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What is it that you said -- the cell phone industry isn't regulated?
I never said they weren't. Just that they are NOT regulated as much as healthcare.
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Oh, and I don't see cell phones getting cheaper. My monthly bill seems to be rising.
Then get a prepay. I did and saved a bundle. And data is bringing the price of the cell phone bills up, which is a recent development. As time goes on, that price will fall as well.
And yes, cellphones have fallen drastically in price:
So you completely ignored what I said in favor of argumentum ad Absurdum.
Again, for many, many years before the modern welfare state people took care of one another through fraternal organizations and co-operatives. Than Big Brother came around and made those illegal and made people dependent on him.
And, if you bothered to read my link, you would see that the Welfare Society model works better than the Welfare State. And it is even working now, despite the massive regulations, to some degree. For example: banks are BAD, so obviously the government needs to come in and create a bank for us! I mean, its not like the populace could EVER make bank-like institutions for themselves, unless they are Amish or something No, it is either private sector or government, nothing ever in between, EVER!
Now imagine the same thing with retirement savings and healthcare, and you get what a more voluntary-based society would look like.
Government officials didn't wake up one day and say, "I think I'll create a government bureaucracy that will do what is already being performed by private charity."
Government action was a reaction to noticeable adverse conditions in society. When families mostly lived on farms within close geographics, it was common for children to take in and care for elder parents. When families spread out, that was no longer possible.
Prior to the New Deal, many elders lived in poverty and starved. Social Security was designed to address this poverty and it worked. In the 1960s, it was impossible for elders to buy health insurance because old people are poor risks for insurance companies.
Your idea that charities can do what the government provides for the old and poor just isn't practical. There just isn't enough giving that would match Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid -- which is something like $2.5 trillion per year.
So you completely ignored what I said in favor of argumentum ad Absurdum.
Again, for many, many years before the modern welfare state people took care of one another through fraternal organizations and co-operatives. Than Big Brother came around and made those illegal and made people dependent on him.
They are not illegal which negates anything you said after this.
A few miles from my home is a huge Masonic home. The elderly move and live there based upon their income.
Government officials didn't wake up one day and say, "I think I'll create a government bureaucracy that will do what is already being performed by private charity."
When did I mention charity? I am talking about non-profit cooperatives that are not that different from credit unions. Charity and cooperatives are two different things.
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Government action was a reaction to noticeable adverse conditions in society. When families mostly lived on farms within close geographics, it was common for children to take in and care for elder parents. When families spread out, that was no longer possible.
Again, you are not talking about what I am talking about. Non-profit cooperatives existed to take care of retirement, healthcare, etc for decades. Than government regulated them almost out of existence and created their own system of welfare that created dependency.
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Prior to the New Deal, many elders lived in poverty and starved. Social Security was designed to address this poverty and it worked. In the 1960s, it was impossible for elders to buy health insurance because old people are poor risks for insurance companies.
Again, I am NOT TALKING ABOUT "insurance companies" but about insurance societies. Second, Social Security was created at a time when the average life expectancy was about 68 years and you could only qualify when you were 65 years old. Now people live into their 80s and still want to collect at 65. Again, Berntards have issues with understanding math.
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Your idea that charities can do what the government provides for the old and poor just isn't practical. There just isn't enough giving that would match Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid -- which is something like $2.5 trillion per year.
I never mentioned "charities" in the OP, you did because you are just another low-information voter for Bernie.
They are not illegal which negates anything you said after this.
A few miles from my home is a huge Masonic home. The elderly move and live there based upon their income.
Nothing illegal about it.
Not "illegal", but regulated almost into non-existence and the fact that the welfare-state, which taxes people no matter what and uses it to "give them help" is undermining the people's ability to help themselves. That money that is stolen from me and given to Social Security would be put into a retirement cooperative and used to buy private disability insurance. But alas, that money is taken away from me and those cooperatives are regulated to death and very few still remain, even though, with modern technology, we easily could build them better than every before, with no government involved.
Only a fool would trust government over community to provide for their needs aside from things like public works, courts, defense and perhaps some education support.
Only a fool would trust government over community to provide for their needs aside from things like public works, courts, defense and perhaps some education support.
Give the government access to public works, courts, defense and education and the next thing you know we'll have socialized medicine.
Sheeze, some of you are so paranoid. Have any of you been to Europe ? England, France, Germany, Italy ? Government is not running or ruining anyone's life.
What Bernie wants is not even as far left as what the EU has implemented. Personally I don't want to vote for him but that doesn't mean I think Gov't is evil or the Bern is going to run my life if he is elected.
And how about the so called "free college"? I went to college already and I am paying of my bills, which amount to about $20,000 or so. Unlike Bernie supporters I am an adult and I can pay my own bills and take responsibility for myself. So Bernie comes along and takes money from me FOR MY ENTIRE LIFE instead of letting me pay off my bills and letting someone else pay off theirs. And why? Because I signed a "social contract" to pay for other people's education, healthcare, nanny services, etc.
Question for you, when did you go to college? 20K seems on the cheap side these days. I remember the years I was in college and we basically watched tuition jump from year to year, I was so happy to finally finished because the cost of college for me kept going up and leaving me with much more debt that originally expected. I can only imagine how much worse it is for college students today.
Plus, we are moving into an economy where it is almost standard for employers to require a college degree.
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