[flavorPacket]

Originally Posted by skytrekker

Too bad in 1946 The country and congress did not rise to the call of President Harry S. Truman's call for nationalized health care. I wonder how far better this nation would be today.

Yes, WHY oh WHY can't we all wait in line for months for surgery and pay 10-15% more taxes than we already do?

Public healthcare does not work. See the link I posted earlier. I believe you are just seeing greener grass on the other side.

[Srib]

I think regardless if we agree or disagree - we can all agree that there are people who abuse our systems in this country and I think the rest of us have a right to be bitter - even if there is nothing we can do about it. and i'm not talking about health care specifically, but in general. When I was a teen, i worked in a grocery store in manchester and I will always remember this - I had just helped bag about $300 in groceries that were paid for with food stamps and then was asked to help load them into a car. Which I did, but I remember thinking...how can this person have food stamps and be able to drive a Lexus...So yeah, i can be bitter to, but I think I have a right to be.

[andthentherewere3]

Originally Posted by TiZZ

"Rich" is all a matter of perspective.

Being working class my whole life, "rich" to me is 60K a year income.

Tizz, if memory serves me right, you are a teenager. No disrespect intended, but my teens would probably be thrilled at 60k too.

My dh is self-employed, and we have to buy our own health insurance. Our annual deductible is $3000.00, on top of the $800.00 a month we pay for our insurance premium. The high cost of health care has really drained us. And it will get much worse if one of us develop a chronic health issue, I shudder to think of it. I must say it really ticks me off that illegal immigrants can get free health care.

[reason180]

Originally Posted by flavorPacket

So, reason180, congratulations to you, you have really succeeded by attacking me personally. Great job.

In your initial post you claim that I am ignorant and now you whine about personal attacks????

Let us put that behind us.

There are so many loopholes that exist in the tax code that almost none of the top earners in this country pay anything close to what they are supposed to be paying.

It is interesting to me that many on the very bottom rung and the very top rung share a sense of entitlement while the rest of us in the middle are squeezed dry. Our government needs to take major steps in combating fraud on all levels………from the guy walking around in $200 nike shoes that gets money for housing/food to the Hedge Fund Director cheating on his taxes and creating serious havoc in our economy.


We also need to hold our own government accountable for their spending. I believe it was the department of defense that claims they can’t withstand an audit until around 2014. How is it possible that such a large part of our government has it’s books so out of order???


A note about healthcare: take a look at the insane executive compensation in the health care industry. Private health care also has very high administrative costs. Don’t forget the quality of life related to health is just as good if not better for Canadians and European compared to us.

[Srib]

Originally Posted by reason180

A note about healthcare: take a look at the insane executive compensation in the health care industry. Private health care also has very high administrative costs. Don’t forget the quality of life related to health is just as good if not better for Canadians and European compared to us.

What? Doesn't everyone make $30 million or more a year? Sorry i couldn't resist!

I've worked for two major insurance companies in the hartford area. Every year when we get the release about the compensation (usually we see it before the public does), I get a little sick to my stomach. We had several people in my area this year that received a big fat 0 as their raises. I was lucky and actually walked away with 3% which was considered generous. then we see the release as to what the head guy makes?? Not to mention the fringes like a housing allowance, transportation allowance, etc. It really is depressing....

[flavorPacket]

Originally Posted by reason180

There are so many loopholes that exist in the tax code that almost none of the top earners in this country pay anything close to what they are supposed to be paying.

...

A note about healthcare: take a look at the insane executive compensation in the health care industry. Private health care also has very high administrative costs. Don’t forget the quality of life related to health is just as good if not better for Canadians and European compared to us.

'don't be ignorant' and 'you are ignorant' are not the same. I guess they don't teach that away from Choate...

you are correct about the loopholes, but these loopholes don't exist for people on the bottom end of the high-income zone. they are getting screwed just like everyone 'in the middle', as you say.

And regarding health care, I take it you have never been in Europe for an extended period of time and required health care. If you had, you would not say that. People waiting for 6-12 months for breast cancer surgery is not my definition of 'quality of life.'

BTW, I've seen the numbers for executive compensation in health care. It's no different than any other profitable industry. Insane amounts of money are what motivates these people, and the shareholders think it's ok. If you have a problem with it, buy some stock and make your voice heard. It's just like baseball: there are only so many people who can do those jobs, and therefore the market will compensate them accordingly.

[Srib]

Originally Posted by flavorPacket

BTW, I've seen the numbers for executive compensation in health care. It's no different than any other profitable industry. Insane amounts of money are what motivates these people, and the shareholders think it's ok. If you have a problem with it, buy some stock and make your voice heard. It's just like baseball: there are only so many people who can do those jobs, and therefore the market will compensate them accordingly.

I really hope you're not defending the ridiculous salaries these guys make???

And BTW - owning stock doesn't exactly mean that your voice gets heard.

[flavorPacket]

Originally Posted by Srib

I really hope you're not defending the ridiculous salaries these guys make???

And BTW - owning stock doesn't exactly mean that your voice gets heard.

I'm not defending, I'm rationalizing. You don't hear people complain as much about Alex Rodriguez making 250mil, but it's exactly the same thing.

[Srib]

Originally Posted by flavorPacket

I'm not defending, I'm rationalizing. You don't hear people complain as much about Alex Rodriguez making 250mil, but it's exactly the same thing.

Actually its not. Baseball is entertainment and there is currently no "crisis" in baseball (except maybe the alleged drug use). When millions of americans have to go without health care and the CEO's are raking it in??? Sorry, thats a problem. And BTW - i don't agree that ball players should be making those ridiculous sums of money either.