The Daily Static
  The Daily Static
UF Archives
Register
UF Membership
Ad Free Site
Postcards
Community
Geekfinder
UFie Gear
Advertise on UF
Forum Rules
& FAQ

Username

Password


Create a New Account

  
 

Back to UserFriendly Strip Comments Index
A question for conservatives and/or libertarians. by Sharku 2009-12-02 07:52:23
I've seen a lot of debates here where the conservative/libertarian standpoint was "government should bug out, privatize the whole lot and let market forces sort out the chaff from the wheat". That's fine and great in theory, but what of the sorting out period?

I've been thinking about this a lot lately and couldn't come up with an answer, and I don't think I've seen an answer to it either. Suppose you have a market with a lot of bad or not-quite-up-to-snuff companies providing some service. Companies don't disappear overnight, it usually takes years or decades even for one to succeed or fail. For things like say public transport, it'll be annoying that the trains don't run on time, and there will be some economic damage while the bad companies go out of business or clean up their act, but ultimately the harm done will be relatively small.

For things like healthcare (insurance) though, where I've also seen the "let the market sort it" approach proposed, what happens to the people who happen to be with a sub par provider? Are they collateral damage, willingly suffered for the greater good of having a better market situation some time down the road? Considering that in this specific case there's a very real chance of totally preventable illnesses, deaths and a general lower health of the populace.

I know this is a loaded topic, but I genuinely want to know, so keep it civil please. Also, I know a government run $anything isn't a guarantee for success or better quality service, I know that, so no need to point it out. I just want to know what the stance is on what would happen during such a transitional period.
[ Reply ]
  That is considered the "harsh reality" part by the_diggity2009-12-02 08:06:19
    The only thing that worries me about that by MatthewDBA2009-12-02 08:56:07
      The charities will hold back? (n/t) by tallastro2009-12-02 09:08:51
        They may not be able to mobilize quickly enough by MatthewDBA2009-12-02 09:12:05
  Well, just look around. by JaR2009-12-02 08:25:00
    That is incorrect by DesertRat662009-12-02 08:51:23
      Even further back. by toysbfun2009-12-02 10:01:35
        I'm not seeing by MatthewDBA2009-12-02 10:05:45
          Medical schools limit the number of students, by toysbfun2009-12-02 10:18:06
            Generally, in a guild, by MatthewDBA2009-12-02 10:27:29
              Or not require med school to practice medicine. by toysbfun2009-12-02 10:33:07
                Wouldn't that put people at risk by MatthewDBA2009-12-02 11:04:03
                  Caveat emptor. by toysbfun2009-12-02 11:20:09
                    RateMyXYZ by MatthewDBA2009-12-02 11:39:21
                      See also the huge amounts of faith... by Sharku2009-12-02 11:43:04
                We already have that. It's called homeopathy by AndyA2009-12-02 11:53:05
                  Those actually do require schooling by MatthewDBA2009-12-02 12:02:11
                    That depends on the country you are in. by AndyA2009-12-02 12:09:49
                      I wouldn't discount *everything* they do by MatthewDBA2009-12-02 12:14:36
                        I'm sure there are by AndyA2009-12-02 12:35:18
                          I don't think that's necessarily the case. by MatthewDBA2009-12-02 13:11:46
                            Contrary to popular beleif, most of the by Classic_Jon2009-12-02 13:44:26
                              That is the US approach not "western medicine" by AndyA2009-12-02 14:24:19
                                Most medical personel I speak to consider the US t by Classic_Jon2009-12-02 15:12:58
                                The US is a subset of western medicine by AndyA2009-12-02 15:44:10
      OIC! by JaR2009-12-02 11:52:35
        This is the argument... by firehawk2009-12-02 12:44:26
          Here's a question that never gets answered by DesertRat662009-12-02 13:58:36
            WWII? (n/t) by JaR2009-12-02 14:29:43
              Hardly (n/t) by DesertRat662009-12-02 15:03:08
                So you contend that by JaR2009-12-02 15:26:37
                  I'd guess that he'll say it was done inefficiently by AndyA2009-12-02 15:51:47
                    And he also ignores that... by firehawk2009-12-02 15:58:02
                      And who are the Governments stockholders? (n/t) by DesertRat662009-12-02 18:02:25
                        A question that is irrelevant to the subject. by firehawk2009-12-02 19:02:52
                    McDonnell Douglas A4 Skyhawk (n/t) by DesertRat662009-12-02 18:03:32
                      ? (n/t) by vetitice2009-12-02 18:18:59
                        I agree, please elucidate, DR66... by firehawk2009-12-02 19:03:34
                        Came in under budget by DesertRat662009-12-02 19:06:20
                          Any examples in the last 50 years? by firehawk2009-12-02 19:43:45
                            Lots by DesertRat662009-12-02 20:16:48
                              Lots with no documentation, eh? by firehawk2009-12-02 20:48:57
                                Didn't say no documentation by DesertRat662009-12-02 21:15:01
                                Yes, but... by firehawk2009-12-02 21:28:11
                          Fermilab and the NASM both did that too. by vetitice2009-12-02 19:55:50
                  World War II was an event by DesertRat662009-12-02 18:01:43
                    How does it compare to other wars? by firehawk2009-12-02 19:04:22
                      Still events by DesertRat662009-12-02 19:18:27
                        The question is, can you. by firehawk2009-12-02 19:44:30
                          Still can't keep up can you? by DesertRat662009-12-02 20:15:38
                            I'm keeping up just fine. by firehawk2009-12-02 20:52:20
                              Nope, you're not by DesertRat662009-12-02 21:24:20
                                Inane? Contradictory? *chuckle* by firehawk2009-12-02 21:29:15
            Nice way to not address what I said. by firehawk2009-12-02 15:57:07
              You advocate Government as an effective solution by DesertRat662009-12-02 18:05:59
                That's not what I said, and not what I meant. by firehawk2009-12-02 19:05:47
        Never said that by DesertRat662009-12-02 13:57:32
          I suppose you'd advocate privatising by JaR2009-12-02 14:27:20
            No, No, Possibly, It's worth considering by DesertRat662009-12-02 15:02:04
              What part of by JaR2009-12-02 15:20:38
                The first issue by DesertRat662009-12-02 17:51:27
          Again, you're hijacking a post... by firehawk2009-12-02 16:01:04
            That may be what you read by DesertRat662009-12-02 17:55:24
              Interesting. by firehawk2009-12-02 19:00:09
  People are going to suffer regardless the solution by DesertRat662009-12-02 08:56:14
    the answer is that they have the best by voxwoman2009-12-02 09:56:49
      Something rarely seen, but becoming more common by DesertRat662009-12-02 10:38:10
        I agree. by firehawk2009-12-02 16:58:30
          <Dr. Evil>Riiight</Dr. Evil> by DesertRat662009-12-02 19:15:44
            Yeah... by firehawk2009-12-02 19:45:05
      Easy. by Lethosos2009-12-02 11:11:40
  Misanthropy. by kelli2172009-12-02 11:06:06
    Are you a conservative/libertarian? by Sharku2009-12-02 11:12:06
      Or perhaps I was being civil, comparatively. by kelli2172009-12-02 12:39:50
  Attemt at answers by veran2009-12-02 14:13:49

 

[Todays Cartoon Discussion] [News Index]

Come get yer ARS (Account Registration System) Source Code here!
All images, characters, content and text are copyrighted and trademarks of J.D. Frazer except where other ownership applies. Don't do bad things, we have lawyers.
UserFriendly.Org and its operators are not liable for comments or content posted by its visitors, and will cheerfully assist the lawful authorities in hunting down script-kiddies, spammers and other net scum. And if you're really bad, we'll call your mom. (We're not kidding, we've done it before.)