When it comes to legalizing dope, the several states can always look to Colorado for an example--an example to beware. Montana gave the rest of us a good look at faster speed limits on the highways. Because of Montana's experience, many states abandoned the 55-mph limit years ago.
It's a conservative attribute: See what works. Theory is fine in theory. But experience and evidence, and a dab of tradition, won't often lead you astray.
Take California. Please. (Youngman, H.) Lately, officials in California have been looking at a single-payer health-care system. There might be a few downsides to any such program--higher taxes, longer wait times and government busybodies asking fresh questions about your doctor visits come to mind.
California's next likely governor, Gavin Newsom, supports this idea, according to The Sacramento Bee. But if Obamacare has taught us anything, it's that government intervention in health care hasn't lowered medical prices.
Vermont tried single payer a few years ago, and it died. Former Gov. Peter Shumlin admitted he couldn't pay for it. Colorado put it on the 2016 ballot, and its residents destroyed the idea with a resounding 80 percent voting against.
A single state just can't handle the weight of a single-payer system, even one with the fifth-largest economy in the world. Face it. It's bad medicine.
Editorial on 09/04/2018