Comments on: Universal Coverage: Endorse the Concept

By: FleeingHomework

FleeingHomework — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:57:55 +0000

I definitely see Sinz’s point about not everyone needing to get universal healthcare, but I came into this article expecting to completely disagree with Mr. Morgan, and was pleasantly surprised to discover I generally agree with his point of view. That being said, I think the GOP’s goal should be universal availability of healthcare, making sure that anyone who wants/needs it can get it, but not forcing the people to pay for something some do not want. The free market holds the solution, as it does nearly every time.

By: Spartacus

Spartacus — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 19:04:38 +0000

Sinz wrote: “Eventually the GOP must have an internal debate–long overdue–on the proper role of government in society . . . But the time to have that debate is NOT right now . . . Right now, the GOP is gaining so much by the spectacle in the Democratic Party . . . ”

So, to a guy who literally owes his very life to the good fortune of living in a state where there was massive, Democratic-led government intrusion into the healthcare marketplace, it’s better for the GOP to refrain from contributing in a positive way to healthcare reform so that it can cling to the hope of gaining political power in 2010?

How many people will suffer and even die because of a delay in achieving universal healthcare? How many families must lose their homes and file for bankruptcy because of medical bills they can’t pay? And, these irreparable costs are supposed to be worth it in exchange for the GOP gaining political power so that it could do what – take us back to the years of 2000-2006?

Sinz, you are truly pathetic.

By: sinz54

sinz54 — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 19:20:53 +0000

Absolutely ridiculous.

Universal coverage is FUNDAMENTALLY antithetical to the GOP’s avowed free-market philosophy. Because in a free market, any employer, any worker, any consumer, always has the right to say no–and opt out. No matter how competitive you make the health care market, any American always has the right to say “No, thanks”–and eschew all of it.

If the GOP is going to start advocating universal coverage, then it has to also admit that this goal requires government intrusion into the market place on a “universal” scale. In Massachusetts, for example, universal coverage was achieved via a government MANDATE that FORCES every resident to obtain coverage. (Subsidies and a public option are available for the truly needy who can’t afford it.) If you try to opt out, you pay a penalty.

And that’s why the GOP base hates the Massachusetts system. Because while it works through the private sector, it has a significant public component too.

Eventually the GOP must have an internal debate–long overdue–on the proper role of government in society. There are those in the GOP who quote Atlas Shrugged that all a government should do is cops, courts, and armies. I disagree. But the time to have that debate is NOT right now.

Right now, the GOP is gaining so much by the spectacle in the Democratic Party that the best thing the GOP can do is remain silent–and bide their time till 2010. Then they can unveil some ideas on health care.