John Edwards, after announcing his plan to run for President… (again… cough), has announced his plan to save us all from the evils of high health care costs. You can probably imagine that I instinctively shudder at the thought of “universal health care”–in any of its forms; but I thought it would be worthwhile to explain why I react so negatively by using Edwards own words.
Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards said Sunday his plan for universal health care would require higher taxes and cost up to $120 billion year. “The bottom line is we’re asking everybody to share in the responsibility of making health care work in this country. Employers, those who are in the medical insurance business, employees, the American people ?¢‚Ǩ‚Äù everyone will have to contribute in order to make this work,” the 2004 vice presidential nominee said.
First, Edwards isn’t asking anybody anything… he is going to demand through legislation that people comply. Secondly, why is it my responsibility to “make health care work”? Is it my responsibility to make the auto industry work? The fast food industry? The housing industry? Why is it our collective responsibility to make private businesses work? Private businesses work if they give the market something wants in the most efficient way possible. It’s the responsibility of their executives and shareholders to guarantee these two criteria are met–not my responsibility.
Edwards said his plan would aim to provide health care coverage for the 47 million people who currently lack it and reduce the cost of health care coverage for middle-class families, partly by making health care programs more efficient.
Um… he doesn’t say how these programs are going to magically become more efficient with government intervention. Any ideas?
“We want to make sure everybody’s covered. We want to help middle-class families with the costs. We want to try to create competition that doesn’t exist today,” he said.
Competition is created by increasing the number of competitors in the marketplace.. not by subsidizing the industry with millions more dollars of federal funds.
To accomplish all this, Edwards said he would expand Medicaid and a program that now provides coverage to 6 million people, mostly children, and provide federal health care subsidies. He said he wants employers to play a bigger role, either by offering coverage or buying into “health markets” that would include a government plan.
This all sounds pretty and polished… but why would employers have any incentive to “buy into” a federal health care plan if the government is going to pick up the tab… with the working class’ tax dollars? If the Government is going to guarantee coverage, what incentive is there for businesses to spend their hard-earned dollars on coverage? Edwards’ plan is based on the flawed premise that all businesses are going to continue providing coverage to the entire population and the 47 million “uninsured” will remain this static number of people–a problem encountered by nearly all federal entitlement programs.
I may post more on this topic as the issue becomes more central to the upcoming campaigns… but I’ve got other things to do at the moment.
I have a horrible crush on John Edwards, he’s sooooo handsome!!! wheehee! dont hate a sister…haha:)
I actually like him as a person… no hate over here! He’s probably a pretty cool guy… I just think his statements on health care are misguided..
John Edwards is the one candidate that scares me the most out of the rest of the major Democratic candidates. His health plan seems to be on a course of economic and health care disaster.