the things we choose for ourselves in a free market or the things our government “gives” us cause us the most trouble and heartache?
Because of our government-run education system, it seems too many do not understand the devious nature of humanity, particularly that of the ambitious people who lead us. Otherwise, we would all understand that the so-called public option is unconstitutional. Otherwise, we would know better than to trust people who are so anxious to break their oath of office.
Anyway, if you get your public option, you had best hope one of the masters considers you and your family his pets.
[...] quote came from an old Below the Beltway post (here). Curious, I read the entire post. Then I read Vast’s comment (here). Vast had [...]