Comments on: Poll: The Politics Of Health Care

Most Americans Favor Universal Health Care, Give Democrats Edge On Improving System

[rudy654-2009]

Homespunlady you make a lot of sense. You have very well reasoned out responses. You will notice that many people here subscribe to the "just world" philosophy. In other words, if something bad happens to you, it's your fault. If your blessed by God and good, nothing bad will happen to you. So anything bad is just plained deserved.

[homespunlady]

It's easy to look down on those less fortunate and blame victims for their misfortune because it has Nothing to do with those that blame. It's easy to have no moral conscience and make no effort to raise society as a whole from the gutter. It's easy to simply look out for yourself.
That attitude is condemned by nearly every religion on Earth. It's what took great civilizations into the Dark Ages and it's what will destroy the future societies that practice it.
Granted, a single individual that lacks moral responsibility and takes advantage of others at society's cost might get away with it. But if others follow, continue and expand that irresponsibility, that society as a whole has no chance to survive and ultimately any children of that individual will suffer.
I'd rather admire the Shriner's efforts or someone more morally responsible than blame the innocent.
I take it you believe it was the fault of those highschoolers that a tornado hit their school or is it that they weren't in some bunker of a private school that caused those injuries and deaths?

[itqaanalyst]

"this country might still be at the top instead of the moral and economic downhill slide we're currently facing."

Turn off PBS and come back to reality...

This country is still at the top...like it or not. Is it perfect? Certainly not.

"Corporate irresponsibility needs to stop."

Individual irresponsibility is what needs to stop...the big problem this country has is that many individuals don't want to be responsible for their own lives...and that is truly sad...they just want to sit back and let the government take care of them...and then they want someone else to pick up the tab. It is the basis of the founding of the country...people wanted government OUT of their lives.

[homespunlady]

I'm sure Beverly Hills plastic surgeons will still be able to keep their private clients without having to deal wih the riffraff. The lawyerspeak and references to welfare moms running to the doctor for every sniffle is the real bunk. Maybe those welfare moms are in the clinic because it's too cold in the cardboard box on the street? I'm sure they have better things to do than sit in a room full of sick people if they aren't desperate too.
A basic safety net is a right in nearly every other country in the world. It's uncomfortable and basic in some but at least it's there. Since when did so many of the wealthy in this country become so corrupt that their moral values totally disappeared?
Yes, I see someone in a foodline lighting up a cigarette as a waste of money but I also see foodlines in the US as a horrendous waste of human potential.
If there was more investment in prevention rather than expensive cures and illness causing corporate choices this country might still be at the top instead of the moral and economic downhill slide we're currently facing. Corporate irresponsibility needs to stop.

[itqaanalyst]

"a big part of our national debt is because of contracting out services that were once upon a time handled at a lot cheaper cost by the bureaucrats you revile"

B.S....

AT&T was broken up because it was just as bad as a government agency....the result has been great for the consumer...i.e., cheap long distance, cell phone technology, VOIP phone technology, etc...

We have a national debt (not budget deficit) because our government spends more than it takes in (both Dems and Repubs are equally guilty). The government outsources what they don't have the capability to do internally, or when they want someone done quickly--

[itqaanalyst]

"But, when there is not enough money is it MORALLY RIGHT to exclude a child, pregnant mother, aspiring teen or working poor father of several children from a potentially lifesaving procedure based on financial status? That's happening everyday in this country."

People don't like to hear this...especially Liberals. But for the most part, people are basically in the positions they are in based on decisions they made in their life. Bottomline...poverty is a choice. Do poor in school, get involved with drugs, get pregnant at an early age...all things to set yourself up for poverty. But hey, why worry when you can get someone else to pay for your mistakes?

Why is the "pregnant mother" having a child she can't afford to pay for? How did the "working poor father" end up with several children he can't afford? They made bad decisions.

[homespunlady]

Hello, Since when was AT&T GOVERNMENT run?? Yes, it was a CORPORATE MONOPOLY but it was still CORPORATE which means FOR PROFIT BUSINESS! Big business is not always the answer. SEE HALLIBURTON. If corporations actually had a conscience - SEE VIOXX, tobacco companies etc. I could believe that Big Insurance and Big FOR PROFIT HMOS were the answer but a big part of our national debt is because of contracting out services that were once upon a time handled at a lot cheaper cost by the bureaucrats you revile. Obviously, waiting any time is terrible for a spoiled millionaire but given the choice of waiting or NEVER getting the care because you're turned away for lack of MONEY most people might decide to wait.
As I said, I'm sure the wealthy will always be able to buy better care so this line of arguement is just griping by people that might lose income to a change in methods like selling insurance that doesn't pay when needed!

[itqaanalyst]

We have all heard the stat...43.6 million don't have health insurance...this is a worthless stat. The questions we should ask is how many of these people are "uninsurable" due to health issues, etc. There are assigned risk pools in some states to cover these people and a system could be expanded for those who don't have access.

The majority of these people DO have access to health insurance and simply don't want to pay for it. They want free healthcare. Is it expensive? Sure...but how many of these people have car payments, cable TV, money for lottery tickets, etc.

People are going to also have to get over the fact that they will not just be able to go pay $5 to see a doctor every time their nose runs. High deductible policies will be the wave of the future combined with an HSA....bottomline, is people will need to take more responsibility for their healthcare costs.

As a government consultant for the IRS, I can tell you you DO NOT want another huge, unaccountable government agency to run the health care industry.

I also represent people trying to get SSA...I won't even go into that....but the SSA is worse than the IRS. Fact is, virtually all on my clients do not have any healthcare and all get the care they need. Few doctors turn away needy patients. In a sense, we already have universal healthcare...E/R have to treat people. The insured indirectly pay for the uninsured.

[homespunlady]

I'm sure that even in the UK if you want care above and beyond the system there are private doctors or private arrangements that can be made. I'm aware of several instances where people here in the states have left for foreign countries and swear by the care they got elsewhere too. The answer in the United States of America is money buys anything. But, when there is not enough money is it MORALLY RIGHT to exclude a child, pregnant mother, aspiring teen or working poor father of several children from a potentially lifesaving procedure based on financial status? That's happening everyday in this country.

[vor2001]

I laughed out loud as I read this author%u2019s statistics, which claim that "84% of America" was polled. Anyone with a speck of intelligence realizes that this is flawed data taken from an unscientific poll of New York Times subscribers.

How many Americans enjoy standing in line at the government-run Post Office or the government-run Department of Motor Vehicles? Anyone enjoy trying to contact a government-run entity for any kind of service? Would you like the government to be your internet provider or your cable or dish television service provider? Why on earth would anyone want the government involved in running any business which offers a service of any type? Ask our neighbors in Canada how much they like their government-run health care! The deregulation of the government-run telephone company was the greatest decision in modern history. Look how the local, long distance and cellular phone industry has flourished and become an amazing success story. Doesn%u2019t anyone remember the abysmal service of the government-run phone company prior to the 1980's?

Use your brains, people! Start thinking for yourselves! If you let the US government do your thinking for you, you're no better off than living in a communist country.