Replies to post #290480 on Zeev's Turnips Talk Politics (ZTTP)

[SiouxPal]

You post profound words. I read these in awe.
I have good taste in my opinion.
Thanks for being here.
(Gosh you live in Sarasota.)

[benzdealeror2]

I understand where you are coming from, but,

the fact is, this Government has proven, over and over again, it doesnt know when to stop. When enough is enough. They will think they own us if they get their way. They will tell us what we can eat, what we can do. they will set the conditions on our behavior.

There will be a fat tax, and fat ban, a burger ban, a smoking ban....Next drinking, unprotected sex, sex in general.

This Government cant be trusted to just set a policy and then just leave it alone. They have to constantly morph and change things to what ever way the wind blows and to what gives them the most control.

They cant help themselves. Turning 10 percent of the economy over to these parasites is more power than their twisted minds can handle.

Your heart is in the right place...Their true intentions are not, IMO.

[aim hier]

There has to be a third way. Socialized medicine doesn't appear a good solution, particularly if it comes with a John Edwards' forced doctor visits regimen. The current system has been developed ad hoc and was never carefully planned as a system. It is inefficient and by being chiefly an employer based system, results in the affluent paying less for health care than the poor, and with many being unable to pay for health care because they cannot obtain insurance coverage or cannot afford care. Through an employer, one can use pretax dollars to purchase health insurance, and receive insurance company negotiated discounts on all health care, regardless of means. For the uninsured, aftertax dollars are used to purchase health insurance, and they are charged more by health care providers.

Health care consumes 16% of our GDP, which is more than any other country in the world. Every penny of that cost winds up in someone's pocket. Those on the receiving end of the 16% will fight any attempt to reduce the amount they receive. With the ageing of the population, the 16% is going to grow further.

The current system probably works well for the majority of Americans. When you are shelling out big dollars for health care, you are having to sacrifice some other wants to pay for it. Thus, many resent any system that allows others to get health care with no sacrifice.

Free public education has been provided for most of American history. That is socialism, and it has a number of flaws, but for better or worse, it is the system that has educated most Americans and has produced it's share of productive leaders in all fields. A private system is also available, and many students benefit from this competitive choice.

The current system is a flawed economic system in that consumers are not usually the entity actually paying for services, generally it is an insurance company or governmental entity. There is a lack of incentives for a consumer to select lower cost providers or refuse wasteful tests and procedures.

Excessive governmental regulations raise costs. Insurance is state regulated, in many states there are mandated coverages, so one cannot buy health insurance that only covers those services they wish to use. For example, in most states, chiropractic care is included. You must buy coverage even if it is not your intention to ever use a chriropractor.

I don't like the current system, and don't believe that socialized medicine would be acceptable to most Americans. We need a third system, which might be a hybrid of privatized and socialized health care.

And I can't resist another dig at John Edwards. We need tort reform. Medical care is always going to be directed by humans upon humans. Humans are not omniscient perfect machines. Tort reform is sorely needed. Intentional or gross malpractice should be punished. But no one can ensure that a medical procedure is going to be successful. There are always risks.