Yes, good one, Derf. The best possible answer to my question of whether or not you’re okay.
To MigNOLA, to finish off the comments from yesterday: yes, that comic does say “right wing blogosphere”, and all of the panels have to do with the right wing. It says nothing at all to indicate that the left wing doesn’t do this sort of stuff. In fact, it says nothing about the left wing at all. You can’t morph “doesn’t talk about the left wing” into “the left wing is good, the right wing is bad” no matter how hard you’d like to.
The notion that the current free-market healthcare system is in crisis is a bald-faced lie on two big counts.
First, the system has not been free-market at least since Medicare and Medicaid came crashing down and warped the entire market. (My favorite example: the virtual disappearance of open hospital wards after Medicare announced it would only pay for semi-private rooms.) And this doesn’t even include the pervasive influences of the FDA, insurance regulation, and tax policy on healthcare.
Second, to the extent that there still is freedom in healthcare, that is the source of all the progress in the field. It’s the same pattern as all the socialist countries that allowed private enterprise to develop their industries and resources just so the government could eventually take them over. That has been the Left’s dream for healthcare for generations now.
Try this little test: When someone says healthcare is a right and they think that means someone else should pay for theirs, just translate that in your mind to “food is a right” and see if it still makes sense to you. If you think it does, then you are a true Leftist; if not, then you probably still retain some belief in freedom.
And yet free universal education supported by taxpayers even those with no kids and those who opt for private schools is not seen as socialism. Why is that?
Itisme, sort of like the government saying “you can’t charge what your services are worth, you have to take what we’ll pay you or get nothing” a la medicare/medicaid?
MisngNOLA said,
Itisme, sort of like the government saying “you can’t charge what your services are worth, you have to take what we’ll pay you or get nothing” a la medicare/medicaid?
Resulting in healthcare providers charging more for their services to non-medicare/aid patients to make up the difference.
The American health care system is just plain stupid. It’s inhuman as well as being the most expensive in the world while boasting being ‘free’ . If your idea of freedom is multinational pharmaceutical companies profiting on your need for medicine, because they can afford better lobbyists than you can, then by all means continue the nasty McCarthy-fear-of-communists-like smear campaign of the only decent US president for decades. If they can do it all over Europe why is it so hard for Americans? Answer: primitive fear-based right wing propaganda and lack of real information.
Ok. here’s a question. What are Medicare and Medicaid for? And for what reason is there talk about keeping both of them under the proposed healthcare bill? How will cost reduction be achieved if a new bureaucracy is to be built in addition to the one already in place that supposedly provides health care for poor, indigent, and senior citizens? No “right wing propaganda”, just real questions about a plan which so far has a “lack of real information.”
farren almost 15 years ago
Yes, good one, Derf. The best possible answer to my question of whether or not you’re okay.
To MigNOLA, to finish off the comments from yesterday: yes, that comic does say “right wing blogosphere”, and all of the panels have to do with the right wing. It says nothing at all to indicate that the left wing doesn’t do this sort of stuff. In fact, it says nothing about the left wing at all. You can’t morph “doesn’t talk about the left wing” into “the left wing is good, the right wing is bad” no matter how hard you’d like to.
pschearer Premium Member almost 15 years ago
The notion that the current free-market healthcare system is in crisis is a bald-faced lie on two big counts.
First, the system has not been free-market at least since Medicare and Medicaid came crashing down and warped the entire market. (My favorite example: the virtual disappearance of open hospital wards after Medicare announced it would only pay for semi-private rooms.) And this doesn’t even include the pervasive influences of the FDA, insurance regulation, and tax policy on healthcare.
Second, to the extent that there still is freedom in healthcare, that is the source of all the progress in the field. It’s the same pattern as all the socialist countries that allowed private enterprise to develop their industries and resources just so the government could eventually take them over. That has been the Left’s dream for healthcare for generations now.
Try this little test: When someone says healthcare is a right and they think that means someone else should pay for theirs, just translate that in your mind to “food is a right” and see if it still makes sense to you. If you think it does, then you are a true Leftist; if not, then you probably still retain some belief in freedom.
lewisbower almost 15 years ago
I guess I don’t have to work any more. I got my rights!
FireMedic almost 15 years ago
And yet free universal education supported by taxpayers even those with no kids and those who opt for private schools is not seen as socialism. Why is that?
Possum Pete almost 15 years ago
Test Results:
So, if healthcare is not a right then it must be a privilege. If you think healthcare is a privilege then you probably can afford it.
Khard12 almost 15 years ago
Bring out your dead!
Nebulous Premium Member almost 15 years ago
Hear, hear! Well spoken itisme!!
RonBerg13 Premium Member almost 15 years ago
This is a perfect description of the proposed government system of health care!
MisngNOLA almost 15 years ago
Farren, the inference is there whether you choose to see it or not.
MisngNOLA almost 15 years ago
Itisme, sort of like the government saying “you can’t charge what your services are worth, you have to take what we’ll pay you or get nothing” a la medicare/medicaid?
Khard12 almost 15 years ago
MisngNOLA said, Itisme, sort of like the government saying “you can’t charge what your services are worth, you have to take what we’ll pay you or get nothing” a la medicare/medicaid?
Resulting in healthcare providers charging more for their services to non-medicare/aid patients to make up the difference.
Donaldo Premium Member almost 15 years ago
The American health care system is just plain stupid. It’s inhuman as well as being the most expensive in the world while boasting being ‘free’ . If your idea of freedom is multinational pharmaceutical companies profiting on your need for medicine, because they can afford better lobbyists than you can, then by all means continue the nasty McCarthy-fear-of-communists-like smear campaign of the only decent US president for decades. If they can do it all over Europe why is it so hard for Americans? Answer: primitive fear-based right wing propaganda and lack of real information.
MisngNOLA almost 15 years ago
Ok. here’s a question. What are Medicare and Medicaid for? And for what reason is there talk about keeping both of them under the proposed healthcare bill? How will cost reduction be achieved if a new bureaucracy is to be built in addition to the one already in place that supposedly provides health care for poor, indigent, and senior citizens? No “right wing propaganda”, just real questions about a plan which so far has a “lack of real information.”
Daviddeer almost 15 years ago
Kill grandma and grandpa!! They’re old! How much longer will they live anyway?!