As the debate over health care reform rages through the Supreme Court, I have to wonder how the arguments became so supremely silly. Broccoli as an analogy to healthcare? Seriously?
Perhaps a better argument could be made that healthcare is like the interstate highway system. Everyone who pays federal taxes pays for some portion of those highways. There are no doubt many people who could meet their business, shopping and social needs without using any interstate highway, but very few people protest paying the taxes for them. Anyone who demanded that the feds get out of the highway business and leave it to the free market would probably not get taken seriously.
Just as the highways deliver a common good (mobility, promotion of commerce), a national healthcare system would provide a common good in providing health care to millions. It's the humane thing to do.
Unfortunately, the court isn't considering arguments of this form, and because constitutional dogmatism has replaced pragmatic consideration over what is actually best for the nation, it seems unlikely that healthcare reform will carry the day.
