Comments on: On Mandates: Choice is Not A Right-Wing Talking Point

By: Paul Krugman Hates Hate, and Obama, and Obama Supporters - Liberal Values - Defending Liberty and Enlightened Thought

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 18:20:18 +0000

[...] Obama presented a health care plan which is superior to Clinton’s. Rather than honestly discussing the plans, the Clinton campaign, and Krugman, again relied on distortions by attacking Obama for not including a mandate. What is important is the quality of the plan to improve access to health care to those who want coverage, not whether Clinton can force more people into her plan by making it mandatory. Again Krugman claims that Obama is raising right wing frames, but freedom of choice is hardly a right wing position. Freedom is a fundamental liberal value. [...]

By: No More Right Wing Talking Points, Memes, or Frames - Liberal Values - Defending Liberty and Enlightened Thought

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 01:28:18 +0000

[...] We’ve seen this logic in the debate over mandates for health insurance. There are arguments for and against mandates, but I found it to be intellectually dishonest when Paul Krugman wrote off Obama’s arguments in favor of choice as being a right wing talking point. It is rather hypocritical for liberals such as Krugman to support freedom of choice in matters they support, but label a defense of choice a right wing talking point where they personally oppose allowing individuals to choose. [...]

By: Krugman Attacks Obama For Past Success - Liberal Values - Defending Liberty and Enlightened Thought

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 00:31:17 +0000

[...] Paul Krugman needs to learn to realize when he is wrong and drop the subject. Krugman has launched yet another weak attack on Barack Obama. I’ve already noted that in his attacks on Obama Krugman is wrong on principle, wrong on the realities of health care, and wrong on the politics of the issue. At his blog, Krugman reviews Obama’s actions in the state legislature and concludes: My thoughts: being president isn’t at all like being a state legislator, Illinois Republicans aren’t like the national Republican party, 2009 won’t be 2003, and the insurance industry’s opposition to national health reform — which must, if it is to mean anything, strike deep at the industry’s fundamental business — will be much harsher than its opposition to a basically quite mild state-level reform effort. [...]

By: Jonathan Alter Explains Why Krugman is Wrong - Liberal Values - Defending Liberty and Enlightened Thought

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 17:50:31 +0000

[...] Writing in Newsweek, Jonathan Alter explains Why Krugman is Wrong and “Why Obama’s approach to health care isn’t naive.” I’ve previously discussed Krugman’s attacks on Obama here and here, and also note the response from Robert Stein which I quoted yesterday. [...]

By: The Net Roots vs. Barack Obama - Liberal Values - Defending Liberty and Enlightened Thought

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 02:10:53 +0000

[...] The attacks on Obama make me sympathetic towards Obama because, while I do have some disagreements with him, he is actually right in these areas. As someone who actually works in health care I find Obama’s arguments to be far more reality-based than those coming from his critics from the world of journalism. I’ve already discussed mandates in far greater detail in several posts, such as here and here. As a defender of the great liberal tradition of supporting individual liberty I cannot agree with Krugman’s argument that considering matters of choice versus government mandates constitutes adopting right wing talking points. Obama’s health plan, even without mandates, remains to the left of any of those proposed by the Democratic candidates in 2003, including John Edwards. It is also not necessarily right wing to consider the long term stability of Social Security and it is certainly not “reality based” to ignore the long term demographic trends the program must contend with. [...]

By: Paul Krugman’s False Analogy to Medicare In Support of Mandates - Liberal Values - Defending Liberty and Enlightened Thought

Sat, 08 Dec 2007 04:07:00 +0000

[...] One objection is that a plan without a mandate is not universal, although many concede that even plans with a mandate will also not be universal. While some such as Robert Reich argue that Obama’s plan will lead to more people being covered than Clinton’s plan. Krugman might be right in disputing such arguments. It is quite plausible that any plan which makes something required will be more universal than a voluntary plan, but that is hardly the only criteria by which to judge plans. How about a plan in which everyone who fails to purchase to buy insurance is shot on the spot? One way or another that will guarantee universal coverage, but few would find this desirable. (Some might argue it is preferable to John Edwards’ plan to sick the IRS on those who do not comply.) [...]

By: Hillary Clinton Jumps the Shark - Liberal Values - Defending Liberty and Enlightened Thought

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:52:32 +0000

[...] On Mandates: Choice is Not A Right-Wing Talking Point [...]

By: Health Care BS » Edwards More Honest Than Hillary On Mandates

Health Care BS » Edwards More Honest Than Hillary On Mandates — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 11:35:05 +0000

[...] John Edwards has been derideded left, right and center for his proposal to use the apparatchiks of the IRS as health insurance enforcers. And the description offered by his campaign concerning how it would work does give one pause: The process, according to the Edwards campaign, would resemble the process used to collect money from Americans who are delinquent on federal student loans or child support payments. [...]

By: A More Realistic View of The “Gentry Liberals” - Liberal Values - Defending Liberty and Enlightened Thought

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 00:12:17 +0000

[...] On Mandates: Choice is Not A Right-Wing Talking Point [...]

By: The Edwards Mantra: “You Don’t Get That Choice” - Liberal Values - Defending Liberty and Enlightened Thought

Sat, 01 Dec 2007 00:28:49 +0000

[...] On Mandates: Choice is Not A Right-Wing Talking Point [...]