Usually I get the bulk of my news from NPR and Jon Stewart. Since I've never watched Fox I wouldn't even know what those nasty haters were up to if it wasn't for Jon. Usually I only have the opportunity to discuss these things with others who share my values. But on rare days I get a window into the other side when an interesting discussion forms on someone's wall. These happen to rarely, and I would like fb much more if there was more real content.
Today I found this link of a friend's fb wall:
10 Things You Must Believe to Oppose Universal Health Care I read some comments following it that I just could not let pass. (I hope the poster does not mind me quoting anonymously.)
"anyone who truly believes in it should hop on the raft with that fat slob and head over to Cuba to apply for residency. Skew skew skew. Facts and numbers can't be argued."
"A few facts: Americans live shorte because of lifestyle NOT quality of medical care."
"Canadians come to the US when it's more than a cold...Brits are pulling their own teeth due to their stellar socialized medicine...and personally, I don't want to pay for the 18 million people who make over $50k but opt not to insure themselves!"
That article is right on. $50k is barely middle class in this economy. If both partners bring that home then they can likely cover basic wellness services. But a family of 4 on $50k is stretched pretty tight, especially if they live on either coast. $100k on either coast sadly does not deliver a life of luxury. A catastrophic illness would not just clean you out, but bury you when your insurance screws you. They are for PROFIT first, not for health care.
And why, oh why are you singling out the hypothetical $50k people you imagine you will be subsidizing? Federal budget wise it's a drop in the bucket. If we all took a look at where our tax dollars really go we would only support at most 80% of the distribution--and probably less--regardless of what our politics are, tea bags and bleeding hearts alike. I would much rather help out that $50k family than 80% of what my taxes get spent on.
I assume you are aware that our tax dollars are lavishly showered on the pharmaceutical companies. They insist on subsidies to fund research for new drugs, then they charge what can only be called insane amounts per pill. Pills your insurance company doesn't want to pay for--despite your high premiums--because those tax-subsidized pills are way too expensive for their profit margin. That is where our elderly are particularly screwed: they spent their whole working lives paying taxes that funded the development of new drugs, and now that they need them the prices are beyond their fixed incomes. Explain THAT to the grandmother of this $50k family that you resent for taking advantage of you.
Every system has it's flaws, here in the USA we pay the most to get the least. Our biggest problem with health care is that for profit insurance is always between us and our doctors. Obama wanted to offer the un and under insured something that would work as well as Medicare, but he wouldn't have gotten anything if he hadn't compromised. It's a frustrating compromise, but it still shows more backbone than "don't ask, don't tell."
I assume you are aware that our tax dollars are lavishly showered on the pharmaceutical companies. They insist on subsidies to fund research for new drugs, then they charge what can only be called insane amounts per pill. Pills your insurance company doesn't want to pay for--despite your high premiums--because those tax-subsidized pills are way too expensive for their profit margin. That is where our elderly are particularly screwed: they spent their whole working lives paying taxes that funded the development of new drugs, and now that they need them the prices are beyond their fixed incomes. Explain THAT to the grandmother of this $50k family that you resent for taking advantage of you.
Every system has it's flaws, here in the USA we pay the most to get the least. Our biggest problem with health care is that for profit insurance is always between us and our doctors. Obama wanted to offer the un and under insured something that would work as well as Medicare, but he wouldn't have gotten anything if he hadn't compromised. It's a frustrating compromise, but it still shows more backbone than "don't ask, don't tell."
