"It’s the private sector, not government, which is causing our country’s healthcare problems."

[Triana]

The 7 Strangest Libertarian Ideas
We must challenge libertarians on the extreme nature of their ideology.

1. Parents should be allowed to let their children starve to death. We’re not making this up. From progressive writer Matt Bruenig (via Sean McElwee at Salon) comes this excerpt from libertarian economist Murray Rothbard:

“a parent does not have the right to aggress against his children, but also … should not have a legal obligation to feed, clothe, or educate his children, since such obligations would entail positive acts coerced upon the parent and depriving the parent of his rights. The parent therefore may not murder or mutilate his child, and the law properly outlaws a parent from doing so. But the parent should have the legal right not to feed the child, i.e., to allow it to die.”

. . .

2. We must deregulate companies like Uber, even when they cheat. So-called ridesharing services like Lyft and Uber are actually taxi services using unlicensed contractors. They’re heavily promoted by libertarians who tout them as ideal examples of the free market as a counter to bureaucratized, more traditional taxicab services.

. . .

3. We should eliminate Social Security and Medicare. Libertarian/Republican icon Rand Paul holds with the libertarian faith in his steadfast opposition to both Medicare and Social Security. “The fundamental reason why Medicare is failing is why the Soviet Union failed,” says Paul. “Socialism doesn’t work.”

Except that Medicare isn’t failing. It provides healthcare at lower direct cost, lower administrative cost, and with lower cost inflation than equivalent private-sector insurance. Its biggest efficiency problem stems from the runaway profit motive in the delivery of healthcare. Medicare must purchase goods and services from for-profit medical corporations, hospital chains and pharmaceutical companies. (Conservatives have forbidden it from negotiating prices with Big Pharma.)

In other words: It’s the private sector, not government, which is causing our country’s healthcare problems.

THE REST(the whole thing is a MUST-READ):

http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/7-strangest-libertarian-ideas?page=0%2C1

[SamKnause]

1. It is the private sector that

causes many of our problems.

It is the government that gave them the means to cause these problems.

[Triana]

3. Who controls the government now? It used to be 'we the people'

But now, gov't is owned and controlled by The Great Corporations. FDR and others warned us about this.

During the past 50-75 years, wealthy corporations have purchased for themselves a government that gives them the means to cause these problems. Our USSC libertarian/Tea Partiers have helped them do this by gutting campaign finance laws in very dangerous ways multiple times over.

When government is in control and operated on behalf of the people - the majority - it works. When it is corrupted and bought off by a minority of wealthy corporate interests, it is broken. And the nation and its economy and society are also broken and unsustainable with a hollowed-out or non-existent middle class.

The crux of the problem remains private minority control of what should be a public government which represents the majority. Undoing this damage will take longer than any of our lifetimes.

[SamKnause]

5. I am well aware of who controls the government.

The 99% have no say at all.

That does not change my statement in anyway.

The corrupt government that we have had for decades allows the corporations to control this country.

All branches cater to the whims of corporations.

Lobbyist are writing the legislation.

Lobbyist interview the staff for politicians.

Until the politicians clean up their acts I see no way to solve this dilemma.

[Half-Century Man]

2. The strangest thing is

the view their drivel as Ideas That implies actual thought. There is no supporting evidence of that occurring.

[Triana]

4. Their "ideas" have at best been proven unworkable pretty much everywhere.

And apocalyptically destructive at worst. Like, where we're now headed. Where in the world have libertarian ideas worked? Nowhere that I know of.

[Hoyt]

6. The private sector is a problem because those running corporations are often greedy, callous people.

Doesn't have to be that way, but it usually is. Stockholders go for maximum profits, not benefit to society and a satisfactory profit.