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Wouldn't you say Ph D biologists probably have the same intellectual abilities as medical doctors or thereabouts? Yet strangely, biologists on average get 1/3 the salary. That should clue everyone in that something fishy is going on... Why aren't more biologists simply becoming doctors? The reasons lie in the barriers to entry in the U.S., especially from the AMA union, which has enormous influence. They love regulations that artificially create shortages in health care, therefore raising their own salaries. Want to open a new medical school, or even allow more students to go through one that is already open? Have to go ask them for permission. Want to practice medicine in the US, but you aren't a citizen? Too bad. Want to take a test and get certified, but can't speak English? Too bad.
As in so many different industries, the best advice for health care is to lift the burden of regulations and allow capitalism to do its thing. We trust greedy grocery store owners to provide us with food, and that's even more important to survival. Hopefully people realize our trust in them isn't because they're just a nicer group of guys than doctors are.
(Note: everything I wrote above is exactly ripped off an mp3 that Nielsio posted:
Walter Block - Health Economics)
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Im not at all surprised that Nielsio would link to something containing stupidity like the above, but am surprised someone would actually quote it.
First, is the average PhD biologist if equivalent intellectually abiltiy as the average medical doctor? I highly doubt they are. A PhD botanist equivalent to even a GP? A PhD human bioligist might be on the level of an MD but then he isnt making 1/3 of the average doctor. and even if the propostion were true, does that mean its because of the "AMA union" or artificial barriers to entry? Sean Penn couldnt hope to learn my job in 30 years, but hes still paid 60x for one move what I make in a year.
Food is more important to survival than a doctor...absolutely. But is a grocer? Not even close. If every grocer went out of business nobody is going to starve to death. A grocer is a convenience, and a very poorly compensated one for that matter. Margins in the grocery business are razor thin. and what do we "trust" a grocer for? to stock the kind of cereal we like? A grocer supplies what sells...ie what we tell him we want him to stock. We dont trust him to do anything but do the bare minimum to stay in business...keep the food from spoiling.
What a crock...and not even spreadable.