This morning I was awoken by my alarm clock, powered by electricity generated by the public power monopoly regulated by the US Department of Energy. I then took a shower in the clean water provided by the municipal water utility. After that, I turned on the TV to one of the FCC regulated channels to see what the National Weather Service of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration determined the weather was going to be like using satellites designed, built, and launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. I watch this while eating my breakfast of US Department of Agriculture inspected food and taking the drugs which have been determined as safe by the Food and Drug Administration.
At the appropriate time as regulated by the US Congress, and kept accurate by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the US Naval Observatory, I get into my National Highway Traffic Safety Administration approved automobile and set out to work on the roads built by the local, state, and federal Departments of Transportation, possibly stopping to purchase additional fuel of a quality level determined by the Environmental Protection Agency, using legal tender issued by the Federal Reserve Bank. On the way out the door, I deposit any mail I have to be sent out via the US Postal Service and drop the kids off at the public school.
After work, I drive my NHTSA bar back home on DOT roads, to a house which has not burned down in my absence because of the state and local building codes and Fire Marshal’s inspection, and which has not been plundered of all its valuables thanks to the local police department.
I then log on to the internet which was developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Administration and post of FreeRepublic.com and Fox News forums about how SOCIALISM in medicine is BAD because the government can’t do anything right.
Hopefully you won’t need to go to DMV, the post office, or a VA hospital today.
Haha thanks tman! oh and maybe we should talk about the public scholl your kid goes to.
Why wouldn’t you want to go to a VA hospital? The VA hospital system objectively outperforms every private hospital in the US for quality of care. http://tinyurl.com/6rasu
LOL! Loved it!
Have you eaten anything produced and delivered by a public institution?
Couldn’t all those controls be provided, at your demand, by private companies?
Do all those public controls avoid house fires, car crashes, food contamination or water pollution?
Are you using a publicly developed computer?
Does the State provide you with public bottled water?
Does the State provide you with sex?
Does the State provide graphic design services?
Was the last movie you liked a publicly recorded movie?
Why not nationalize food providing first?
(this comment with all due respect although my lack of English language control)
Regards.
Socialized sex AND GRAPHIC DESIGN SERVICES? Wow, I’m sold.
Have you talked to anyone from Europe, Canada, or anywhere else that has Socialized Medicine? Ask someone who’s seen both sides of this argument by having received health care over there and then in the US. The quality is not even comparable. Health care is a privilege, not a right.
I’ve talked to people from Canada and from Britain about the health care they get. They like it a lot. They think the US system is screwy. If we aren’t going to protect our citizens from disease, then why protect them from invasion, war and terrorism? Doesn’t illness and foreign attack produce the same result– lowers productivity, burdens society with increased costs, raises crime from lack of income? If we are all healthy, aren’t we able to make better choices, stay productive and not be a burden to others? What costs more: a society of sickly people or of healthy ones? If you think keeping the U.S. healthy is expensive, look at letting us deteriorate into illness. Seriously, look at the costs. Education is cheaper than ignorance. Health care is cheaper than illness.
I’ve also talked to Canadians and British about their health care system. While they do believe that its tragic that there are people in the United States who don’t have insurance, they also admit that the standard of health care is extremely higher in America as it is now.
That said, I believe this whole socialism argument is absurd, and probably a result from far too many people listening to Glenn Beck.
so·cial·ism (s?’sh?-l?z’?m) n.
1.Any of various theories or systems of social organization in which the means of producing and distributing goods is owned collectively or by a centralized government that often plans and controls the economy.
Last time I checked, the government isn’t owning all health insurance companies. Just regulating them a bit more. There is a difference.
For all those that haven’t seen this yet, please do. It’s a PBS documentary on how the US can learn from other countries that are enjoying Universal Healthcare. Basically, they need to co-exist.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/
I can honestly say that there is no problem with Canadian healthcare. If someone tells you that we Canadians think we’re getting a poor standard of healthcare, you’re talking to an American. I’ve never met a single fellow Canadian who doesn’t think that our system is far and away much better than the privatized system.
As a business student, I will never trust an organization to provide me healthcare. This is because the NUMBER ONE PRIORITY of a business is to make money. It doesn’t matter what you say the intentions or goals of a business may be, without making money you can’t do anything (good or evil), and making money is addictive.
So who is talking about social medicine? According to my reading of the law, its about regulation of healthcare coverage. The government intends to do more to get people access to healthcare, and will help people pay for it.
Is that much different from giving people access to and regulation of water, education, electricity, the YMCA, roads, safe cars, safe drugs, trash disposal, safe food, unemployment insurance, honest bankers (cough), courts to settle our gripes, and government officials to make all that happen?
I guess only people who can afford healthcare should get it. And while we pay taxes for all these other things that benefit all of us healthcare has no benefit to the individual who is well.
I love how dumb rednecks say nothing when the government wastes trillions of dollars on a useless war but come crying when they actually do something to help them.
Most of those idiots who complain about it wouldn’t even be able to explain what capitalism is. You know why? Because they don’t know it.
God bless the US, the dumbest people on Earth.
I love how much power the words socialism and communism have. Just say it and watch them froth at the mouths, the patriots especially. The connotations are powerful, the irony palpable. Google used for all the wrong reasons. I’m done with humans. I love em to death but they keep breaking my heart.
So you all are Ok with a bunch of government bureaucrats telling you what you can and can’t have and forcing you to pay into this “system” at the point of a gun?? Unbelievable.
Rich white folks just know how to rile up poor white folks to get them to vote for initiatives that benefit the former – end of story
Glenn Beck? Is mental health care going to be part of this package? If so, please see that this dry drunk psychotic is first in line. If, of course, it doesn’t interfere with his Mormon programming.
Unfortunately, what many people don’t understand is that this bill is only the beginning of a move towards socialism. Eventually, it seems that the government wants to move us to a single payer system. People in Canada and Great Britain talk about their “free” health care. But when half of your income goes to taxes that pay for that healthcare, is it really free? Since when have we started trusting our government to do anything right? I would rather be responsible for myself thank you. When the government regulates, they get to come in at any time and tell you what to do. They get to change those regulations at any time. They get to keep your personal information on file to be accessed whenever and for whatever reason they want. I used to own a children’s daycare. I have no problem with keeping children safe, but some of the rules are just ridiculous and meaningless. This is what we have to look forward to.
Great Satire, but aren’t you afraid it might be too subtle?
Christina I agree totally! Rich white AND BLACK people aren’t who you should be afraid of. They are the providers of jobs. They became rich because they worked hard and earned it the way the founding fathers invisioned it. Why do you progressives want to handcuff them with outrageous capital gains taxes and overreaching regulation????? This Crap of a bill will just handcuff business leaders more, WOW way to go OBAMA! No the government is the entity to fear and keep in check just the way the constitution outlines it.
No one is saying that the government is incapable of providing any service. Most people just feel they can’t do it very efficiently…ie., USPS, DMV, VA hospital, etc…
Old asinine argument. The Government is involved in everything if you are willing to strain logic enough. But how many things does Government really make better? I applaud DARPA for getting the Internet kicked off, but do you think it is what it is because of the Feds?
Think of it this way, anything Gov does costs 10x more than private for same quality. Now what is worth it? Some kinds of regulation and I’d rather have a public armed forces over private ones. Not much else.
Christina, actually talk to someone in Great Britain (it’s actually the United Kingdom) before declaring what our position is. Half our wages? It’s barely 10%, and that’s on the lowest income level. That allows you to simply walk into a doctor’s surgery or hospital, seek treatment and then leave.
I can’t honestly believe that people are complaining that the rich get a bad deal under a “socialist” government, when after tax they still walk away with millions more than anyone else. Yes, you earned it, no you don’t have the right to decide how much tax you pay or where it goes.
Maybe it’s testament to the UK being around for so long that we’ve seen the way the world works and sought a fairer system for all – so much for your founding fathers and their “it’s all mine, mine mine” logic.
People in the US seem to have such a brainwashed irrational fear of socialism, that their basic human decency disappears as people who would normally care about others would rather deny those less fortunate the opportunity to recieve basic health care. No system is perfect and God knows the Aussie one could do with a shake-up, but the rest of us are looking at you American’s and shaking our heads, not able to understand why the richest country in the world, the one who wants to lead the rest of the world, can’t even provide basic health care for all it’s citizens. Your lack of compassion is the real worry, not socialism! I bet there is a lot of poor people in the US thanking God that Obama cares more about basic human decency rather than being re-elected!
K.
Please become less ignorant before you post. The poor, old people, and Native Americans in the US already received Government-paid health care, prior to Obama’s program. As with all other Government schemes everywhere this care is poor quality and hugely expensive.
It’s very telling that Congress and their Senior Aids exempting themselves from this new socialized care scheme. Decent care will now depend political connections rather than money and/or hard work.
Danny Williams, Premier of Newfoundland Canada, chose to have his heart surgery in Miami this year.
Healthcare is a PRIVILEGE? Only to a complete tard.
BTW, Danny Williams is an asshole.
And yeah, I’m Canadian, and I’ll take OUR healthcare over your lack thereof anyday.
tman, learn to know what you’re talking about.
The government is NOT taking over health care, they are regulating it. This is NOT socialism. Stop being ignorant and go read
IT IS THE START OF SOCIALISM! MARGARET THATCHER EVEN SAID THAT YOUR LIBERTIES ARE TAKEN AWAY A LITTLE AT A TIME LIKE A RATCHET. IT GOES ONE WAY A LITTLE AT A TIME AND DOESN’T GO BACK. THIS IS HOW THE LIBERALS DO IT. UNDER THE RADAR.
krelldoggy
expensive? don’t know. Poor quality? Check this out.
http://article.wn.com/view/2010/03/07/Navajo_hospital_in_Arizona_boasts_lower_rate_for_Caesareans/
This an extremely ill-thought out and badly written article. It doesn’t argue that the federal agencies are good, it only states that they exist. It doesn’t consider alternatives, it doesn’t argue for why the federal government should be in control, it just says: “Here’s something that exists. It’s good that it exists, and it exists because it’s good.” There’s a name for that. It’s called “begging the question”, and is one the many types of logical fallacies.
I’m all for healthcare reform, I applaud Obama for his effort to help all citizens of this great country have the ability to go to a doctor & get help. However, I condemn this bill for one reason & one only, the contracts. Whenever our govt creates a bill, it is SUPPOSED to be in the best interest of the people & for the people. If this is the case with this bill, why have they exempted themselves from it? I see many people who claim we don’t know what Socialism is, well, in the very near future, we may find out if we do not stop the govt now.
Yeah! Like Mike H said, this is the start of socialism! It wasn’t the start of socialism in 1935 when they started Social Security. It wasn’t the start of socialism in 1965 when they started Medicare.
THIS is the start of socialism because President Obama wanted it and was we all know, he ran as a socialist, not a Democrat was elected by a landslide over McCain because socialists invaded the country on November 4.
Actually, when Obama was a young child in the early 1900s (his evilness allows him to age much more slowly than the rest of of) he actually infiltrated the entire government and got them to pass social security in 1935. Then he continued his plan later when he got Hawaii moved from the Pacific to Kenya so that he could be elected president.
But like Mike H said, ITS THE START OF SOCIALISM!
I know that as a real American and not a socialist, when I turn 65 I will not be taking any of those damn social security checks they send me. I will send them back. If I can’t pay my mortgage because the private sector failed me by selling a bunch of packaged housing market stuff and my retirement plan it worthless, so be it. That’s the free-market economy and it’s my duty as an American to live under a bridge. I paid for that damn bridge anyway.
If I get sick when I’m older, I also will not be using Medicare to pay for any of my bills, and if my private insurer drops my coverage because I finally got sick, then so be it, because I don’t want any damn socialist ideas trying to keep my insurance company from dropping me because this ain’t a socialist country and the insurance company is just trying to maximize their profits like they should. My personal health should definitely not get in the way of their executives getting a huge bonus.
Yeah!
Lmfao, Dave just dropped a nuke on all you dumbasses.
No Dave he didn’t. He only has shown his ignorance of the facts. He won’t be getting a social security check because it is nearly broke already. My own state government is sending out IOU’s in place of refunds because they are broke. We need to stop the entitlements and give the power back to the people. That’s all I’m saying. Healthcare is easy to get in this country. There are Gov run systems for those who can’t afford it, it’s called Medicare and now that is going broke too. I guess we could argue this all day so let’s just see what happens. I only want to decide for myself and not let the government do it for me. It’s called personal responsibility. Why does the government always think it knows what is best for us? Why is that OK with you all???
You all make me VERY happy to be in Canada!! I once lived in the US and oh wow good thing I’m back, I’d rather enjoy the awesome entertainment that you provide me with, but be in Canada.
FYI: I’ve never heard a fellow Canadian use the words “medical bills” in a sentence.. yeah, bring on a % income tax, if it means when I get sick I get treated and go home. People complaining clearly haven’t had to remortgage their home because of “medical bills”…
How many of you don’t have car/home insurance? Right, so you’d rather not have “health” insurance either? Great priorities…
Matt,
happy to be Canadian
PS. People using Danny Williams as a reason to say our health care is shit, that makes NO sense. It’s not because Miami has a good surgeon that Canada’s overall health care is crap!!!
As an American, I am ashamed. Has it occurred to no-one that government should be something other than a looming Big Brother, untrustable by its citizens? Perhaps if you worked a little harder to reform this “socialist” system under Obama, perhaps if you did more than waving around ignorant, backward signs in front of your VFWs, perhaps if you acted on your out-dated, worn-out, shitty constitution, you could develop a system of government in which the people could put their trust, and be happy to have regulating crucial parts of their lives.
The reactions to this bill are just another example of Americans not educating themselves, and then pretending they have always had faith in America, in its old systems and documents, in its backward ideals, and they barely know what being a citizen of the world is about. These people waving “you can’t control us” signs are the same people who sit in front of their TV and are preached to by bigots like Glen Beck, pretend to have faith in Christianity, then go out and drink themselves into oblivion and beat their wives, because that’s the American way.
America, go fuck yourselves. You’ve failed the rest of the world.
I’m tired of people saying the “government invented the Internet” because that leaves out a lot about computer history and takes advantage of people’s lack of tech knowledge.
Yes, there was some early research by DARPA. But that’s more military than “government”. And looked at from a libertarian point-of-view, one could argue that the military was doing its Constitutional duty to protect the people by developing DARPA. You don’t need “socialism” to protect the people. That’s another myth.
It was brilliant individuals, who just happened to be voluntarily working under government contract at the time, who developed the early net protocols for DARPA. Not necessarily the “government” or politicians and certainly not an achievement of “socialism”.
To claim that “socialism” is responsible for the Internet we now have is a something that takes dramatic license.
Some history… courtesy multiple books and sources online…
Konrad Kruse – invented first freely programmable CPU in 1936
Steve Russell & MIT – first CPU game in 1962
Douglas Engelbert – CPU mouse and windows 1964
ARPAnet – 1969
Intel – first RAM chip 1970
Vincent Cerf/Robert Kahn – TCP/IP Protocol 1974
Wordstar Software – first word processor 1979
Microsoft – MS DOS 1981 and Windows OS 1985
Apple – Macintosh 1984
Tim Berners-Lee – the world wide web 1989
1983 – ARPAnet switched over from older NCP Protocols to TCP
1985 – NSFNET a university network
1989 – NSFNET merged with MCI Mail
Now – video, bit torrent, email, text messaging, wireless, online banking, self-publishing, blogging, search, Web 2.0, etc.
Yes, some taxpayer funded agencies invested in some early Internet research done by academics. But to say that “government gave us the Internet” we now have and is fully responsible for the evolution of computers and networks is a wild exaggeration.
To also claim that it wouldn’t exist without “socialism” is false. The technology was out there, but free minds – voluntarily under government contract or not – needed to put it together to make it what it is today.
That’s like socialists claiming they’re responsible for “giving us” a public beach when the beach already existed long before and the local townspeople and beachfront property owners had already voluntarily decided to share it with others because it was good for local commerce.
@nofences
“As a business student, I will never trust an organization to provide me healthcare. This is because the NUMBER ONE PRIORITY of a business is to make money.”
Yeah, greed sucks. Let’s nationalize banks, farming, textiles, housing, shipping, manufacturing, and retail. After all, the NUMBER ONE PRIORITY of a business is to make money, and how could we possibly trust the market to provide these things that are essential to everyone?
Socialists have such a simplistic view of the world. There’s the bad guys, you know, the ones who SELL their services and manage to make a profit (the horror!). And then there is everybody else. The bad guys are all greedy sociopaths who make money solely on the fact that they are so EVIL and everyone else is so compassionate and trusting. Their view requires complete ignorance of price theory, subjective value, and the profit incentive. They assume that smart people in government will be just as efficient and competent at making decisions as the highly distributed calculating that happens on the market.
At the risk of sounding cheesy, the market is an amazing thing. You cannot learn about it in depth without acquiring a deep appreciation for its power to coordinate production and to reward innovation and efficiency. The brute force violence and intimidation of government, by comparison, is barbaric and destructive. I often ask myself how people could possibly view the state as a benefactor in light of the wars and economic chaos that it causes. The only conclusion that fits is that people are largely ignorant of economics, just like nofences.
@k
“People in the US seem to have such a brainwashed irrational fear of socialism, that their basic human decency disappears as people who would normally care about others would rather deny those less fortunate the opportunity to recieve basic health care.”
Right, because it is so irrational to oppose a system that is guaranteed to increase costs while lowering the quality and quantity of production. Government intervention, by its very nature, everywhere and always does this. Despite the efforts of many to the contrary to repeal the laws of economics, it is simply not possible for a centrally-planned system to operate with greater efficiency and provide higher quality than what can be attained on the free market. Not that what we had before Sunday was in any meaningful sense of the word “free”.
The current legislation is truly the worst of both worlds when it comes to socialist and mercantilist (aka crony capitalist) practices. People will be forced to buy insurance in a highly regulated market, buying services that are purposely rationed to keep costs high. Within the next decade, this system will make things far worse than they are now, the “free market” will be blamed, and fully socialized healthcare will seem to be the only way out.
This is a bit populist – you forget to ask yourself if a) these public services are worth the money spent on them and thus b) if a market-based service would not do it better and cheaper, and even with choice between various suppliers.
I know you are trying to make a point by using socialism in the same context that these protesters are doing, but I think while being clever, you are adding to the confusion every bit as much as these protesters are doing. People often confuse regulation, government agencies and services for socialism, which in nearly all cases they are not. The closest entity in the government that even remotely resembles socialism would be the US Military, and that is even a stretch. Socialism is an economic system. There is no Economic system to be found in a government agency. NOAA, for example, is really no different then a private firm, with the exception that it is owned by the government.
@Matt: If you’re an American, are you telling yourself to go fuck yourself? If you’re not an American, why are you pretending to be?
America is far from perfect, but would you want to live in a world without her? Is Europe going to counterbalance Russia or the caliphate? Is Australia going to stand up to China alone?
Do you want to live somewhere else? I don’t. I’ve lived elsewhere.
You can tell how much America sucks by all the Americans that are leaving, and how all foreigners are running away from our borders to avoid becoming Americans. Oh wait … other people actually want to live here.
One reason they do is our limitations on government by a “shitty” constitution. You seem to think that’s a problem. Why do you trust the government so much? You want the people responsible for the DMV and the Post Office to call the shots on your health insurance?
Government and business both suck, but when government grows to a certain point, it has no one to hold it accountable — not even voters, one because most voters don’t care, and two because after a certain point votes don’t solve the problems created by governmental overreach. Business at least has to answer to the marketplace and the law.
And before you say this legislation is great because it puts a leash on the insurance companies, remember that what passed was almost identical to some insurance-industry recommendations that went out last fall. The whole thing doesn’t even do what its writers and proponents say it does.
Plus we can’t pay for it.
Oh, and I’ve never watched Glenn Beck, I’ve never gotten drunk, and I have never hit a girl.
Absurd.
Do you not support Socialist Health Care and want to do something about it? Well then help us protest Socialist Health Care by joining our group. We would like to achieve 100k plus members to protest.
Our group page is:
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=11&post=13&uid=107806632582401#!/group.php?gid=107806632582401
Belinda Stronach who opposed opening the Canadian health care system, came to America for treatment when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2007.
We built the Internet. Not DARPA.
DARPA would not have built the net except under threat of nuclear war. And at the time there was one.
Besides Obama isn’t a socialist and any left wing or right wing moron who thinks he is one is a… moron.
Obama is right winger with left cover. $5000 fine for refusing to insure based on pre-existing condition?
PENNIES! and you left twits and right nuts swallowed it whole with mustard.
Well that good. I had no problem paying my own health care. It was only $160 per month. But now that’s free, I figure I can take off 2 extra days per month! Obama’s the man!
For all of those things you enjoyed today your share of the bill is currently about $40,000 if you are married then $80K add a couple of kids and you are now at $160K which you will never pay…your kids will never pay either..maybe your grand kids will if the US still exists by then. So just keep on marveling at how great your government is at providing you things with out charging you. The difference is that in the private sector (it used to be that) business’ that provided benefits with out charging consumers went out of business…The same is true for governments…Hey Nero…Rome is burning.
the federal reserve isn't really federal, but its a damn good article though!
You didn't get mad when the Supreme Court stopped a legal recount and appointed a President. You didn't get mad when Cheney allowed Energy company officials to dictate energy policy.
You didn't get mad when a covert CIA operative got outed.
You didn't get mad when the Patriot Act got passed.
You didn't get mad when we illegally invaded a country that posed no threat to us.
You didn't get mad when we spent over 600 billion(and counting) on said illegal war.
You didn't get mad when over 10 billion dollars just disappeared in Iraq.
You didn't get mad when you found out we were torturing people.
You didn't get mad when the government was illegally wiretapping Americans.
You didn't get mad when we didn't catch Bin Laden.
You didn't get mad when you saw the horrible conditions at Walter Reed.
You didn't get mad when we let a major US city, New Orleans, drown.
You didn't get mad when we gave a 900 billion tax break to the rich.
You didn't get mad when the deficit hit the trillion dollar mark.
You finally got mad when the government decided that people in America deserved the right to see a doctor if they are sick. Yes, illegal wars, lies, corruption, torture, stealing your tax dollars to make the rich richer, are all okay with you, but helping other Americans. . .oh hell no!
You didn't get mad when the Supreme Court stopped a legal recount and appointed a President. You didn't get mad when Cheney allowed Energy company officials to dictate energy policy.
You didn't get mad when a covert CIA operative got outed.
You didn't get mad when the Patriot Act got passed.
You didn't get mad when we illegally invaded a country that posed no threat to us.
You didn't get mad when we spent over 600 billion(and counting) on said illegal war.
You didn't get mad when over 10 billion dollars just disappeared in Iraq.
You didn't get mad when you found out we were torturing people.
You didn't get mad when the government was illegally wiretapping Americans.
You didn't get mad when we didn't catch Bin Laden.
You didn't get mad when you saw the horrible conditions at Walter Reed.
You didn't get mad when we let a major US city, New Orleans, drown.
You didn't get mad when we gave a 900 billion tax break to the rich.
You didn't get mad when the deficit hit the trillion dollar mark.
You finally got mad when the government decided that people in America deserved the right to see a doctor if they are sick. Yes, illegal wars, lies, corruption, torture, stealing your tax dollars to make the rich richer, are all okay with you, but helping other Americans. . .oh hell no!
http://theamericano.com/2010/03/01/obama-signs-…
President Barack Obama signed a one-year extension of several provisions in the nation’s main counterterrorism law, the Patriot Act. Provisions in the measure would have expired on Sunday without Obama’s signature Saturday.
The Patriot Act, which was adopted in the weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks, expands the government’s ability to monitor Americans in the name of national security.
“I've never gotten drunk”
I don't trust you already.
Let's see, I've heard that same stupid ranting on some lame ass liberal show lately. And it is all B.S. The fact is we got mad and madder at every one of those items and then some. But you have you head so far up your liberal behind you can't see anything other than your own tonsils twanging about. The fact is, most tea partiers were totally fed up with Bush's crap and Obama just pushed them over the edge. It isn't about health care. WAKE UP!! It is about a take over of America by fascist policies. Health care and Obama is just the final straw. It is the wake up call to every sleeping American out there and if they don't do something about it now it will be too late.
i would just like to say first of all that a majority of you need to learn about your government. As an AP government student, some of these comments crack me up at the absolute ignorance of our government. One of the comments talked about how slow governments services are. While services ARE slow, this is caused by the people. All the red tape and other problems of our bureaucracy are not because the government is just bad its because its trying to keep up with the demands of 300 million people and many of these demands interfere with one another. I also love how America has kept a 300 year old fear. The founders DID fear too a powerful single leader, but they knew that a strong national government was needed. I am not sure that this is the right road to take, but god knows that something has to change. hahah man i love the USA, we are so blind when it comes to politics and so stupid sometimes.
“This morning I was awoken by my alarm clock built by the ingenuity of millions of individuals all working for their own gain, but whose efforts were coordinated by the prices for labor and materials and finished goods provided by the free market. I then took a shower in the clean water provided by the shower head, pipes, and sanitation facilities whose construction also involved the efforts of thousands of people acting in their independent interest. After that, I turned on the TV to The Weather Channel, whose owners include one of the largest multi-national corporations and private equity companies, to see the week’s forecast presented in a clear, informative (and even entertaining) manner. I watched this while eating breakfast of General Mills’ inspected food and taking drugs whose strong brand name gives me confidence in its safety.
At the time which millions of people coordinate their activities to take advantage of each other’s knowledge and skills, I leave for work. I get into my Japanese-designed, Mexican-supplied, Michigan-assembled automobile and set out to work on the roads built by construction contracting companies and named after corrupt politicians, possibly stopping to purchase additional fuel that was shipped from the Middle East by an oil company at a per gallon cost many times lower than the price of having a letter delivered across the street by the government monopoly that loses millions of dollars each year. To make the purchase there is no need to leave the pump; I am able to slide a piece of plastic into a small slot and get credit extended to me by a bank who has never met me in person. On the way out the door, I put out the Fed-Ex envelope containing the documents I need to arrive across the country tomorrow morning and drop the kids off at the public school which is attended by only the best students, thanks to the high home prices in the area.
After work, I drive my Japanese-Latino-Midwestern car back home, to a house which has not burned down in my absence because of materials developed in the research and development departments of hundreds of corporations and which has not been plundered of all is valuables thanks to the lock on the door and a sign advertising the security company whose services I employ. My piece of mind was not interrupted by the thought of these events anyway, as I have both fire and homeowners insurance through privately held insurance company.
I then log on to the internet to watch and listen to artists who don’t appeal to a broad enough audience to make it onto one of the few channels that a government monopoly allows to be broadcast. I then log onto the democraticunderground.com to post about how DEREGULATING the medical industry is BAD because low-cost, quality health care can never be provided by greedy, self-interested people.” — Annonymous
Yes most places with socialized medicine have the option of paying more for private rooms and better care. That sounds horrible.
As a current doctorate student I obviously shouldn't have the right to go to the doctor when ill. I spend most of my time trying to educate and better myself for the future. There aren't enough hours in the day to work and go to school. Therefore, I don't qualify for health insurance. Gosh, I'm such a selfish lazy person for wanting healthcare. I don't understand how people are ok with paying for one of the longest wars in history but not ok with paying for healthcare. You people are sick.
We are 26th in the world for infant mortality, quality of care is the best in America, but only if you have the money to pay for it. I work 80 hour weeks and can’t afford $600 a month for health insurance. The only way your paying any less is if your employer pays much of it. Self employed people get screwed in this country. And all of you that think a single payer option is bad, don’t realize that America is the only industrialized nation without health care for citizens. People would still be able to pay for better services. Those services would be cheaper as well cuz they would have a little competition from single payer program. 90% of people on Medicare say they love it and half would be dead without it. Most of these people fought in wars for your freedom. The top 2% of income earners got there on the backs of workers and never shared the wealth, and now they control 90% of the money in America. Why do so many poor people (income less than $50k) vote for capitalist greed. During the birth of democracy in France, the top lived like kings and poor died in streets. If that is what u want then so be it. I think it should be illegal for companies to make record profits in a recession and won’t hire anyone after huge tax cut. Check your facts, tax cuts have never created jobs, and money has never “trickled” down. Inflation has gone up far faster than wages and the average rich person doesn’t pay 20% of their income on food and another 20% on child care and gas. I may not had the opportunity to go to a Ivy league school or get assistance from social programs, but I know what it feels like to not have gone to the dentist for 10 years and given myself stitches twice. That makes me someone who knows how nice it would be to get a simple check up once in a while. I may not be great at running a biz, but I’m Tryin and it’s not easy. I would love to think I could retire before 80 or be able to send my kid to college. But I have payed more in taxes than GM this year. There is something wrong with that in my opinion!