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I also would like to point out how insane it is that the author of this piece is crying out for a Nietzschesqe superman to save the public from itself. Mutual a

I also would like to point out how insane it is that the author of this piece is crying out for a Nietzschesqe superman to save the public from itself. Mutual aid and the democratic process are quite enough. Just a hint though, solving some of our problems will take some redistribution of wealth, though in the case of medicine universal health care will save an ungodly amount of money which will make things easier.

closeparen 9y ago
>the democratic process The will of the people is clear: illness ought to be ruinously expensive, health insurance ought to be a privilege for those who can afford it. The democratic process has considered the issue quite seriously, several times in recent years, and decided on the present situation. There is overwhelming bipartisan support for keeping healthcare pretty much as is, with very slight variations between red and blue. Barring a major change in public opinion, any improvement in healthcare will have to be undemocratic.
- mercer 9y ago
  > The will of the people is clear I thought quite a lot of research showed that voters across the board are actually in favor of more Europe-style/better health care policies, but that they vote against their own interests because of partisan issues/politics. If that's true, you might still be right in practice of course, but at the very least there's a bit more hope that things can change.
  - craftyguy 9y ago
    And yet here we are..
    - mercer 9y ago
      Yes?
    - lkrubner 9y ago
      In a country where a law that is only supported by 17% of the public easily gets through the House and only fails in the Senate by a single vote.
  - closeparen 9y ago
    >they vote against their own interests because of partisan issues/politics. This isn't like some temporary blemish on democracy, it is democracy. People have different opinions (partisanship) about what ought to happen in the public sphere (politics) and outcomes are dictated by the people's actual votes rather than expert opinion about their best interests. I'd be down for a technocrat philosopher-king, but that's not the world we live in. In fact, technocrats are being soundly rejected by both left and right.
- SapphireSun 9y ago
  Our democracy is broken, we must fix it. Policy is made against the wishes of the great majority of people in favor of the wealthy. This has been documented time and time again.

closeparen 9y ago

>the democratic process The will of the people is clear: illness ought to be ruinously expensive, health insurance ought to be a privilege for those who can afford it. The democratic process has considered the issue quite seriously, several times in recent years, and decided on the present situation. There is overwhelming bipartisan support for keeping healthcare pretty much as is, with very slight variations between red and blue. Barring a major change in public opinion, any improvement in healthcare will have to be undemocratic.

mercer 9y ago
> The will of the people is clear I thought quite a lot of research showed that voters across the board are actually in favor of more Europe-style/better health care policies, but that they vote against their own interests because of partisan issues/politics. If that's true, you might still be right in practice of course, but at the very least there's a bit more hope that things can change.
- craftyguy 9y ago
  And yet here we are..
  - mercer 9y ago
    Yes?
  - lkrubner 9y ago
    In a country where a law that is only supported by 17% of the public easily gets through the House and only fails in the Senate by a single vote.
- closeparen 9y ago
  >they vote against their own interests because of partisan issues/politics. This isn't like some temporary blemish on democracy, it is democracy. People have different opinions (partisanship) about what ought to happen in the public sphere (politics) and outcomes are dictated by the people's actual votes rather than expert opinion about their best interests. I'd be down for a technocrat philosopher-king, but that's not the world we live in. In fact, technocrats are being soundly rejected by both left and right.
SapphireSun 9y ago
Our democracy is broken, we must fix it. Policy is made against the wishes of the great majority of people in favor of the wealthy. This has been documented time and time again.