I'll take a crack at them:
Quote:
Originally Posted by MTI
During last nights interview, two interesting exchanges occured which could use some airing out on this august body . . .
1) Is the administration really the most socialist one in US history given the governments investment and management of private indusdries (Newt's view), or is it merely reacting in a temporary manner to address an unprecidented economic situtation, much like the use of enhanced interrogation techniques following 9/11 (Stewart's view) by the Bush administration?
|
The current situation is not socialism. And it is not impossible for government to act temporarily. The government has stepped in and out of the private sector many times before.
Quote:
|
2) Government should not socialize healthcare in this country since it is inherently incapable of running such an operation and the resulting taxes to support it would hurt the nation (Newt) or . . By removing healthcare costs from business balance sheets, there will be a "hiring bonanza" by small and large business which will generate the taxes and how is it that government is the choice to run large operations like the military and wars, but can't be trusted with health care?
|
The resulting taxes IMO would not hurt the nation, though 'hurt the nation' is vague enough to render it meaningless. As to whether the government is inherently incapable, I say no. But, I do think it is incapable. There is nothing
inherent in our government that makes it operate the way it does. It works the way it does because the people in it work that way and the people out of it don't care or don't exert their will to change it.
Employee costs are the biggest cost an employer faces. Health care costs are the biggest employee related costs. It absolutely will help businesses to not have employee health care on their books. Employees absolutely cannot afford the kind of coverage they have with employer sponsorship. That means that in order for Americans to have 1st world standards of care, either their employer must cover it, the government must, some combination of government/business/employee must - or that health care costs need to be lowered and controlled. There is a vast ocean of possibility in those options that can be accessed if and only if people stop thinking that their opponents are either looking for a free ride or are privateer health industry lackeys.