NYT columnist and economist Paul Krugman offers sound analysis here.
He states:
Even now many, perhaps most Republicans in Congress aren’t culture-war zealots. Instead, they’re careerists who depend, both for campaign contributions and for post-Congress career prospects, on the same billionaires who have supported right-wing economic ideology for decades. They won’t stand up to the crazies and conspiracy theorists, but their own agenda is still tax cuts for the rich and benefit cuts for the poor and middle class.
So, this is the same old “conservative” story: serve the rich, shaft the working class and poor. The message is government is bad, taxes are worse. Because the government provides services for people. Corporate power detests this because it’s a lost opportunity. And racist conservatives (I’m beginning to think those are the same) detest the social safety net because it helps “those people.” That is why government is bad. Government is an evil, Mordor-type entity that wants to take your “hard-earned money” and give it to “those people.”
The government’s job is to provide services to people. God (and readers of this blog) know that the major banks and defense contractors receive plenty of “services.” So, why can’t we? And if you don’t like the idea of brown people receiving support, well, then you’re a loathsome human being and there is nothing else to discuss
Why do we not have universal healthcare? Congress basically receives it. Yet, they fight to deny us what the ENTIRE developed world has.
These countries manage just fine with universal healthcare:
Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, and the UK
And these systems are quite well approved of by those populations. Canadians love their healthcare system. Yes, a few come here (frequently for cosmetic operations), but more Americans head north.
“We can’t afford it!” Wrong. We would save money. See: “Yale Study Says Medicare for All Would Save U.S. $450 Billion, Prevent Nearly 70,000 Deaths a Year” (Democracy Now, February 19, 2020).
“Our country is too big!” Wrong. It is not a matter of population size, it’s a matter of percentage of GDP. The United States has a GDP of $20 trillion. France has a GDP of around $3 trillion and Australia’s is maybe half of that. France spends about 11 percent of GDP on healthcare; we spend roughly 19 percent. Hmm …
“We’re broke!” Wrong. We have a Treasury Dept. and the world’s largest economy. I don’t feel like explaining this one. It’s stupid with two O’s.
“That’s socialized medicine!” So are Medicare and Veterans Affairs. We have varied healthcare arrangements in this country, some approximate "socialized." (Though I must admit, I'm not crazy about the word "socialism"; it gets thrown around a lot and few I talk to know what it means.) American Indians receive healthcare services as well. And though, yes, many Congressional conservatives and corporate entities despise the fact that the elderly receive healthcare coverage from the government, it is monumentally popular.
Maybe we could cut the military budget. We spend (on paper) about $750 billion on the military. In second place is China at $239 billion, which is about 32 percent of US defense expenditures. Who is going to invade the United States? Answer: Nobody. Yes, we were attacked on 9/11: they used box cutters. Cost on Amazon for a pack of four: $11.99.
I know I’m good and tired of medical bills and paying for health insurance. How about you?
