Health Care Reform
Health care reform really isn't about Republican vs. Democrat; it's about conservative vs. liberal. And while my own views are so far left you need a telescope to see them from center, I'd be happier about a one-sided, staunchly conservative overhaul than any attempts at compromise between the warring ideals. Compromise legislation is fine when you're talking about how many jet fighters to build, or how much money to give to various infrastructure and arts efforts, but it sucks when you're talking about health care.
The far left version of health care reform covers everyone by socializing medicine completely. Single payer, costs dramatically reduced, increases controlled, simpler systems. It only works if you take it the whole way. Compromise, and now you're dealing with the same number of crazy forms, a larger insured base, and no decrease in current costs, leading to ruin.
The far right version simplifies tax credits, makes insurance available across state lines, and generally aims to allow the market to correct itself via participation from newly-empowered consumers. If you add liberal-fueled individual mandates and such to a plan like this, though, what you end up with is a system that forces the poor to buy insurance they still can't afford.
Rail all you want against the evils of either plan. The far left version removes choice! Death panels! Government bureaucrats will eat my baby! The far right version doesn't cover anyone! Insurance companies will get fat on your dime! Drug companies will eat my baby! Ultimately, either version is a far cry better than what we've got now, and what we've got right now is a far cry better than half-assed compromise legislation.
The far left version of health care reform covers everyone by socializing medicine completely. Single payer, costs dramatically reduced, increases controlled, simpler systems. It only works if you take it the whole way. Compromise, and now you're dealing with the same number of crazy forms, a larger insured base, and no decrease in current costs, leading to ruin.
The far right version simplifies tax credits, makes insurance available across state lines, and generally aims to allow the market to correct itself via participation from newly-empowered consumers. If you add liberal-fueled individual mandates and such to a plan like this, though, what you end up with is a system that forces the poor to buy insurance they still can't afford.
Rail all you want against the evils of either plan. The far left version removes choice! Death panels! Government bureaucrats will eat my baby! The far right version doesn't cover anyone! Insurance companies will get fat on your dime! Drug companies will eat my baby! Ultimately, either version is a far cry better than what we've got now, and what we've got right now is a far cry better than half-assed compromise legislation.