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Kevin Hassett argues that “Germany needs its own Reagan.”
He’s right. My strong guess is that they’ll got one. While I have little hope that France will rejoin our orbit any time soon, the Germans will. They’re struggling with their own history, but fundamentally they’re thoroughly modern and ambitious. They won’t abide their lagging economy much longer. And their interests and America’s will coincide far often than not.
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I think it’d be tough for a German Reagan to get elected and stay in power. The welfare state in Germany is way too entrenched. Look at the hell Schroder has caught for trying to reform the pension and health care systems.
The German national health system is first-class, offers a lot of choice, and doesn’t have the horrid rationing problems of Canada or the inability to get non-emergency medical care in a timely fashion like they have in the UK. (“Hi, I have a sinus infection and need to seek treatment.” “Right, first available appointment with your GP is… two years from next Thursday.”) It’s pretty much the model that Gore proposed — universal pay-or-play, private insurance companies providing a menu of options, government covers the uninsured, base level of universal care, bulk-buying of pharmaceuticals.
Of course, the German system is also insanely expensive. Reforming the system and cutting out needless spending and optional coverage is desperately needed.
