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I thought this was satire after reading the headline. But no, this is someone suggesting celebrities and billionaires should be the first people we protect. I

I thought this was satire after reading the headline. But no, this is someone suggesting celebrities and billionaires should be the first people we protect. In a healthy functioning society, we'd protect the most vulnerable first -- elderly, front line workers, grocery store workers, etc. And we'd find the funding to make that happen either by taxing the ultra wealthy or just printing money because it's a pandemic and they are relatively rare events and the cost to vaccinate everyone is relatively fixed. We have plenty of elderly celebrities who could still be at the front of the line cheering on the vaccine. The approach the author suggests seems like government with extra steps to me.

pfortuny 6y ago
“In a healthy functioning society, we'd ...” Well, in your idea of a healthy functioning society. EDIT: the above sounds probably too harsh. But the real question is: Why is that bad? Take also into account that vaccinating celebs is just counting beans in the whole process.
vorpalhex 6y ago
It's a scarcity problem. We have a finite amount of doses and more importantly, ways to transport and give those doses. Many (but not all) of those problems can be solved by putting more money into the system. One way we handle scarcity in capitalism is by charging for things. Would you be willing to let a rich guy pay $10 million for the vaccine.. if it meant a 1000 teachers could get it for free next week? It is basically a tax on the rich except it's opt in.
- Pfhreak 6y ago
  You are describing philanthropy, which is definitely not "basically a tax".
  - vorpalhex 6y ago
    Philanthropy is someone wealthy paying for 1000 teachers to get the vaccine and not getting anything in return. Philanthropy may or may not have covenants attached and the philanthropist will have different levels of control: "You must give these vaccines first to the teachers of my local elementary school" or "these must go to teachers in low income areas", etc. That the rich person receives the vaccine for their money, ie a material consideration, makes this not philanthrophy by definition - it's a sale. Or, put another way, me buying an overpriced handmade christmas ornament from Etsy isn't philanthropy either, even if I'm choosing to really overpay.
    - Pfhreak 6y ago
      Ok, sure. In neither case is it basically a tax. Also, philanthropy often gives you stuff. The WWF gives me a nice stuffed animal and thank you card, for instance. And plenty of wealthy donors mysteriously get their kids into colleges.
      - vorpalhex 6y ago
        If you donate to the WWF, you can't demand they give you a stuffed animal and sue them if they fail to. Yes, you can respond to a gift with a gift - that doesn't make it a sale. Taxes are taking wealth for government functions, whether it's against an individual, a company, etc. When you buy a pack of cigarettes (in the US) you're being taxed - the same goes for gasoline. Overcharging for the vaccine intentionally and using that to give out free vaccine doses is by definition a tax, in the same way that any consumption tax is a tax.
xur17 6y ago
> But no, this is someone suggesting celebrities and billionaires should be the first people we protect. I don't think that's what it's saying though. It's saying by allocating ~500k vaccines (or as few as ~100k), we can raise $50 billion dollars, and show people that other "influential" people see the vaccine not only as safe, but as something that should be sought after. In the grand scheme of things, that represents a very small portion of the total supply, and hence I'd argue the upside ($50B + more people getting the vaccine) would be worth it.
- Pfhreak 6y ago
  By charging $500,000 per dose? You think there are 100k people who would pay that? Also, if this was a cause the billionaires believed in, they could just give $500,000 to vaccination efforts and also give up their spot in line. Nothing stopping them from just being charitable without expecting anything in exchange.
renewiltord 6y ago
Everyone has their idea of what a "healthy, functioning society" is. To me, a society fighting this optimally would maximize QALYs. That means some really elderly people will be permitted to die while high connectivity young uns would be vaccinated. Of course, the naïve view is that there is one known "healthy, functioning society" and that others are optimizing for greed or some other vice.

pfortuny 6y ago

“In a healthy functioning society, we'd ...” Well, in your idea of a healthy functioning society. EDIT: the above sounds probably too harsh. But the real question is: Why is that bad? Take also into account that vaccinating celebs is just counting beans in the whole process.

vorpalhex 6y ago

It's a scarcity problem. We have a finite amount of doses and more importantly, ways to transport and give those doses. Many (but not all) of those problems can be solved by putting more money into the system. One way we handle scarcity in capitalism is by charging for things. Would you be willing to let a rich guy pay $10 million for the vaccine.. if it meant a 1000 teachers could get it for free next week? It is basically a tax on the rich except it's opt in.

Pfhreak 6y ago
You are describing philanthropy, which is definitely not "basically a tax".
- vorpalhex 6y ago
  Philanthropy is someone wealthy paying for 1000 teachers to get the vaccine and not getting anything in return. Philanthropy may or may not have covenants attached and the philanthropist will have different levels of control: "You must give these vaccines first to the teachers of my local elementary school" or "these must go to teachers in low income areas", etc. That the rich person receives the vaccine for their money, ie a material consideration, makes this not philanthrophy by definition - it's a sale. Or, put another way, me buying an overpriced handmade christmas ornament from Etsy isn't philanthropy either, even if I'm choosing to really overpay.
  - Pfhreak 6y ago
    Ok, sure. In neither case is it basically a tax. Also, philanthropy often gives you stuff. The WWF gives me a nice stuffed animal and thank you card, for instance. And plenty of wealthy donors mysteriously get their kids into colleges.
    - vorpalhex 6y ago
      If you donate to the WWF, you can't demand they give you a stuffed animal and sue them if they fail to. Yes, you can respond to a gift with a gift - that doesn't make it a sale. Taxes are taking wealth for government functions, whether it's against an individual, a company, etc. When you buy a pack of cigarettes (in the US) you're being taxed - the same goes for gasoline. Overcharging for the vaccine intentionally and using that to give out free vaccine doses is by definition a tax, in the same way that any consumption tax is a tax.

xur17 6y ago

> But no, this is someone suggesting celebrities and billionaires should be the first people we protect. I don't think that's what it's saying though. It's saying by allocating ~500k vaccines (or as few as ~100k), we can raise $50 billion dollars, and show people that other "influential" people see the vaccine not only as safe, but as something that should be sought after. In the grand scheme of things, that represents a very small portion of the total supply, and hence I'd argue the upside ($50B + more people getting the vaccine) would be worth it.

Pfhreak 6y ago
By charging $500,000 per dose? You think there are 100k people who would pay that? Also, if this was a cause the billionaires believed in, they could just give $500,000 to vaccination efforts and also give up their spot in line. Nothing stopping them from just being charitable without expecting anything in exchange.

renewiltord 6y ago

Everyone has their idea of what a "healthy, functioning society" is. To me, a society fighting this optimally would maximize QALYs. That means some really elderly people will be permitted to die while high connectivity young uns would be vaccinated. Of course, the naïve view is that there is one known "healthy, functioning society" and that others are optimizing for greed or some other vice.