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We WERE a first world nation before we ever let the government insert its foul hand into everything we ate, lived in, believed in, or worked for.
I suspect we can do it again. But only after our current system finally collapses under its own sheer weight and incompetence, I'm afraid. We'll find some guts again when the time comes.
Correction.. we were a first natino before we let greedy corporate interest and foreign corporate interest buy our politicians and pass policies that only benefit the few and NOT the many.. or I should say benefit the greedy corporations!!
Our "we were first" and " we were best" has made us VERY arrogant in that we do not look at how others are doing it better than us.
We are the most powerful nation in the world, right, yet we have a healthcare system that is substandard and sinking further down that list everyday! Because we are too proud to look and see how it is actually working in other nations that are doing it right!!
When was the last time that getting the federal government involved in anything managed to drive down the cost of the thing in question?
We have many, many expenditures that we think are necessary. They are not. Not even cell phones. Not even internet!
Hell, not even running water or indoor plumbing; come live in Alaska for awhile and see what I mean about people who really do live a frugal, simple life.
Now, I recognize that there is absolutely no political will for this. Most people want someone else to pick up their bills wherever possible, and I think that's just a function of self-interest. I suspect UHC will come to pass eventually for that reason alone. Those of us who prefer not to pay the bill will seek ways to avoid the tax man, whether by moving to undeveloped areas, avoiding the tax man, or leaving the country.
I just think it will be a very expensive disaster, much like everything else the federal government touches. I would prefer that my kids not have to pay the consequences for our collective fecklessness.
Correction.. we were a first natino before we let greedy corporate interest and foreign corporate interest buy our politicians and pass policies that only benefit the few and NOT the many.. or I should say benefit the greedy corporations!!
Our "we were first" and " we were best" has made us VERY arrogant in that we do not look at how others are doing it better than us.
We are the most powerful nation in the world, right, yet we have a healthcare system that is substandard and sinking further down that list everyday! Because we are too proud to look and see how it is actually working in other nations that are doing it right!!
Well, if we don't want corporate interests to keep buying our politicians, we are going to have to quit relying on those corporations to supply us with a fatter, easier lifestyle. We fed that monster ourselves. Our parents and grandparents fed it, not knowing what they were getting themselves into.
I'm twenty-six and don't want to feed it anymore.
I would do some reading about nations that are doing it "right." It isn't all rainbows and ponies out there, and most of those countries were a heck of a lot more fundamentally solid than we are right now when they started these social-welfare programs.
There is a large illegal immigrant population in the UK. The wierdest thing is that they are being exploited by their fellow immigrants. I know for a fact that many many illegal indians and pakistanis are being used by legal indians etcetera in their sweat shops. i have witnessed myself illegal immigrants jumping from a clothes factory window when the building caught fire. They threw their humble possessions out of the windows then jumped themselves. They worked, slept, and hardley ever left the building in case of capture. The bosses, who themselves were indian and pakistani, pay them pennies and make them work long long hours. We also have a large contingent of assylum seekers from eastern europe who pay taxes in some cases or collect our benefits in other cases. I am not suggesting that the USA have such a extreme benefit system but a Health service funded by Weekly taxes from our salaries works well and has worked well since 1946. The problems we now have in the UK is a huge influx of legal and illegal immigration. This has swamped ALL of our sectors, Housing, Health, Work benefits etc. Violence is up drastically. Violence has nothing to do with the benefits system but with too many immigrants clashing with Brits who are fed up with the invasion. London is extremely violent. To use other countries as a reason not to impliment a Govt controlled health system is stretching facts to suite the private health lobbyists. Unless you have lived in a country that has National Health care you cannot even begin to understand the full impact to normal life this has. To wake up and know that if anyone in your family is sick you can get good health care without fear of being able to afford it is amazing. We DO NOT pay a large proportion of our salary into the health care. Our Payments also pay for other things like Retirement plans and job loss benefits. We have immense freedom in health care and cam be refered by our doctor to any doctor or hospital of our liking. All the govt does is administer the hospitals and try to keep the hospitals efficiant. EVERY man woman and child in the UK has health cover. It does not cost us much and if we want private health cover we can have that too. Best of Both worlds in fact. Because everyone has health cover the insurance companies HAVE to bring their premiums right down to get clients. They do well out of this but they have to make sure they give a good product or we can just say "sorry don't need you" We rule them they don't rule us like in America. Any doubts about a UHC are normally brought about by fear of the breakdown in private health companies or that the Govt will dictate our health. NO they don't dictate, in fact you get more individual choice with UHC.
When was the last time that getting the federal government involved in anything managed to drive down the cost of the thing in question? Did you read all the posts.. I would type them agan..but im' soo tired..LOL.. just read all my posts.. it's very logical! Really it is. I promise
We have many, many expenditures that we think are necessary. They are not. Not even cell phones. Not even internet!
I disagree.. internet is neccesary to run our business.. take a business man from the 70s and transport him to today and allow him to conduct business WITHOUT the bells and whistles we have today.. he'd be out of business FAST because he can't keep up with other businesses operating WITH the technology of today. Also, again the World WIDE WEB.opens up such a wealth of knowledge at our kids fingertips (yes.. that means other things too I know) My busienss is VERY internet based.
Hell, not even running water or indoor plumbing; come live in Alaska for awhile and see what I mean about people who really do live a frugal, simple life. That is an extreme..qutie honestly. .. that is how they live in third world countries.. so I guess I should start building my mud hutt..
Now, I recognize that there is absolutely no political will for this. Most people want someone else to pick up their bills wherever possible, and I think that's just a function of self-interest. I suspect UHC will come to pass eventually for that reason alone. Those of us who prefer not to pay the bill will seek ways to avoid the tax man, whether by moving to undeveloped areas, avoiding the tax man, or leaving the country. There is HUGE political will to change the system that is NOT working, is severely broken .. is just.. well a mess. No one is looking for FREE healthcare.. UHI does not equal FREE by any means. That is a HUGE misconception. Each person contributes and that pays the bills.. I would just like toknow that I CAN pay my bills. it's not an " i want someone to pay the bill for me".. NO.. it's I want quality and affordable health care.. cause why should only the wealthy have access to that! Is my life and health worth less because my net worth is less. Life is priceless regardless of wether you are Bill Gates or the bum on the street..
Which, btw.. most of the homeless in USA are homeless because they have mental illness which doesnt' get treated or medicated because.. they do not have health insurance or what have you.. Yes.. some are druggies.. yes.. some are alcholics.. but MOST are mentally ill. I know I live nera NYC!
I just think it will be a very expensive disaster, much like everything else the federal government touches. I would prefer that my kids not have to pay the consequences for our collective fecklessness.
Your kids and mine will pay even dire price down the line if the system we have is allowed to stay. ... or god forbid solutions like GreatDays comes to be.. which doesn't solve a thing! It's getting progressively worse and worse and worse. It's just a diasaster.
I work as a tax preparer. This year, I also offered my services to AARP, who offers people a way to file their taxes without getting hit by the large fees of the corporations like Jackson Hewitt and H&R Block.
I feel so much better volunteering my time and expertise to file taxes for no pay. If I were a doctor, or lawyer, I'd offer pro bono services.
Now, a Brit's idea of what constitutes a high tax rate is going to differ from an American's idea, as I think we all understand. We spend a lot more of our money on transportation, brought on by the "necessity" of living in the suburbs. This is unlikely to change, given the sheer amount of land we've got to work with and the ever-present desire to avoid encroaching dangerous neighbors.
People just aren't going to pay out enough extra dough to fund the kitty, as it will be massively politically unpopular. Now that we've gotten this idea that we have "rights" to... healthcare and education and cellphone service, we will mostly just look for ways to push the cost of funding those rights onto someone presumably richer and less deserving than we are.
Unfortunately, the rich are also far savvier about squirming out of the petticoat populists' demands, and so it goes. Bills go unpaid, added to the next generation's list of problems.
It'll just go onto the deficit rolls. Ah well, what's another trillion or so, eh? We have Rights, you know. LOL.
I suspect the UK is going to find itself increasingly dissatisfied with the public system as multiculturalism really gets underway, but that's just my hunch. Kind of like white Americans liked public schools just fine till busing came to town, lol. Even now, the issue of "school desirability" has got a lot more to do with the ethnic makeup of the neighborhood than it does with whatever bond measures the town approves for the local school. Ain't pretty, but that's how the cookie crumbles.
Now, a Brit's idea of what constitutes a high tax rate is going to differ from an American's idea, as I think we all understand. We spend a lot more of our money on transportation, brought on by the "necessity" of living in the suburbs. This is unlikely to change, given the sheer amount of land we've got to work with and the ever-present desire to avoid encroaching dangerous neighbors.
People just aren't going to pay out enough extra dough to fund the kitty, as it will be massively politically unpopular.
It'll just go onto the deficit rolls. Oh well, what's another trillion or so, eh?
I suspect the UK is going to find itself increasingly dissatisfied with the public system as multiculturalism really gets underway, but that's just my hunch. Kind of like white Americans liked public schools just fine till busing came to town, lol. Even now, the issue of "school desirability" has got a lot more to do with the ethnic makeup of the neighborhood than it does with whatever bond measures the town approves for the local school. Ain't pretty, but that's how the cookie crumbles.
What I dont' understand is how does ethnicity play into the ability to get diseases and illness treated.. that doesn't make much sense..
Italian, Irish, Indian, Muslim, Jewish.. I could go on and on.. all NEED the same thing.. quality health care when they are sick.. it's that way across the board.
It ONLY becomes a problem when somone from another nation comes in and bleeds the system because they are illegal.
To THink that we can return to earlier times is dangerous and naive. We now live in a much faster paced society and we have had amazing breakthroughs in health, communications, in fact in all aspects of our lives. This means we must change to get the best out of our new found wealths. Stop worrying about it being too expensive to run a UHC plan. The fact that everybody pays a small proportion of their taxes into the pot insures that it is well funded and everybody gets the whole package just for paying a small proportion. It's like going for a evening out with the guys or girls. Everybody puts a few dollars into a pot. This adds up and everybody has a great night out even though you individually put a small amount in. Some people may drink more and some drink less, but it is for the benefit of all and everyone benefits--- UHC in a nutshell
What I dont' understand is how does ethnicity play into the ability to get diseases and illness treated.. that doesn't make much sense..
Italian, Irish, Indian, Muslim, Jewish.. I could go on and on.. all NEED the same thing.. quality health care when they are sick.. it's that way across the board.
It ONLY becomes a problem when somone from another nation comes in and bleeds the system because they are illegal.
It matters because not all those groups will pay equally into the system, increasing the burden on those groups who do pay disproportionately.
If that isn't a recipe for further conflict, I am not sure what is. Only way to make the disparities invisible is to federalize the program instead of letting the states do it individually... and that's going to cost some of us a whooooole lot of money. hoo-boy!
I just don't think a mandated state-by-state program will work, in the long run. The tendency is always to move the power out of the states and directly into the hands of the federal government. Just like education.
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