GREAT BEND, Kan. - When I was growing up in the 70's, people used the word "Communism" if they wanted to scare people. Because Communism collapsed and the Cold War is over, a different word is being used now to scare people: Socialism.
The health care bill has been referred to as "Socialism" over and over by it's detractors. So I decided to look up the word "Socialism." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines Socialism, to wit:
- any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods;
- a system of society or group living in which there is no private property; a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state.
- a stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done.
In other words, in Socialism, the government owns the company providing the goods or services and also controls the company. Nothing in the health care bill is Socialism, as defined by Webster.
In a socialistic medical system, the government would nationalize the entire industry. All hospitals, clinics and other health care facilities would be owned by the government. Also, all the employees (including the doctors) would be government employees.
The health care law signed by President Obama today preserves the current system we have of private sector medical care. It reins in insurance companies from abusive practices, and expands coverage to the poor and near poor. It requires that everyone have health insurance, but provides subsidies so that people can afford it.
Kansas law, for instance, requires all drivers to have liability insurance on their vehicles. If someone crashes into your car, it is not fair if they don't have insurance, because you will be forced to pay for their mistake.
Likewise, those who can afford health insurance and choose not to buy it jeopardize all of us when, say, they have a heart attack. When that person runs up a $50,000 medical bill without insurance, we all pay through higher premiums and taxes. So this bill forces everyone to chip in to spread the risk, just like mandated automobile liability insurance.
The word "Communism" doesn't have any credibility anymore now that the Cold War is over. But the word "Socialism" still scares people very much. Obama's health care plan is not Socialism, because Socialism is when the government owns and controls the hospitals and hires the doctors and nurses. Obama's plan keeps our current private sector system, but makes it more accessible.
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