Sugar, Health Care, and Libertarianism

The Washington Post attacks U.S. Sugar policy in an editorial.

The House passes dramatic changes to health care policy.

Edward L. Glaeser has a New York Times “Economix” post today about pragmatic libertarianism.

1. TRADE

The Washington Post attacks U.S. Sugar policy in an editorial this week.

CEI Expert Available to Comment: Adjunct Scholar Fran Smith on what is wrong with sugar policy.

“Though the sugar program is mandated by farm bills – the latest in 2008 — the Post rightly points out that the Administration can take a small step to allow more market-priced sugar to come into the country.  The Secretary of Agriculture can increase or reallocate the sugar quotas that are allocated to 40 countries, some of which, such as Haiti and Jamaica, that haven’t exported sugar to the U.S. in years.”

 

2. HEALTH

The House passes dramatic changes to health care policy.

CEI Expert Available to Comment: Warren Brooks Fellow Ryan Young on what Milton Friedman might think of government-managed health care.

“Milton Friedman put it best: ‘ . . . if I spend somebody else’s money on somebody else, I’m not concerned about how much it is, and I’m not concerned about what I get. And that’s government.’ The biggest problem with health care today is that patients only pay 12 percent of costs out of pocket. As far as each individual is concerned, it’s basically on sale for 88 percent off! No wonder we spend so much on health care.”

 

3. POLITICS

Edward L. Glaeser has a New York Times “Economix” post today about pragmatic libertarianism.

CEI Expert Available to Comment: CEI President Fred Smith on the role of libertarians in the political scene.

“If classical liberal ideas are ever to gain traction in America, if we wish to be taken seriously as a political change force, then we must find ways to communicate beyond our normal economic and individual liberty framework. We view freedom as an intrinsic value, and this is important. But others may be more sympathetic to freedom as an instrumental value–a way of advancing the stability and order and fairness of our society.”