I DO want socialized medicine, as per Canada, Britain, and Germany. Their healthcare systems are superior to ours. We are a bunch of idiots here in America for not following their lead sooner.

“Death Panels” very accurately describes policy and practice in many HMO’s 10-15 years ago, a board of people (not necessarily doctors) that made decisions about what kind and the scope of medical care an enrolled individual would be eligible for or not eligible for. The outrage over the practice resulted in laws that make the practice illegal, no insurance company is allowed to practice this way… but, as the House and the Administration have stated and the House Bill shows, panels of bureaucrats will be established to determine the scope and types of care enrollees will be eligible for. This type of system is de riguer in any socialized program (see Great Britain, Germany, Canada).

My issue is, if you want socialized medicine, call it that and argue on it’s merits. If you don’t know what this stuff is, don’t argue in it’s favor…educate yourself and you might find yourself in a different frame of mind.

Namaste.

Not “oh my baby has down syndrome, Obama is going to kill him.”

Uh, really? What about the uninsured children with down syndrome whose parents can’t afford the private insurance that companies like to shove down their throats but make too much money for government funded programs? Hmmm?

Or what about the 75 year old lady whose husband died, taking away her private insurance and is on Medicaid or Medicare but can’t afford the $2000.00 in perscription pill every month without it.

What do you people think that those programs are? Do you think that money came out of nowhere? Damnit people, the taxes that you pay every year, every paycheck, every dime of that goes to government funded programs, including insurance for people who can’t afford it. Yes, you are paying for other people’s insurance. And if you need it when you get old, yours as well. You pay for procedures that are done completely for FREE for people who dont even have citizenship. But god forbid a forward thinking president says “hey, let’s get together and make something work for our country and help our citizens. Oh, by the way, you can keep your private insurance but we are going to let Bill over there with the swine flu get some help because he can’t afford the $200 bill to see the doctor.” But nooooo, God forbid anyone in this country helps another human being.

I think it would kill some of you to help out instead of going “MEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEME.”

I have to agree with some that Obama is moving too fast. He should have implemented this idea later on with a better thought out plan but the basis is simple enough: EVERYONE NEEDS HEALTHCARE. I know that personally, if my company didn’t pay the $416.00 bill every month to cover me, I wouldn’t have insurance. And then if I got swine flu, I’d make sure to cough on everyone who is against the healthcare reform.

You have my word.

Why should we help even those who do health-damaging activities? Because keeping track of every single health-related issue is impossible, and a country would potentially become a dictatorship if it were to watch every health habit of every citizen. Want to punish people’s health benefits for smoking? Fine, then let’s take your logic further. Every time you drive recklessly (which includes minor things like speeding), every time you eat fast food or any food that is detrimental to your health, every time you barbecque (since grills are known to be one of the highest sources of carcinogens), and any time you participate in any activity in which your body may be at some sort of risk of injury, your health benefits should be taken away, because hell, I’m not paying for your stupidity! Do you see now why your idea is completely unfeasible and unrealistic, and above all immoral? It is self-destructive to society.

By the way, quitting smoking is not a matter of simply wanting to do it. It is a physical addiction – not a mental one. Your brain inherently fiends for nicotine once you have become addicted to it – and you will suffer withdrawal symptoms. We can try applying your “you just have to WANT to quit!” logic to another drug, say Heroin. Heroin physical addictions can reach the point where you actually will die if you do not regularly supply your body with more of it.

And if being a citizen does not entitle you to health care, then by what measure should we say whether or not someone should be allowed to recieve funded health care? You may as well just say that you support letting people die because you feel they are too lazy and/or unproductive. Personally, my conscience would not be very supportive of that.

Society works collectively. We need each other to progress – and we must always help each other. The British health system is a much better alternative to what you suggest (where doctors are payed extra if they can get their patients to stop smoking) I believe it was once said that the morality of a society can be judged by how they treat the lowest of their members. Any civilized, modern culture should reach out and provide health care to all of the humans that reside within it – and nothing less – and it is a long-term investment – by treating all of your citizens equally and maintaining their health to the utmost standards, a nation is bound to succeed in the long run, because it promotes a collective, productive population.

I think that’s called paying taxes.