Observed by Ezra Klein in this useful blog post:
1. Many Americans have no idea what it means. The most egregious example is that about 30% think HMOs are socialized medicine. Also, when people are asked whether the Veteran's Health Administration and/or Medicare are socialized medicine, their answers are worse than if everyone were to guess by flipping a coin.
2. Klein's theory: "Socialized medicine has become such a stand-in for 'not this system of medicine' that it's begun to look good in comparison."
3. Klein has "literally never heard a proposal for converting America to a socialized system of medicine." He adds: "And I know a lot of liberals."
Thursday, June 11, 2009
3 things about "socialized medicine"
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12 comments:
I literally wonder what Klein means by "a lot."
Oh, I'm sure he knows A LOT of wonky liberals by any definition. He went to Harvard, used to write for the American Prospect, now writes for the Washington Post, and is one of the most hyped up-and-coming liberal pundits (hence his new WaPo gig).
Also, though I don't know Klein, he and I have some mutual friends, who are, indeed, liberal.
Okay, but are self-identifying liberals supposed to have a better understanding than the rest of us have of what a "socialized" system of medicine means?
Two thoughts: First, the verb "socialize" has more than one meaning. And second, if 30% of Americans think HMOs exemplifiy socialized medicine, that still leaves 70% - more than twice the percentage - who do not.
President Obama, speaking in Wisconsin just now, said, "So when you hear people talking about [socialized medicine], understand, I don't know anybody in Washington that's proposing that, certainly not me."
I've never studied at Harvard but I too have known many liberals. And I believe that what most people, liberal or not, take the term "socialized medicine" to mean is health care as supervised by government.
Okay, but are self-identifying liberals supposed to have a better understanding than the rest of us have of what a "socialized" system of medicine means?
I don't think he's saying liberals are somehow more able to comprehend what socialized medicine means. The reason he refers to "liberals" is that they're the ones (if anyone), who would actually advocate that America switch to a socialized medicine system. I suppose he could have added that he also hasn't heard the proposal from his conservatives or libertarian friends, but that would hardly be surprising.
I believe that what most people, liberal or not, take the term "socialized medicine" to mean is health care as supervised by government.
According to Klein, socialized medicine means the government directly provides health care rather than merely paying for it. Thus, he says that the Veteran's Health Administration is socialized medicine, but Medicare isn't.
Thanks for explaining.
President Obama is proposing a public health insurance program -- government directly providing health insurance.
According to Klein's definition then, Obama means to socialize health insurance.
President Obama is proposing a public health insurance program -- government directly providing health insurance.
Source?
JAC : Source?
I also strongly believe that one of the options in the Exchange should be a public insurance option.
Here's Klein's definition:
"Socialized medicine is a system in which the government owns the means of providing medicine. ... In a socialized system, the government employs the doctors and nurses, builds and owns the hospitals, and bargains for and purchases the technology."
JAC, I don't think you understand that Meade was talking about socialized health insurance, not socialized medicine. Obama's health insurance plan fits Klein's definition of socialism.
By the way, Klein has provided a bogus definition. Socialization is about government control, not ownership. Hitler's Germany was socialist, but it still allowed business owners to own factories and individuals to own property.
Apparently the Democrats plan to socialize medicine by socializing health insurance.
JAC, I don't think you understand that Meade was talking about socialized health insurance, not socialized medicine...
But I was talking about socialized medicine, not "socialized health insurance."
Sometimes we are only a foil for someone else's brilliance.
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