tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post2910340872307220421..comments2023-09-11T08:58:24.710-06:00Comments on Reach Upward: Universal Health Coverage to be Pushed in Utah in 2008Scott Hinrichshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11831447472339880148noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post-6819544379054410462007-10-08T13:24:00.000-06:002007-10-08T13:24:00.000-06:00James Taranto has a lovely response to Krugman's n...James Taranto has a lovely response to Krugman's nasty column <A HREF="http://www.opinionjournal.com/best/?id=110010698" REL="nofollow">here</A> (scroll down to Conscience of a Former Enron Adviser).Scott Hinrichshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11831447472339880148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post-40892501356994116722007-10-05T14:39:00.000-06:002007-10-05T14:39:00.000-06:00I think Paul Krugman has made the most potent obse...I think <A HREF="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/05/opinion/05krugman.html" REL="nofollow">Paul Krugman</A> has made the most potent observation on the conservative attitude toward health care: <BR/><BR/>"...modern movement conservatism attracts a certain personality type. If you identify with the downtrodden, even a little, you don’t belong. If you think ridicule is an appropriate response to other peoples’ woes, you fit right in.<BR/><BR/>And Republican disillusionment with Mr. Bush does not appear to signal any change in that regard. On the contrary, the leading candidates for the Republican nomination have gone out of their way to condemn “socialism,” which is G.O.P.-speak for any attempt to help the less fortunate.<BR/><BR/>So once again, if you’re poor or you’re sick or you don’t have health insurance, remember this: these people think your problems are funny. "Charles Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02975241234146573609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post-21858631542163179352007-10-02T09:24:00.000-06:002007-10-02T09:24:00.000-06:00David,Very good point.Scott,I loved reading Road t...David,<BR/><BR/>Very good point.<BR/><BR/>Scott,<BR/><BR/>I loved reading Road to Serfdom several years ago. I've found a copy of it on google books and am reading it again!Frank Stahelihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01822334061980912687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post-15577314758111109472007-10-01T15:47:00.000-06:002007-10-01T15:47:00.000-06:00"People will argue that consumers make too many ba..."People will argue that consumers make too many bad choices under such plans, opting to forego preventative or early care that would cost them out of pocket, thereby, allowing problems to escalate to a more serious level."<BR/><BR/>Somehow it goes under the radar that there is a reason why this happens. My incentive to pay for preventive care is lessened when letting the problem escalate will land me in a situation where someone else will pay for it. We actually have built in disincentives for people to take preventive care of their health issues. No wonder the system doesn't currently work.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post-34647854785498252242007-10-01T12:33:00.000-06:002007-10-01T12:33:00.000-06:00The centralization of a significant market segment...The centralization of a significant market segment will ultimately result in oppression and further limitations on choice. It all starts with the best of intentions, but a system of centralized planning has no capacity to actually achieve its stated ideals. This topic is well discussed in Hayek's classic book, <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_road_to_serfdom" REL="nofollow">The Road to Serfdom</A>.Scott Hinrichshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11831447472339880148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post-34470901907110557382007-10-01T12:19:00.000-06:002007-10-01T12:19:00.000-06:00Excellent post.When FDR came to power, several of ...Excellent post.<BR/><BR/>When FDR came to power, several of his acolytes went to the Soviet Union to see how 'wonderful' it was there. What they liked about it was how easy it was to con people into thinking that experts could solve all of their problems.<BR/><BR/>With impetus from Herbert Hoover and the Stock Market Crash of 1929, people became ready for their 'Savior', Franklin D. Roosevelt. What they don't go back and think about, however, is that he was wrong about the free market and his solutions were a travesty foisted on America. If (during Hoover admin) the Smoot Hawley Tariff act were never passed, and if FDR hadn't claimed to be able to solve everything with government, the Great Depression would have ended much sooner, and may never even have happened. <BR/><BR/>It is people that don't read and understand history that would be in favor of the cockamamie health plan that this Utah working group is putting forward. And it is people that are nothing more than full of themselves who think they are the "experts" who can solve everyone's problems for them.<BR/><BR/>It's never worked. It won't work in the future. Encouraging people to take care of themselves, and helping each other out privately when we go through hard times--these are the proven methods for success.Frank Stahelihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01822334061980912687noreply@blogger.com