Basic Standard Of Living: Free Market After That

Okay, I want to stay away from political posts, but I want to really spell out what economic principles I think would be best:

Government provides basic standard of living, completely free market after that.

1. Government's Role: Basic Standard of Living.

Here is what I consider a basic standard of living all Americans should have:

1. A roof over their head with electricity and running water.
2. Basic food staples to eat. (1500-2000 calorie bread, water, milk, grains... diet not 3000 calorie fast food or filet mignon style diet)
3. Basic education. (Public K-12 not private schools or law degrees)
4. Health care (Antibiotics for infections, not hair plugs.)
5. Things like the above four which I don't want to go into because the above gives the right idea.

I am not going to say how the government should provide these things!

Example: The government could provide health care to all Americans without paying for it all with taxes. They could do what Mitt Romney signed into law in Massachusetts where you are required to have private insurance, but the government fills in where private insurance won't cover. Everyone still gets covered.

Example: Homes could be provided through charitable things like habitat for humanity. Not all from tax payer money.

***Again, I am not saying how. What I am saying is that it must provide it somehow. How exactly is freely up for debate.***

2. Free Market for everything else:

Example: The government provides basic protection against people who want to harm you. (Police) If you want more than that, you have to pay for it yourself, (Things like bodygaurds), and people do.

Example: If public K-12 isn't good enough, you can send your kids to a private school.

Example: If you want a 3000 calorie diet with pizza, you are free to work to pay for it yourself.

Facts:

1. People want their fast food.
2. People want their expensive houses on the beach, or in the mountains.
3. People want their ipod.
4. People want to do all lot more then the government would provide.

Because of the above facts, and many more like unto it, I don't want any critisisms about how the government providing a basic standard of living will make people lazy. You will be hard pressed to find people who won't work to have luxury.

***Second, I agree that the free market should be the only provider of luxury.*** If you want luxury, you will have to work hard and compete for it.

However, if you are disabled, or have psychological problems, or fell on really hard times for a million different reasons, the government should be there to provide you a basic standard of living.