Obamacare (thread 2): Episode 3: John Stuart Mill Would Adjust His Spectacles: A Liberal Defense of Obamacare

This episode imagines how John Stuart Mill would evaluate the Affordable Care Act, arguing that genuine liberty depends on access to health care. It traces Mill’s biography, his harm principle and utilitarianism, and explains how health insurance preserves the conditions for real freedom.

Through clear historical and philosophical analysis, the episode shows Mill viewing the ACA as an experiment in protecting positive liberty, reducing harm, and enabling citizens to flourish rather than merely survive.