Socialism polls better than it performs

Nearly 6 in 10 Democrats view socialism positively while less than a third say the same of capitalism, according to a new CBS News/YouGov poll.That’s an ominous sign for this fall’s midterm elections, as socialist ideas increasingly vie for mainstream prominence. Socialist health policies may promise universal access, but as patients around the world know all too well, they usually deliver long waits, doctor shortages, rationing, and hefty new tax hikes instead.Britain’s National Health Service offers a timely warning. The system is so overburdened and under-resourced that, in July, roughly 3,000 patients a day received “corridor care” in hospital hallways or similar makeshift settings, according to NHS data. More than 150,000 waited over 12 hours in an emergency department after arrival. And during the first half of this year, around 51,500 people in England waited more than two months to start cancer treatment after an urgent referral. The country’s recent heat wave has made conditions in NHS facilities even worse, with nurses in some wards reportedly fainting and patients subjected to temperatures as high as 107 degrees Fahrenheit. The lesson to draw from these horror stories is simple. When the government promises unlimited care on a limited budget, delays and rationing inevitably follow.Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), center, accompanied by other democratic Senators and supporters, speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017, to unveil their Medicare for All legislation to reform healthcare. | (Andrew Harnik/AP) Canada’s experience with socialized medicine reveals the true cost of “free” healthcare. A new study by the Vancouver-based Fraser Institute estimates that a Canadian family of four earning 202,885 Canadian dollars (roughly $147,000 U.S.) will pay CA$21,115 (about $15,000) in hidden taxes toward public healthcare this year — slightly more than 10% of household income.And yet, patients there still face excessive treatment delays. In 2025, Canadians seeking specialized care waited a median 28.6 weeks from referral by a family doctor to actual treatment — the second-longest wait the institute has recorded.Little wonder that 63% of Canadians now describe healthcare in their province as being “in a state of crisis,” according to a new poll.Americans have plenty of reasons to be frustrated with our nation’s health system. But replacing those problems with total government control, rationed access, and monthslong waits would hardly count as progress. We need a system that empowers doctors and patients, not government.So, while socialism might sound appealing to some Democrats now, they’d be wise to reconsider that stance before casting their ballots this November.Sally C. Pipes is president, CEO, and Thomas W. Smith Fellow in Healthcare Policy at the Pacific Research Institute. She is the author of False Premise, False Promise: The Disastrous Reality of Medicare for All (Encounter). Follow her on X @sallypipes.