Paul Krugman — photo by Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times
Paul Krugman is an economist, but his recent column is not about economics; it’s about values and morals. It’s an editorial, so keep in mind that the opinion expressed is not necessarily the view of anyone except, well, Mr. Krugman.
His catalyst is the GOP debate a few days ago in which, “CNN’s Wolf Blitzer asked Representative Ron Paul what we should do if a 30-year-old man who chose not to purchase health insurance suddenly found himself in need of six months of intensive care.” Here’s are some excerpts:
Mr. Paul replied, “That’s what freedom is all about — taking your own risks.” Mr. [Wolf] Blitzer pressed him again, asking whether “society should just let him die.”
And the crowd erupted with cheers and shouts of “Yeah!” [break]
In the past, conservatives accepted the need for a government-provided safety net on humanitarian grounds…
Given the agreed-upon desirability of protecting citizens against the worst, the question then became one of costs and benefits — and health care was one of those areas where even conservatives used to be willing to accept government intervention in the name of compassion, given the clear evidence that covering the uninsured would not, in fact, cost very much money.
For me, this is all about what we as Americans want to do together, what we do in common. Do we build roads and bridges, provide for our safety, purchase and maintain parks, educate our children, and provide health care? Or is each of us on his or her own? Seems like one way to measure a nation – or any group of people – is by looking at what goals they can accomplish for the greater good, be it building pyramids, going to the moon, eradicating disease or bringing back an endangered species. A great health care system that supports the health of us all certainly fits in this category, and is something we could all take pride in.
Read Krugman’s column here. Please add your thoughts in the space below.
I certainly agree with Mr Krugman’s “opinion” on this. I have asked myself as well as many others in the last few days since this interview..”what has happened to the country that I have known for over 50 years? How could Americans ever be so cruel and selfish?” I know that we have been transitioning in the last 30 years to a more self serving society, but it does seem that since the pie has gotten smaller, people are getting way less like the Americans of my past and more like the desperate in a third world country in order to get their piece of that pie. I certainly hope and dream for a time when all Americans will have health care, but the political “will” may not be there for this to ever occur…after all, we have become a very greedy nation.
What’s unclear to me is if this reflects the ‘values voters’ or some other group of more libertarian Republicans. Where does the religious right come down on these issues? Are they proving that Barney Frank’s assessment was accurate?: Life (as they want us to legally protect it) begins at conception and ends at birth?