Socialized Health Care in the USA

[kandrathe]

I think you're missing the part where Kandrathe is against government-run schools, garbage pickup, mail, and all kinds of other public services.

Yes, I am. :D

I'm glad you mentioned garbage.

Where I live, the garbage is picked up by one of three firms given access by the local government based upon their willingness and capability to service our cities waste problems. The contracts are competitive and renewed every two years. The businesses are allowed to compete for our garbage and recycling. Our prices are surprisingly lower, and our service is prompt and efficient which is unlike some of our neighboring cities who give the monopoly to the lowest bidder. It's amazing how government doesn't need to be the service provider, and yet the job can still get done cheaply and with high quality.

Now, if only the government (State) would realize that it might also work that way with schools. Oh, wait, we have, back in 1991. Minnesota is a leader in the US in transitioning from traditional government run public schools to non-profit charter schools. Government acts as a watch dog, and for now supplies the charter school with a per capita fund equal to what it would fund a public school. Yes, taxes still pay for education, but the market is flourishing with choices and schools need to meet standards and compete for enrollment.

We don't have anything like a free market providing police and fire protection, so our city worked out a deal with a few neighboring cities to create a combined service to cover the larger area, rather than each city funding their own. It's resulted in a much reduced price for better coverage.

Mail (letters at least) is a dinosaur anyway, and the US Parcel Post is still the least reliable way to ship a package. UPS, Fedex, and others do a much better job at a competitive rate. No business that I've ever worked with has relied on the US post office for anything important to the firm.

No, in my way of thinking there is a role for government, but it is a limited role to supply the necessary services that businesses cannot provide (like being the watchdog).