Universal Single-Payer Legal Care, An Idea Whose Time Has Come

“Brilliant” is much overused, but this concept merits the word. Full details can be found at http://othersideofbrunswick.blogspot.com

I quote in part: “Single Payer Legal Care. This is, pure and simple, social justice, because everyone has a basic human right to accessible legal care. Sticking with the system we have is unacceptable, and we should ask those that defend the status quo just what they find so appealing and why.

The plan I envision would have all lawyers immediately become government chattel, with their salaries controlled by a "Lawyer Czar." The Czar would establish a living wage, and limit lawyers to that level of remuneration. Within that cap, lawyers would have to live with the same sort of reimbursement levels and timeliness that Medicaid providers do.

The PBO Poppycock Budget Office (PBO) estimates that a 10% social justice fee on income of any form, including all transfer payments from Government, coupled with a 10% common good surcharge on all gross business receipts should cover the costs of a pilot program. It's probable that costs will exceed PBO projections, but that's not sufficient rationale for denying the fundamental humanity inherent in this plan.”

I’m not prepared to endorse the PBO’s estimates, given its past record, but the moral core of the proposal cannot be denied. The right to equality before the law predates the right to health care. It even predates our Constitution. As it is now only the rich have unqualified access to top legal talent. And consider the ever rising costs of legal care in the U.S., not only the ever-rising billing charges, but the immense costs imposed by the legal system on the economy. The legal system is a creation of government. It’s time for the government to step in and control costs.
People have some idea of the services available from a surgeon, but not one American in a thousand could provide a coherent description of what services the legal profession provides.