Tuesday
30Oct2007
rudy's rightward lunge
Tuesday, October 30, 2007 at 10:46AM
The New Republic examines Rudy Giulaini's economic ideology.
From the horse's mouth: -
Rudy is a hard-nosed politician (and something of self-aggrandising wanker, but that's one for another day), but I wonder if his desperate Milton Friedman-style economic reinvention will end up alienating the centre if he makes it past the nomination stage - after all, then, the smarmy-faced Republican will have to take his mandate to the country. Many millions of Americans simply cannot afford cover for escalating healthcare costs; they have been priced out of an incredibly expensive system.
American politicians must do something to help the vast swathes of the country without cover. A good start would be to open up a closed market to cheaper, foreign-sourced drugs (powerful Big-Pharma co's have lobbied to ensure the market is closed, leading to an industry in drugs being smuggled over the US border). Remember, a free-market only works if it's actually free.
More: rudy giuliani: foreign policy guru or international bullshitter?
From the horse's mouth: -
I don't like mandating health care. I don't like it because it erodes what makes health care work in this country--the free market, the profit motive. A mandate takes choice away from people. We've got to let people make choices. We've got to let them take the risk--do they want to be covered? Do they want health insurance? Because, ultimately, if they don't, well, then, they may not be taken care of.
Rudy is a hard-nosed politician (and something of self-aggrandising wanker, but that's one for another day), but I wonder if his desperate Milton Friedman-style economic reinvention will end up alienating the centre if he makes it past the nomination stage - after all, then, the smarmy-faced Republican will have to take his mandate to the country. Many millions of Americans simply cannot afford cover for escalating healthcare costs; they have been priced out of an incredibly expensive system.
American politicians must do something to help the vast swathes of the country without cover. A good start would be to open up a closed market to cheaper, foreign-sourced drugs (powerful Big-Pharma co's have lobbied to ensure the market is closed, leading to an industry in drugs being smuggled over the US border). Remember, a free-market only works if it's actually free.
More: rudy giuliani: foreign policy guru or international bullshitter?
Reader Comments (2)
I agree 100%. However I fear that this day will never come due to big pharma's grip over American government. President Bush is still scaring everyone into believing Canada’s meds are unsafe, and that the terrorists could use this as a means to attack us.
Big pharma spends way too much time and money on the US government for us to ever see a change. We can dream can't we?
Hello "Premeir Mexican Pharmacies",
Thanks for the comment - I don't usually allow people to link to commercial sites, but on this occasion, I'll let it pass.
At least, while America has it markets closed, you have a business model!