Reasons why the market fails us

Here's an on going list of examples when the free market fails morally, economically, and logically.

1. Children are probably the most important resources we have, and few would dispute that. Taking good care of children makes both economic and moral sense. Yet children in this country consistently receive sub-standard medical care because it is expensive, market-driven, and poorly funded by the government (pediatricians are also one of the lowest paid specialties in medicine). Children provide very little income to hospitals and insurance companies compared to adults, and expecially to our wealthly aging baby boomers. In a free market those who pay get the best treatment.

2. Competition in the free market should provide consumers with the best product at the best price. But not in health care, which gives us an extremely expensive product that is excellent, but probably not worth the money. Compared to countries in Europe, Canada and Japan, which have some form of universal health care, we spend more of our GNP and get lower scores on just about every health index.

3. The best and brightest in medicine should be going into fields that show the most promise in advancing public health. They should be tackling the most difficult and most important medical problems. Many do, but many instead choose a so-called "life style" specialty like dermatology or opthamology (both have relatively low work loads and high salaries). It is just wrong that dermatology is more competitive than say neurosurgery, infectious diseases, or oncology. Talent follows money, not ethical duty or service to humanity. That's the free market for you.