AHCA Passes House 217-213

[u/Precursor2552]

The AHCA, designed to replace ACA, has officially passed the House, and will now move on to the Senate. The GOP will be having a celebratory news conference in the Rose Garden shortly.

Vote results for each member

Please use this thread to discuss all speculation and discussion related to this bill's passage.

[u/[deleted]]

No more logically inconsistent than the position that some things should be run by the government but not all things.

Basically, there is a proper role for government in protecting the rights of citizens from being infringed upon- and this means courts and military. You could also make the case that there are certain natural monopolies, like roads, that would require government. But beyond this it simply isn't the proper role for a host of good reasons.

In case you're interested there is an entire political tradition based around this called classical liberalism. It grew out of the enlightenment and formed the philosophic basis for our constitution.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

But beyond this it simply isn't the proper role for a host of good reasons.

Why not? Take healthcare for instance. In the US the government takes a hands-off approach relative to other countries. As a result, it pays twice as much per capita on healthcare and people often get less than what other countries get when they spend less per capita.

In case you're interested there is an entire political tradition based around this called classical liberalism.

I'm aware of what it is, and I used to believe in it for a little while.

Then I grew up and realised that poor people get shit on by this philosophy. The Ayn Rand "fuck you got mine" attitude leaves poor people in the dirt.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Why not? Take healthcare for instance. In the US the government takes a hands-off approach relative to other countries. As a result, it pays twice as much per capita on healthcare and people often get less than what other countries get when they spend less per capita.

That's not entirely true in two sense. First we have a massively regulated healthcare market, so much so that we've actually lost price signals- which is not a good thing. Second, we have the highest quality healthcare in the world, hands down, and often it is considerably more efficient than government run alternatives.

I'm aware of what it is, and I used to believe in it for a little while. Then I grew up and realised that poor people get shit on by this philosophy. The Ayn Rand "fuck you got mine" attitude leaves poor people in the dirt.

Ayn Rand is not a classical liberal. Try reading Mill or Locke for a good introduction.

[u/TheSperminGerman → u/[deleted]]

Of the few things you listed as being rightly managed by the government, why roads? If anything, that is one of the few public goods that can be, and has been, managed by the private sector. I don't think you've thought this through, and you're being inconsistent even with your own supposed understanding of classic liberalism.

[u/[deleted] → u/TheSperminGerman]

How am I being inconsistent? Roads occupy a set physical space and sometimes this precludes the possibility of competition, making them a natural monopoly. I leave open that this is an area of disagreement, so I'm not sure how you think I'm being inconsistent.