Dec 2nd 2011, 7:55:32
Capitalism is the unquestioned cornerstone of our economy, enough good things can't be said about it. To me, the problem is that capitalism remains the driving force in industries where human beings are the commodity. At some point, it becomes impossible to sustain growth, increase profit, etc. without marginalising people relying on that industry to some degree.
The government (at various levels) has oversight and responsibility for roads, utilities, public safety and so on, all of which are things that could endanger people if they were the responsibility of profit-driven private businesses. Why bother spending money maintaining some remote road that may only see ten cars a day? Healthcare falls squarely in this category. What motivation does a pharmaceutical company have to cure a disease, when selling treatments is a much stronger revenue stream?
So then comes the classic argument that the government can't do anything efficiently. You know what? That's OK! Do you want the military to only be trained and equipped for the most reasonable needs, as determined by maximising efficiency, or do you want them prepared for absolutely anything, with a plan to follow and trained people ready to act no matter what unpredictable thing happens? Do you really care about MPG when you're buying a sports car? Of course not, you can afford a sports car, so you're going to be damn sure yours is the fastest, and that everybody around you knows it.
The same thing goes for healthcare. I don't care if BCBS can provide reasonable care for customers and still turn a profit. I want my country to be the fittest, strongest, healthiest, longest-lived society on the planet (just like I want my military to kick the most ass). And you know what? I don't care if that means some of my tax dollars may end up benefiting others more than it benefits me. Part of my taxes already go to the fire department, but I'm certainly not complaining if I never see a direct personal benefit from those dollars.
