'Choice and competition' is politician-speak for free-market magic

[IndianaGreen]

Why the free market can't cure health care

We need a guaranteed right to health care--and while we're at it, the right to nutritious food and to have a decent place to sleep at night.

September 3, 2009

THAT THE free market is the surest guarantor of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is an article of faith among today's assault-rifle-toting, town-hall-disrupting brownshirts--and, to be sure, among their allies in America's corporate boardrooms.

Unfortunately, it is also an article of faith among the leading lights of the "party of the people"--the Democrats.

The right can howl all they want that Obama is a socialist. In truth, he is supporting a health care plan that will be a huge bonanza for private insurance companies. First, we are all about to be mandated to purchase their product. And second, the government is going to subsidize that purchase for unknown numbers of people. Can you say "ka-ching"?

Meanwhile, the "public option" (itself a far cry from socialized medicine) is fading fast. "Choice and competition" are Obama's new buzzwords for health care reform. That's politician-speak for free-market magic.

http://socialistworker.org/2009/09/03/market-cant-cure-health-care

[denem]

1. It's also a Progressive argument for breaking entrenched interests and monopolies.

Collusion is the enemy of competition.