Comments on the Belmont Club "In sickness and in health"

Resources will be increased by fiat. That is to say that either doctors will be provided by a European car company in alliance with a corrupt American union or the standards for entry into medical school and the rigors of the licensing boards will be adjusted until enough of the right people get admitted. Of course the pay will go down, the working conditions deteriorate, quality providers flee or retire, and the professional atmosphere corrode. Those admitted will complain about the cruel trick being perpetrated on them, until the next time the government rides to their rescue.

The Laws of Economics may not have all the testable rigor of the Laws of Physics but they are not mere literary constructs that can be altered by the will of a narrow elite. That doesn't work even in a true collectivist dictatorship, where the General Will, or content of the set of general utilities as expressed in "Utiles," is highly responsive to central control. They certainly are not subject in a modern complex liberal (meaning free) society to significant short term change from pressure by a narrow political movement reliant on highly perishable propaganda forces. Costs to some consumers may appear to decline and revenues to many suppliers will decline. The results will be increased demand and decreased supply.

As the economy shrinks under the pressures that these and other policies inflict on it living standards will decline. That will make people less healthy, although I expect to see an article touting the popular and healthy rise of the low meat diet. A less healthy and poorer population will be more susceptible to the vices associated with poverty and concurrent health effects. That will further increase demand. Iterate as needed. Dr Jekyll's drug is addictive and eventually he withers away as Mr Hyde grows.

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Norm,
We should explore additional legal resources ... besides the vote.
Recall elections come to mind.

Welcome to the Club,
California had a recall provision. I do not know who else does. NY does not. It would be on the dream list for Constitutional reform. Should not be easy to do but should be feasible to get done when needed. The other alternative is to shorten the term of office. Governors used to be elected for two year terms and the State Legislature was often elected annually. Keeping the leash shorter might help.

RWE,
Another reason to move to a country less infested with legal leeches.

Is it Andorra that has a law against lawyers? Maybe that was just a line in Heinlein.