The Public "Option"

The idea of a "public option" is on the lips of millions of Americans. The thought of a government-run entity forcing competition out of business still scares the average man on the street, so we're no going to give the government an outright monopoly--just a piece of the pie.

Yeah, right.

President Obama states he is in favor of creating "a public option that will give people a broader range of choices and inject competition into the health care market so that [we can] force waste out of the system and keep the insurance companies honest."

When hell freezes over.

Don't get me wrong; insurance companies could definitely use a shot of competition, not to mention some to kick out the lobbyists in Washington. The problem is, there is nothing "optional" about taxation, the preferred method of payment for politicians everywhere: there is no choice to not pay taxes. An individual may choose whether or not to participate in the meager benefits of a public system, but no one -no one-can choose to not pay for it.

The government may not take a monopoly in the provision of a service, but that service will always take a monopoly in taxation.