ConservativeINC

When it comes to the markets you can count on two things liberals will always do: punish companies that are too big by prosecuting them under antitrust laws and trying to create government run monopolies. Each of these moves increases their control over the average person. Where the government already has a monopoly is in the retirement arena with social security and I have seen that the sense of entitlement is palpable.

The whole reason for enacting antitrust laws was to “protect” the population from one massive provider of a single good or a group of like goods. One of the biggest examples of this in recent time would be the breaking up of the phone companies. The theory goes that having one producer will allow that producer to have total control over the supply and the price of the goods so as to maximize the amount of revenue they will get. Without the competition required to make capitalism work they can continue to make a product that has no need to improve and they will have no need to try and reduce prices.

In actuality, famous monopolists (or robber barons) did nothing of the sort. The monopolists of yore did not have a carte blanche to do anything they desired and what they ended up accomplishing was significantly reduced prices for staples like wood and steel. It was liberals natural socialistic tendencies that moved them to enact antitrust laws because these scions of American industrial mite were just getting too big for their britches.

But the government can never get too big. No! The government needs control of the health care system because it is too important to leave up to greedy capitalists. We need to use the profits that are created in the health system to improve health care for all and not just the rich few who get adequate health care now. That’s the argument anyways.

Whereas there is a remote possibility that a monopoly could ever form in a capitalist system there is no doubt that a monopoly will form whenever the government gets involved. Why not the outrage and indignation over a state run monopoly that should run into the same problems as a private monopoly? Well, duh, they have the control now.

A state run health mega-monopoly will have horrible affects on our country because everything the government touches in the market turns to dust. No competition will allow, neigh, force existing companies into not focusing on production of their goods and away from innovation. That would mean very few new drugs, any new innovation of operating procedures, or, for that matter, many new brilliant doctors, surgeons, or nurses. Why bother with a system where you, by law, cannot make much of a profit?

What needs to be done is systematic deregulation of the insurance industry and allow for the same tax incentives that employers currently enjoy to be transfered to individuals. This will create a more robust market for insurance that would create a better system for all. Now, instead of having to rely on your employer picking a plan allowed by your state you could pick your own insurance (tax deductible) from any company in any state. How is that not better for you? BigT