October 27, 2009 1:53PM 

# Samuelson: the Fannie Med Mirage 

By [Michael F. Cannon](https://www.cato.org/people/michael-f-cannon) 

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In yesterday’s *Washington Post*, economics columnist Bob Samuelson had a fantastic piece on the Democrats’ plan to create [yet another government-run health insurance program](https://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=10382) for yet another population of Americans. Here’s the money quote:

> The promise of the public plan is a mirage. Its political brilliance is to use free-market rhetoric (more “choice” and “competition”) to expand government power. But why would a plan tied to Medicare control health spending, when Medicare hasn’t?

[Read the whole thing.](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/25/AR2009102502041.html)

##### Related Tags 

[Health Care](https://www.cato.org/health-care) 

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