It's important to remember that European socialism (social welfare state, dirigism, etc.) only works with the subsidy of American capitalism. When Atlas shrugs...

"The current proposals in Congress would effectively limit choice across the entire spectrum of health care: What kind of health insurance citizens can buy, what kind of doctors they can see, what kind of procedures their doctors will perform, what kind of drugs they can take, and what treatment options they may have."

These options are already limited by bureaucracies. Unless you have unlimited funds to pay for anything conceivable, which most don't.

"But as most instinctively realize, if people don't have to worry about carrying insurance until they need it, many won't buy it."

Except that it seems most variations of Obamacare likely to pass will include a mandate, and a fine if you don't purchase. I'm not a big fan of that, but it's a significant part of the deal; and something Cathy Seipp used to agitate for.

I don't quite understand why people say a public option would destroy private insurers. We have public education, and a thriving private education industry. We have a public postal system, and thriving private businesses like UPS and Mailboxes Etc.

Wouldn't it just mean there is one crappy but cheap option, and expensive options for everyone else who wants something better?

LYT:

Except that it seems most variations of Obamacare likely to pass will include a mandate, and a fine if you don't purchase. I'm not a big fan of that, but it's a significant part of the deal; and something Cathy Seipp used to agitate for.

So what about those of us who have our insurance policies voided by the infamous Page 16 (which eliminates individual policies)? Should we just pay the fines until 2013 and go uninsured? Because that is precisely what this law will force me to do. My insurance will be canceled by diktat, and I will be forbidden from buying insurance except through the "exchange". That won't exist until at least 2013.

NicoleK:

I don't quite understand why people say a public option would destroy private insurers. We have public education, and a thriving private education industry. We have a public postal system, and thriving private businesses like UPS and Mailboxes Etc.

Mailboxes Etc. doesn't do any mail delivery, they are merely an endpoint with access to existing services.

And UPS/FedEx are forbidden by law from competing with USPS. USPS is the only service that is allowed to do domestic letter delivery. There's no direct competition between them at all.

And your education comparison is inapt at best. The public schools in most areas are mediocre at best, turning out students who cannot function at a basic level. The private schools are populated mostly by the children of upper income families. So we create a greater disparity than is already perceived in education delivery.

The whole point of Obamacare is to eliminate that disparity. The only way to do that is to get rid of the private insurance industry (which he has said in the past is his goal). But simply fucking EVERYONE by dismantling it up front won't fly politically. So he'll set up a system that doesn't NEED to profit, create a "penalty" that is significantly lower than the cost of insurance to encourage employers to cancel their group plans, and mandate coverage.

What it means is mediocre care for everyone but the politically favored. Which the Democrats will live to regret if the Republicans ever take power again -- mark my words.

At the company where my wife works, the company-offered insurance has soared in cost in recent years, and the coverage has been cut. When the company's policy instituted a requirement for mandatory health screening this year, several of the employees dropped it and took out Individual Blue policies from Blue Cross-Blue Shield. They are getting portability and better coverage at the same price.

Under Obamacare, this option would be taken away from them.

I think we can all agree that the public schools suck... but the fact is, before they existed kids didn't go to school at all. Part of the reason they were pushed in the 1800s was to keep Irish kids off the street, basically as babysitters.

I didn't know that about FedEx. That's a stupid law.

There's no direct competition between them at all.

How is there no direct competition? FedEx carries letters to my house.

How is there no direct competition? FedEx carries letters to my house.

FedEx can carry packages and express mail (which is basically a really flat package). And they charge a premium for it. Only the USPS is allowed to deliver first class mail to the mailbox at your house.

The fact that Congressmen and their families will continue to have their own separate and unequal system is reason enough to oppose this scam. It's not good enough for them and it's not good enough for me.

"that the proposed health care "reform" runs contrary to three core values of American free enterprise culture -- individual choice, personal accountability, and rewards for ambition:"

If only that were so. Unfortunately, I think those American values are dying a swift death.

My husbands company pays about $1100 a month for our family's health insurance, as part of his benefits package. If "reform" goes through, the company will stop offering insurance and pay the tax instead. And you can bet your bottom dollar they will not be adding that $1100 into his paycheck. So we're screwed.

"The fact that Congressmen and their families will continue to have their own separate and unequal system is reason enough to oppose this scam. It's not good enough for them and it's not good enough for me."

EX-actly.

I believe that all schooling should be private, with the kids' education controlled by the parents. Homeschooling would not be frowned upon, either. For poor parents, a stipend to afford a school could be provided by local government if necessary (similar to vouchers).

The public schools, on the other hands, should be remade into more useful facilities, such as group outhouses, drinking dens, crack houses, whatever.

Seriously, though, the buildings could either be torn down or used for private business.

Only the USPS is allowed to deliver first class mail to the mailbox at your house.

Thanks for the explanation.

there is a congressman in LA who has proposed and amendment to the house bill which would mandate congress has to use the same product that they are proposing. He has a petition on his webpage. If you want to stop this silliness, I think he has the best approach

go here http://fleming.house.gov/index.html

I like the way this lady thinks..

"FedEx can carry packages and express mail (which is basically a really flat package). And they charge a premium for it. Only the USPS is allowed to deliver first class mail to the mailbox at your house."

Back in the day, it used to be law that if you used Fedex, UPS, etc., to send anything that was sendable via first class mail, they were not allowed to accept it unless you had paid postage on it. They were supposed to check that you had put it in a first class envelope with a stamp, and then put that in the Fedex envelope.

It's still the law that no service other than USPS can put incoming mail in your mailbox.

Seems like a dumb law, but ultimately, what do I care if they leave it on my box vs my slot?

UPS and FedEx can't deliver to a PO box either. When trying to mail something to someone who's only address is a PO Box it is a huge pain in the ass.

It's odd, in all these years Mr. Brooks never got his panties in a snit over the $60 billion year in farm subsidies, or the $8 billion a year in rural telephone subsidies. But now, we are facing profound moral choices.
Could it be that AEI has become a catamite for the Repuiblican Party? You think?
That the libertarian movement (not unlike many bowel movements) orginated from the rear end of a catamite?
The BOTU poops down on this blog post.

Really, why do you post under whatever and butthole etc and Ihole etc? Why can't you just use one name? The rest of us do.

> Why can't you just use one name?

I think "shit-for-brains" has a nice ring to it.

Amy,

You might want to post this pair of videos from 60 Minutes on your blog.

It is stunning that your government is getting set to spread this corruption many times over!

You want to see government health care for the masses, look at a VA hospital, crappy doc, old machines, cops everywhere to arrest you the minute you 'make a scene'

If government managed heathcare scks on such a small scale, why would it get better if given more burecrats and regulations?

FWIW, all libertarians I know (and I've been around the movement for a looong time) are completely against farm subsidies for a lot of reasons. Same-same goes for rural telephone subsidies.

Momof4: Butthole, the original I-hole and i-holier-than-thou are not the same person.
You may have noticed, one is married more than 20 years, another lives in Thailand for half the year, and the third lives in Los Angeles permanently (though he may migrate to Thailand) and is married to a young Thai wife.
We share computers, we are a small club of three. Our common thread is that we hate "libertarian" hypocrites. We think modern-day libertarians are but catamites for the Republican Party.
Worry not, we are wearying of ths game, and see little profit in it. It was fun for while, but what are we accomplishing? As much as the other bloggers and ninnies posting on this site: Nothing.
Just blowing hot air.
I am not one man with three personalisties.

Well apparenlty you all use the one brain, the same inults and the same piss poor use of the logic