Richard Fernandez: The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes

"Robert Reich has been widely quoted in the news and blogs lately, citing a 2007 speech he delivered at UC Berkeley in which he is supposed to have said of health care reform that:

•Younger people should pay more
•Healthier people should pay more
•Older people should just die- they’re 'too expensive'
•There should be “less innovation” in medical technology
•You should not expect to live longer than your parents...So not only did Reich say the words above, but he said many other things besides, which I’ve marked in blue in my new laundry list below. His other remarks I’ve amplified according my understanding of his points.


"•A solution in Iraq is going to be tough.
•Treating more sick people will mean younger people will pay more.
•It’s too expensive to treat older people at the end of their life 'so we’re going to let you die'.
•If we use government to control costs there will be 'less innovation' in medical technology and you should not expect to live much longer than your parents.
•Global warming can only be tackled by a carbon tax which is going to cost you a lot of money.
•We’re going to have to pay teachers more for quality education — costing you more — but we have to be willing to fire the turkeys despite the unions.
•Anyone who does an unskilled, repetitive job will lose it in the near future to outsourcing or automation. And there’s nothing anyone can do about it.
•A minimum wage doesn’t help as much as an earned income tax credit.
•Helping people at the bottom earn more is going to cost higher income people more money.
•Medicare will bankrupt the nation unless something is done and will impoverish the youth.
•The best way to ameliorate global poverty is to do away with farm subsidies.

"The student audience, which at first clapped enthusiastically as Reich started to tell his unspeakable 'truths' stopped clapping by the end. Reich had uttered the fundamental heresy. You really can’t have something for nothing."