[lit-ideas] Re: flu vaccine
- From: Andy Amago <aamago@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 29 Oct 2004 10:04:09 -0400 (GMT-04:00)
-----Original Message-----
From: Eternitytime1@xxxxxxx
Sent: Oct 28, 2004 10:38 PM
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: flu vaccine
In a message dated 10/27/2004 2:25:53 PM Central Daylight Time,
aamago@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
That's why Marlena's library isn't getting any vaccine this year, because
this is a capitalist system and there's no money to be made in vaccines.
Wait a minute. If it really was a capitalistic system, we (and the Red
Cross) would have been able to SELL our vaccine to others if we didn't want to
give it to our own people.
A.A. Most likely, if this was a pure, non hybrid system (unlike the one we
have now) there would be no flu vaccine at all since there is no financial
incentive for companies to make it and no one to prod them. Or, the cost would
be high enough to make it worth while for companies to produce. What would you
pay for a vaccine? $500? But, being pure capitalism, with no restrictions by
government, you could solve the problem by going into your basement and mixing
up a nice sugar solution and hawking it and making a bundle. Then your
coworker would see how rich you're getting, and she'd go into her basement and
start making sugar solution and undercut your prices. So you'd lower your
prices. But then you'd say screw this, and you'd go to your coworker and work
out a deal where you both raised the prices for your Super Flu Busting Solution
to the same high level.
Since Red Cross, subsisting on donations, wouldn't be able to pay $500 a dose,
they wouldn't have vaccine to give you (assuming they're upright enough not to
be interested in Super Flu Busting Solution). Regarding other services, they'd
have to either start charging or charge a lot more than they do. Then Red
Cross 2 would come along and force down the prices Red Cross was charging.
Until, following your example, Red Cross 2 approached Red Cross and formed a
monopoly and decided they wanted to double or triple their prices.
Don't think any of this happened? Check out the beginning of the 20th century.
Sinclair Lewis.
Marlena: We DID have vaccine. The CDC swooped in and stole it away...
A.A. Be happy that they did. They obviously have information you don't have as
to where outbreaks are most likely and so on. What do you think they're doing
with the vaccine? Selling it on street corners for a profit? If they are,
shoot yourself now. Not giving the CDC the right to determine who gets what is
like not having generals during a war. Everyone could just go out and find a
gun and start shooting based on what they think is going on.
Capitalism is like oxygen. We need it to survive, but in it's pure state it's
no fun at all. Without some blend of public good mixed in, life would not be
worth living under it. I'm reminded of that expression, be careful what you
wish for, because you may get it.
Andy Amago
Marlena in Missouri
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