On a tech podcast I was listening to, the hosts (all leftists) were talking about the Obamacare website troubles, and one suggested that we should just try single-payer or socialized healthcare (I forget his actual suggestion), and just see how it works out.
In principle, I'm in favor of experimentation (even to this extent), but the problem is that we as a country can't just experiment. How many times can you remember us really assessing whether a policy was working and then scrapping what we had? Welfare reform, I suppose, is the best example, but Medicare, Social Security, food stamps all work about the same way they did at their implementation. The problem with these programs is that some people receive benefits at others' cost and so when it's time to reassess, there's a vocal group of people unwilling to change the system. Even if on balance it's hurting the whole country.
Trial policies don't work.
No comments:
Post a Comment