I'm not anti-capitalist; I'm anti-profit driven health care, because it is as insane (and as evil) as it would be to charge someone for a police call while his wife is being held hostage at gunpoint. Both are matters of life and death. Government collects taxes and addresses basic needs. Health care is the most basic need of all. The only reason we are the only civilized country in the world that doesn't see to its citizens' basic care is because too many people get rich off of collecting premiums and then denying services. The only reason you believe this is okay is because you are a sucker that has bought well-advertised hype from people far richer than you'll ever be. They are playing you and they're doing such a good job of it you think you've come to this opinion on your own. It would be funny if it weren't so sad.
Is garbage collection an inalienable right? I don't know but it sure is socialized - gov't handles it right? Look at all the things gov't handles: Internet Backbone Garbage Collection Security / War Public Safety (clean water / environment) Highway system Social Security Medicaid Postal Services Prison systems Those are just a few. Why are these handled by the gov't? Are they all inalienable rights? Or is it just common sense? To me, it's common sense to provide the general population with health services to help ensure everyone can be functional contributors in society. Part of freedom is your health. Is freedom a right or a privledge? Who cares? Gov't does what is necessary to ensure it to everyone.
The basic question here -- and what we need to decide as a nation -- is whether medical care is a right or a privilege. I realize that begs the questions of whether 1) Is food a right or a privilege? 2) Is housing a right or a privilege? 3) Is clothing a right or a privilege? 4) Is education a right or a privilege? 4) Is police/fire protection a right or a privilege? 5) .... I think we can go forward once the nation decides which is which.
Can it not be both? For example, the smoker who is denied a lung in place of someone who was stricken with an ailment that was NOT self inflicted?
And that is the crux of the problem. I wish I were smart enough to supply an answer that put all the "what ifs" on one side of the court or the other.
Yeah, Medicare plus for all financed by pay-check deductions, like Medicare. Those who prefer their expensive insurance company mediated healthcare with the extra 30% costs for marketing, and CEO stock options,with pre-existing conditions, high co-pays, life-time caps and the rest are "Free to Choose" it.
We've figured out far greater problems than this. I am confident we can establish a fair, equitable system to address this.
Nice. All right....10th grade to present day. How 'bout that? I don't have the answer, and I won't pretend to, but the insurance and pharmaceutical companies already rule Washington. Why give them more power? What I do know is that if you need an MRI in the US, you go and get one. If you need dental work, you go get it done. If you need to see a doctor or go to the hospital, then you see the doctor or go to the hospital. If you can't pay for these services, there's no one to make you or deny you future services. I have family in the UK who comes here for these things, and it's not an issue of cost for them. It's an issue of being unable to get any of those things done at home for months at a time. My family tells me that 30 years ago, you went to work, had insurance, saw whatever doctor you liked, and it was covered by your insurance. Then managed care (HMOs) came in and screwed everything up by dictating what doctor you saw and what procedures were covered. I would think that yes, health care needs regulation of some sort. But I don't believe that it would be fixed or get better by having the government in full control of it and I'm willing to keep things as they are now until a better solution is conceived.
Point being that someone, through either charity, taxes, or both (whatever the hell you wanna call it), thought it would be a good idea to give you an education free of charge. Did they owe you anything? Was that a good idea?
Internet Backbone Pleasant thought Garbage Collection - contract Security / War Iraq - Patriot Act Public Safety (clean water / environment) private bottled better Highway system environmental disaster - property rights nightmare Social Security Unsustainable Medicaid broke Postal Services UPS, Fed Ex Better - Less Innovative, Smelly Offices Prison systems 2.3 million incarcerated - gov handles it VERY well
I guess you haven't been seeing what's been happening to American families without health insurance. The stench of death is much like the stench of garbage. Unbearable when you have to smell it but who cares when you are far from it.
Are you referring to the salaries health care workers (doctors and nurses) receive for their services or the big-wig fat-cats sitting in board rooms and the houses of Congress? If it's the former, I disagree as the salaries received attract the best and the brightest into those fields. I'm going to be an RN in large part due to the salary, security, and benefits that field provides. If that makes you uncomfortable, then good luck finding nurses and doctors who weren't attracted by those things. If it's the latter, then I agree to an extent. All the same, profit-motive motivates to build a better and cheaper mousetrap. I'm not saying this can't be abused, of course. You're obviously well-informed on this issue. Better than I am, certainly. But it'd be a LOT easier to listen to what you have to say if you weren't so excessively excellent in coming across as a sanctimonious, know-it-all, asshat.
Of course we have. That's why we want the government out it and regulations lifted to drive down the costs. Too bad liberals do not care about health care costs, causing many people to die.
Yes. I had a few years of free schooling. That obviously equates to free health care for all. How could I be so silly.
Aight. The government also delivers my mail. Does that equate to free healthcare? They build roads, bridges, and fix pot holes. What about those? Free healthcare? I understand the point you are trying to make, and I don't think it's applicable. The government does (and should) provide some services. But that doesn't mean they ought to provide all of them. I'm on the side of the fence that prefers them to stay out of my life as much as is possible.
You're never going to find a direct comparison. (comparing ANY government service, virtually) The best you can shoot for is basically weighing the cost-benefit of each as it pertains to the public or private systems that would in place of each. In other words, "we" decided to educate you for free. Did that do more harm than good to society? Was that benefit worth the price? Could that have happened as effectively if it was voluntary and private? Etc, etc, etc.
C'mon man, then why'd you bring it up? I don't believe that "we" (the government) are capable of providing health care the same way "we" (the government) provide basic education to children, deliver mail, etc.
