Morality, Not Markets, Is The Heart of Healthcare

Michael Bryan

By Michael Bryan

The American healthcare system is not a market at all. And it is certainly not a 'free' market.

 

Free-Market-Health-Care1
This is how Republicans depict the system. It's a lie.

That may be a counter-intuitive statement, given the political discourse around the American healthcare system. But allow me to make the case before you reject this premise.

Any economist will tell you that a free market system for exchange of any good or service requires several basic preconditions in order to work. Some of those prerequisites are: the existence of fungible goods in the market (substitutions are possible which leave the consumer equally well off), pricing information freely available to consumer and providers, freedom by participants (especially buyers) to select the timing of their purchases, and freedom to choose whether to enter the market at all.

None of these preconditions obtain in the American healthcare system.

Brandon Patrick, Democrat for LD 10, at Drinking Liberally this Sunday

Michael Bryan

By Michael Bryan Brandon Patrick is running for a House seat in LD10. You may remember Brandon from one of the campaigns that he has run, such as the No On 200 "Don't Handcuff Tucson" campaign. Now Brandon is stepping up to stand for public office himself.  Advertisement Come on down to the Shanty on … Read more

S. AZ Republicans keepin’ it classy

David Safier

by David Safier At a Wednesday rally, Frank Antenori indirectly compared Obama to Saddam Hussein. "Came back, turned around, by 18 went to Desert Storm. We helped train the Kuwaiti Liberation Brigade and led the Kuwaitis into Kuwait City to liberate their own country after it had been taken from them by Saddam Hussein. Imagine … Read more

Reminder: Arizona Health Forum

AZ BlueMeanie

Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Remember to register in advance by Wednesday, February 29.

Couldn’t Put It Better Myself, President Pierce

Michael Bryan

By Michael Bryan Steve Pierce, Arizona Senate President (R) to Michael Chihak on the Feb. 24th episode of Arizona Week: "The State is safe when we're out of session" Yes, Sir. Oh God, yes, Sir.

Russell Pearce Uses the End of 287g Program to Fundraise for BAN… Surprise!

Michael Bryan

By Michael Bryan

Not.

Russell-pearce
“When fascism comes to America, it will come wrapped in the flag and waving a cross, and will claim the label Americanism”
Arizona's own Goebbels, Russell Pearce, is now attempting to raise money for Ban Amnesty Now using the phase-out of the 287(g) program as a panic button.

What Pearce fails to mention is that DHS is also rolling out a new program, Secure Communities, which accomplishes the same immigration status checks on all persons booked in local jails across 15,000 jurisdiction in 44 states (whereas 287(g) is only in about 60 jurisdictions), without the liability and constitutional violations created by unleashing xenophobic hate-baters like Sheriff Joe Arpaio on an innocent public.

Let's have a look at Pearce's fundraising pitch:

Birther Joe Arpaio to release his findings re: Obama birth certificate

AZ BlueMeanie

Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Is the circus in town? Because this clown, Birther "Crazy Uncle Joe" Arpaio, is about to show us "The Greatest Show on Earth" (my apologies to Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus). From The Hill: Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio will reveal the findings of his office's investigation into the authenticity of … Read more

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