Why America Needs Universal Healthcare
Can you imagine how awesome our country would be if we made it so all our citizens could get free world class educations and everyone had free healthcare? We'd be happier, healthier and better earners. The world would hate us less and stop trying to attack us and instead model after us.
As it stands, we're the stinky cheese what stands alone (and stupid and sick).
-Cyn
As it stands, we're the stinky cheese what stands alone (and stupid and sick).
-Cyn
Bad boys get spanked. - Chrissie Hynde 
(deactivated member)
on 8/28/09 7:00 am
on 8/28/09 7:00 am
We already HAVE socialized health-care but it’s not regulated. Who do want to be in charge? Corporate
What’s your suggestion?
Someone has to speak for the poor, the sick, the mentally ill, the addicted, the handicapped, the elderly, the homeless. . .
Who do you choose? 
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Lora,
currently I can't get any insurance. not even crappy high deductible insurance.
if I get cancer or am in a serious car accident, do you think I am going to be able to pay for the care I need? not even if I am completely wiped out.
but I can pay some now for affordable insurance to use when and if I need it.
nobody in the private sector is offering me that.
Jackie
currently I can't get any insurance. not even crappy high deductible insurance.
if I get cancer or am in a serious car accident, do you think I am going to be able to pay for the care I need? not even if I am completely wiped out.
but I can pay some now for affordable insurance to use when and if I need it.
nobody in the private sector is offering me that.
Jackie
once upon a time I had a group to talk about Binge Eating Disorder, and later one about Clean Eating.
PM me if you are interested in either of these.
size 8, life is great
Mr E. Meat
on 8/28/09 8:45 am
on 8/28/09 8:45 am
Actually medicare is pretty much unique among government services in that it does make a profit. Most government programs do not have a special kitty that holds money only for that program. Social security and medicare do because your government wants to pretend that paying for social security isn't a tax.
Of course it is a tax but by calling it something else they can let the rich pay a lower rate of tax than they do for all other government provided services such as roads, education, the armed forces and a thousand other socialist programs that everyone relies on every day.
All those other services are -- in your terms 100% subsidised.
Conservatives lie all the time. One of their favourite lies is that social security is running out of money. This is absolutely false. But even if it was true it wouldn't matter because just like any other service they would be paid for from taxation. The US army has no monies set aside for it at all and never makes any money at all. Is the US army bankrupt? Is the US army running at a loss? is the US army "subsidised"? Is the US army going to be gone in 10-20 years?
They lie to make people lose trust in socialism. They hate socialism because socialism is more efficient than capitalism. Capitalism costs more in part because the elites skim a lot of money off the top and call it "profit". So they are lying to you because it helps them steal your money.
The capitalist equivalent of social security is to privately invest in a pension fund. People who did that recently lost half their savings. That money was stolen. People invested in socialism lost nothing. Again medicare has an overhead of just 3% which is ten times more efficient than private health insurance.
Of course it is a tax but by calling it something else they can let the rich pay a lower rate of tax than they do for all other government provided services such as roads, education, the armed forces and a thousand other socialist programs that everyone relies on every day.
All those other services are -- in your terms 100% subsidised.
Conservatives lie all the time. One of their favourite lies is that social security is running out of money. This is absolutely false. But even if it was true it wouldn't matter because just like any other service they would be paid for from taxation. The US army has no monies set aside for it at all and never makes any money at all. Is the US army bankrupt? Is the US army running at a loss? is the US army "subsidised"? Is the US army going to be gone in 10-20 years?
They lie to make people lose trust in socialism. They hate socialism because socialism is more efficient than capitalism. Capitalism costs more in part because the elites skim a lot of money off the top and call it "profit". So they are lying to you because it helps them steal your money.
The capitalist equivalent of social security is to privately invest in a pension fund. People who did that recently lost half their savings. That money was stolen. People invested in socialism lost nothing. Again medicare has an overhead of just 3% which is ten times more efficient than private health insurance.
I guess you totally don't get the concept of generosity and helping others in need.
Health care insurance, whether paid by self or paid by others, operates under the principle that we willingly pay a premium for a service with the hope that we never need it.
When people need the medical care, then we are grateful that we are not them, and are happy that we can help.
It's not a savings account, with a limit to the amount that is in the pot. When we use up more than we have saved (gotten ill), then we don't have to panic. We know that others are wishing us well and supporting us through their generosity and good health.
It's not a direct return on the money we paid (taxes). I don't drive on the highways very much. Should I pay less for the taxes that go into road maintenance? I had only 1 child, not many. Should I ask to pay less educational tax? I have ever claimed unemployment insurance. Should I say I'm not going to pay that?
Quite being so selfish woman. It's not about what you paid and what YOU will then receive.
SherryB
Health care insurance, whether paid by self or paid by others, operates under the principle that we willingly pay a premium for a service with the hope that we never need it.
When people need the medical care, then we are grateful that we are not them, and are happy that we can help.
It's not a savings account, with a limit to the amount that is in the pot. When we use up more than we have saved (gotten ill), then we don't have to panic. We know that others are wishing us well and supporting us through their generosity and good health.
It's not a direct return on the money we paid (taxes). I don't drive on the highways very much. Should I pay less for the taxes that go into road maintenance? I had only 1 child, not many. Should I ask to pay less educational tax? I have ever claimed unemployment insurance. Should I say I'm not going to pay that?
Quite being so selfish woman. It's not about what you paid and what YOU will then receive.
SherryB
You don;t even know me, so you can keep your snide remarks about my character to yourself.
I am ALREADY paying not only more than half of the cost of my private healthcare insurance but also money into Medicare and Medicaid... what YOU do not seem to get is that the government has been using FUTURE funds for YEARS to cover SS and Medicare/Medicaid, and that as the baby-boomers continue to retire (and therefore QUIT paying into the system and need to take money out), there will be a vast shortfall of people paying in... it's simple math... they borrow from the future but when the money coming in drastically decreases, they either have to drastically raise taxes or drastically decrease services/payouts. Are you really willing to pay double SS/medicare/Medicaid taxes to guarantee that I will receive what I need once I am retired and you are still working and in good health. Probably not.
Lora
I am ALREADY paying not only more than half of the cost of my private healthcare insurance but also money into Medicare and Medicaid... what YOU do not seem to get is that the government has been using FUTURE funds for YEARS to cover SS and Medicare/Medicaid, and that as the baby-boomers continue to retire (and therefore QUIT paying into the system and need to take money out), there will be a vast shortfall of people paying in... it's simple math... they borrow from the future but when the money coming in drastically decreases, they either have to drastically raise taxes or drastically decrease services/payouts. Are you really willing to pay double SS/medicare/Medicaid taxes to guarantee that I will receive what I need once I am retired and you are still working and in good health. Probably not.
Lora
14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained
You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.
Touched a sore spot did I? I think Shakespeare had something to say about that - something about protesting too much.
You are still missing the underlying concepts here.
The health insurance plan suggested means that you (and it really is all about you, isn't it) will be paying less and having access to more.
At the same time, those more vulnerable in the country (damn them anyway because they are just lazy greedy people) will have a basic level of health care available.
By the way, I will probably be retiring well before you, so am counting on people like you to pay for me, you know. In fact, I am eligible or retirement now. I just like what I am doing too much.
Right now, I do not resent the more than $50,000 I pay in income tax each year. I consider it my investment in my country and the people in it.
SherryB
ETA: just because I wanted to.
You are still missing the underlying concepts here.
The health insurance plan suggested means that you (and it really is all about you, isn't it) will be paying less and having access to more.
At the same time, those more vulnerable in the country (damn them anyway because they are just lazy greedy people) will have a basic level of health care available.
By the way, I will probably be retiring well before you, so am counting on people like you to pay for me, you know. In fact, I am eligible or retirement now. I just like what I am doing too much.
Right now, I do not resent the more than $50,000 I pay in income tax each year. I consider it my investment in my country and the people in it.
SherryB
ETA: just because I wanted to.
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