“What Have the Romans Ever Done for Us?”

I see that Megan McArdle, now in her new digs at The Atlantic, continues to be on her tear protesting the terrible, terrible injustice that the young and healthy should suffer taking care of the old and sick. My heart bleeds.

After all, young people gave birth to themselves, fed themselves, clothed themselves, educated themselves. They invented language, fire, the wheel, writing, and penicillin. They built all the roads, constructed their cribs with tools they made themselves, doused the blazes when their homes caught fire, and apprehended, tried, and convicted the criminals who offended against them. What do they owe to anyone, let alone those who are older than they are?

FWIW, I believe that tax revenues paid out in the form of health care dollars would be better directed to those elderly who are in actual need or who would become destitute in paying their medical bills, as practically all inevitably would, than in subsidizing the medical bills of all of the elderly regardless of need. However, I believe this on pragmatic grounds, not on moral grounds.

I think that Megan (like me and everyone else who ever lived) is in the position of someone who finds herself in a restaurant, orders (or has ordered for her) a sumptuous meal, and is reluctant to pay the bill when it comes due. There’s a word for this and it isn’t justice: Megan wants to be a free rider. Who doesn’t?