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Noah Smith 🐇
@Noahpinion
, 13 tweets, 4 min read Read on Twitter
1/And now: The capitalist case for national health insurance!!

bloomberg.com/opinion/articl…
2/When most people talk about national health insurance, they talk about increasing coverage and making the rich pay more for the health care of the middle class.

BUT, there's also another big benefit: de-risking the economy so people can start businesses and switch jobs.
3/Economists have noticed a disturbing trend: Declining dynamism in the U.S. economy.

brookings.edu/wp-content/upl…
4/People are starting fewer businesses.
5/And they're switching jobs less.

brookings.edu/wp-content/upl…
6/If you can't get more money by starting businesses and switching jobs, capitalism loses a lot of its luster.

bloomberg.com/opinion/articl…
7/And there's evidence that America's employer-based health care system is part of the problem.

rand.org/pubs/research_…
8/Employer-based health insurance makes it much riskier (and more difficult) to start a business, compared to staying at a company.

And it makes it riskier to switch jobs.
9/A number of studies have found that when people get government health insurance, they start more businesses.

1. econstor.eu/bitstream/1041…

2. econstor.eu/bitstream/1041…

3. hbs.edu/faculty/Public…
10/And economists also generally find evidence that the employer-based insurance system locks people into their jobs.

nber.org/papers/w8817
11/Now, you could just discourage employers from offering health insurance coverage at all.

But that would make adverse selection a lot worse, causing market breakdown. And people without insurance are going to be less likely to start businesses!
12/National health insurance is just a much cleaner solution. Everyone will simply have insurance, and they won't have to be scared of starting a business or changing jobs.

People will be free to do capitalism instead of navigating a hellish health care "market".
13/Whether it's single-payer or a public option, national health insurance will free Americans to take risks, use their talents, and get ahead.

We should do it.

(end)

bloomberg.com/opinion/articl…
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Noah Smith 🐇
@Noahpinion
1/Today's @bopinion post is about Newly Industrialized Countries, and what they tell us about globalization and development.

These are the unsung success stories of the modern world economy. The next in line to become developed nations.

bloomberg.com/opinion/articl…
2/By now, everyone should know that global inequality (as opposed to inequality within countries) is coming down, as poor nations catch up with rich ones.
3/But a skeptic of globalization might say: Who cares? Even if Indian people have toilets and Ethiopians aren't starving, they're still generally poor, while the rich world still hoards fabulous wealth!

Well, Newly Industrialized Countries are the counter to this argument.
Read 15 tweets
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Noah Smith 🐇
@Noahpinion
The news cycle is the most powerful force in the Universe. Remember the El Paso shooting? Remember the camps at the border? Remember Epstein?
In two weeks I'll tweet "Remember Greta Thunberg? Remember the Climate Strike?"
The News Cycle is that little device from Men in Black that flashes a light and makes everyone forget what they just saw.
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Noah Smith 🐇
@Noahpinion
Bring back plastic straws.

livescience.com/65925-metal-st…
In addition to metal straws killing this poor lady, drinking bubble tea (or anything) with paper straws is disgusting.

Bring back plastic straws.
Many people are trying to suggest creative alternatives to plastic straws. They are starting from the assumption that plastic straws must be banned. But this is a mistaken assumption. Simply legalize plastic straws.
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David Fickling
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People might have missed this among the excitement about Saudi Aramco's bond prospectus, but it's potentially a big deal:

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I Want the Truth!
@DougieFreshii
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Steve Bannon is smuggled into the Oxford Union through the snowflake mob
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