New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern

In the way neoliberal advocates like Friedrich Hayek, Henry Simons, Jacob Viner, and Frank Knight, or more recently David Stockman and Milton Friedman, define success: untrammeled free market, minimal government oversight, increased privatization, smaller government, America is a resounding success. The DOW is at levels never before seen; EPA, FDA and other regulatory agencies under the Trump administration have dramatically pulled back from corporate oversight; massive tax cuts have been implemented and the rich are so much richer. As President Trump keeps telling us, all is well. Except it isn’t.

The list of social outcomes measures supporting our unwellness is too long to include everything here. So let me give just a selection, with the understanding that it represents a much larger whole. It will, however, give you the flavor of what I mean. Let’s start with healthcare. According to the World Health Organization, “The U.S. health system spends a higher portion of its gross domestic product than any other country but ranks 37 out […]