Wednesday night, as I watched during the Democratic primary debate on NBC, it seemed like I was watching a political debate in Cuba or Venezuela. It was truly a battle of who can offer the most free stuff and who can shame America the most.
For example, two of the candidates, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (MA) and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, vowed to abolish private health insurance companies and offer “Medicare for All.” According to the National Center for Health Statistics, in 2018, over 68 percent of Americans age 18 to 64 relied on private health insurance plans to help cover their healthcare costs. If Sen. Warren and Mayor de Blasio have their way, these 136 million Americans will be without health insurance overnight.
The one fact that is left out of this fantasy “Medicare for All” plan is that it would continue paying out at the current Medicare rates, which would bankrupt many hospitals across the country, making the rest unprofitable.
Other Democrats said that healthcare should be a “universal human right” and that “no American should be denied healthcare.” Another fact that is ignored is that hospitals and emergency rooms are required by law to treat anyone who walks through their doors. Our current healthcare costs are so high because those of us who have insurance and pay our bills are subsidizing those who don’t. Honestly, I’d rather continue subsidizing my neighbor’s healthcare and maintain the high-quality care that America offers as opposed to the government footing the bill. That would turn our healthcare system into a nationwide version of the Veterans Affairs healthcare system, where thousands of patients have died waiting for care. This might be a cynical view, but it is also the view of a realist.
When the debate came to illegal immigration, candidate Julian Castro, U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Obama, pledged to decriminalize illegal immigration. People would be able to literally walk into America with no questions asked. By decriminalizing illegal immigration, you would effectively by eliminating the need for a passport or other forms of identification to enter the United States. The only upside to this would be that I wouldn’t have to wait in the customs line when flying back from a foreign country.
Ever wondered what these policies would look like if implemented? Currently, the Venezuelan economy has collapsed due to its socialistic policies – such as redistribution of land and wealth. Other policies, such as the government taking over the oil industry, have led to a decline in oil production and exports. Venezuela was once an oil-rich country. Now many of its citizens are largely without food, healthcare, or jobs. Ideas such as “universal healthcare” and “free college” have become a reality, but so has more government control of everything – meaning less freedom and prosperity.
Read the news regarding what is going on in Venezuela. Then ask yourself this question: Do we want to be like Venezuela?
Editor’s Note: This blog originally appeared as an article in the Daily Journal here. IMAGE ATTRIBUTION: The image above is a screenshot from a PragerU video on Youtube about the effects of socialism in Venezuela.
