A single-payer national healthcare system has never been on the table in Washington. Even the so-called public option, which under Obama’s plan still accepts the premise of private insurers in the government-subsidized health marketplace, has been denounced as “socialism.” Republican spinster Frank Luntz has advised his clients to use the phrase “Washington takeover” of healthcare to ensure that private companies can continue to profit off of America’s broken system. Playing into America’s fear of “government-control” seems like a sure-fire way to win an argument.
But as Nicholas Kristof notes in a New York Times op-ed today, there are plenty of examples in America where the government has run things better than the private sector. Here is his brief list:
- Firefighting: Private insurers used to fight fires, resulting in chaos and looting
- Police work: If the security guard business were as powerful as the health insurance industry, then it would be denouncing “government takeovers” and “socialized police work”
- Education: The single-payer system delivers free education to every kid in the country
- Postal service: Well, you can debate that over here
- Libraries: Again, education and information access to all at a small cost to society
- Health care: 60 percent of those in Medicare rate it a 9 or 10 on a 10-point scale; only 40 percent of those enrolled in private insurance rank their plans that high
Do you agree with Kristof’s assessment? Are there other sectors where the government could run things better than private firms? Share your thoughts below.
