There is a lot of opposition to the idea of free healthcare, free education and college, etc (not including welfare, that's a separate issue here.) Are you opposed to it because we can't afford it? Are you opposed to it only at the federal level? I mean, it sounds good to me. Other than the reasons i listed^ Other reasons? I'd like to hear why you support or are against these things, if we had the money and, if not at the federal level, how you would like it done.
Anything "free" means top dollar will be payed for it via taxation, as opposed to competitive rates in the private sector. Less competition = Lower quality If you want to take a look at government management, go to the DMV or Post Office. Continuously in the red, because they have a monopoly on what they do. More inefficiency = Bigger budget = Job security Post Office faces competition from UPS & Fedex types on packages, but only Post Office is allowed to send you non-urgent written mail. $65.71 billion in the red for this years revenue. Consider how many students we have now, the more students the higher costs of education are. So guaranteed access to higher universities based on zero personal merit means a lot of these students will be a waste of time, aka bad investing on the state's part. Same with healthcare, you think it's bad now, people going to emergency room for trivial things, paying for none of it, cost is passed on to you. When everyone is covered for everything, the hypochondriacs will be in full swing taking up space at hospitals because it's all paid for in their minds. The slightest ache and pain will send them to the emergency room, especially those looking for an easy prescription for painkillers and the like. Can you even imagine, everyone is covered under the state's new health plan and we don't know why but there's been a tenfold increase in Oxycontin prescriptions the last 2 months If your state wants to implement these things, fine by me, I don't have to live there. All it will lead to is higher costs and lower efficiency. Some folks don't mind the price tag, it's their choice. I just don't want to be involved. Too much abuse potential, and too costly to make it worthwhile imo.
Anything the government does, it does inefficiently and very badly. Would you want free cell phones for all people? You should say yes, because there is no fundamental difference. Imagine if the government was the only maker of cell phones and had no competition. The quality, availability, technology, etc. of cell phones would be terrible. You think the government would create an iPhone or a Droid and offer it at good prices? Not a chance in hell. Steve Jobs created the iPhone, and he wouldn't have even been in a position to do that if it was government controlled. Free markets make prices come down and quality go up. Government control makes prices go up, and quality drop.
I oppose federally-funded social programs because, quite simply, I don't feel that anyone should be obligated to provide for anyone else.