Some Americans are furious over losing their terrible insurance

[Revoltingest]

One buys insurance for something like a car, not your general health! That's one thing the Good Old USA has gotten ***-backwards. :sorry1:

I imagine that some day in the distant future, people will be shocked that people once had to pay rent for an apartment, buy their own food, pay a cel phone bill, etc, etc. What's normal for one culture is often an abomination to another. Don't get me go'n about British dental care.

Oh, what the.....

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I imagine that some day in the distant future, people will be shocked that people once had to pay rent for an apartment, buy their own food, pay a cel phone bill, etc, etc. What's normal for one culture is often an abomination to another. Don't get me go'n about British dental care.

Oh, what the.....

I would consider that ideal, that no one has to worry about their basic needs being met. Of course we have a long way before we can get there (less materialism, no more of the wasteful fast food industry, and realizing money isn't everything), but it should be a goal of society that everyone's basic needs are met without having to struggle for them.

 

[Revoltingest]

I would consider that ideal, that no one has to worry about their basic needs being met. Of course we have a long way before we can get there (less materialism, no more of the wasteful fast food industry, and realizing money isn't everything), but it should be a goal of society that everyone's basic needs are met without having to struggle for them.

Good luck getting rid of materialism & fast food.
Even in the socialist utopia presented by Star Trek, people ate only fast food from replicators.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoOfjGqo5EY

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Good luck getting rid of materialism & fast food.
Even in the socialist utopia presented by Star Trek, people ate only fast food from replicators.
[youtube]HoOfjGqo5EY[/youtube]
Star Trek Nasty Klingon Foods - YouTube

I'm talking about reality. Fast food, as we know it, generates alot of waste and contributes significantly to factory farming. And I didn't say get rid of materialism, but to have much less of it.

 

[Aquitaine]

I imagine that some day in the distant future, people will be shocked that people once had to pay rent for an apartment, buy their own food, pay a cel phone bill, etc, etc. What's normal for one culture is often an abomination to another.

Wellllllllllllll, technically our Healthcare isn't free, the name "free healthcare" is misleading, it's being paid for by increased taxes. The point you raise is valid though: different cultures/different attitudes etc.
If the majority of US citizens don't want "Universal Healthcare/Single Payer" healthcare then so be it - however....... it sure does sound like a lot of Americans actually want it.

I say old chap, that image right there is jolly-well spiffing!

 

[Revoltingest]

Wellllllllllllll, technically our Healthcare isn't free, the name "free healthcare" is misleading, it's being paid for by increased taxes. The point you raise is valid though: different cultures/different attitudes etc.
If the majority of US citizens don't want "Universal Healthcare/Single Payer" healthcare then so be it - however....... it sure does sound like a lot of Americans actually want it.

Those getting the subsidy are big on Obamacare.

 

[Aquitaine]

Those getting the subsidy are big on Obamacare.

What percentage of the total US population do you reckon will be receiving this "subsidy"? More than 50%?

 

[Dirty Penguin]

Good luck getting rid of materialism & fast food.
Even in the socialist utopia presented by Star Trek, people ate only fast food from replicators.

Not really.....The clip you presented was of traditional Klingon food made in a replicator. Not so much....burgers and fries or soda laced with HFCS....in many of the episodes sensible food was being ordered. And the replicator was pretty much a protein replicator. I'll take fake food from a replicator over that gruel served in the Matrix...

[youtube]v1EcrD5IyxM[/youtube]
Tasty Wheat - YouTube

 

[Mr Spinkles]

Those getting the subsidy are big on Obamacare.

Are you referring to people getting a subsidy for non-group insurance (e.g. through the HealthCare.gov website)? Again that's like 5% of the market (and 17% of the non-elderly market). Just for context.

Personally I'm big on Obamacare because, as the Simpson-Bowles committee showed, the financial situation of the U.S. is dire and one of the key drivers is rising expenditures on healthcare, which is way out of whack compared to other wealthy nations with universal coverage.

 

[metis]

Are you referring to people getting a subsidy for non-group insurance (e.g. through the HealthCare.gov website)? Again that's like 5% of the market (and 17% of the non-elderly market). Just for context.

Personally I'm big on Obamacare because, as the Simpson-Bowles committee showed, the financial situation of the U.S. is dire and one of the key drivers is rising expenditures on healthcare, which is way out of whack compared to other wealthy nations with universal coverage.

And this is what so many don't understand, namely that the majority of provisions found within the ACA actually directly or indirectly deal with cost containment. We need to remember that before the ACA, medical costs here in the States was inflating at a bit over 9% per year, thus literally doubling from 1997-2007. Now it's down to a bit over 4%, although some of this may be a reflection of the Great Recession.

What I'm picking up from some economists is a difference of opinion over projections as to whether the ACA is going to lower costs or just slow down the inflation rate and, of course, I have no clue as to which it's most likely to be.

 

[Mr Spinkles]

What I'm picking up from some economists is a difference of opinion over projections as to whether the ACA is going to lower costs or just slow down the inflation rate and, of course, I have no clue as to which it's most likely to be.

Yes I'm picking that up, too. Personally, I tend to believe the economists who say it will only slow down the rise in medical spending.

 

[Reverend Rick]

I would consider that ideal, that no one has to worry about their basic needs being met. Of course we have a long way before we can get there (less materialism, no more of the wasteful fast food industry, and realizing money isn't everything), but it should be a goal of society that everyone's basic needs are met without having to struggle for them.

So much for sink or swim.

We can all be cattle in the field awaiting our next meal of whatever our master decides to feed us or not.

I would rather die than live like that.

If all our needs were met, we all could sleep till noon and do nothing all day.

Instead of being productive we all could turn to the fine arts and masterbation all day. :slap:

 

[BSM1]

I would consider that ideal, that no one has to worry about their basic needs being met. Of course we have a long way before we can get there (less materialism, no more of the wasteful fast food industry, and realizing money isn't everything), but it should be a goal of society that everyone's basic needs are met without having to struggle for them.

What do you consider 'basic need'? One man's 'basic need' may be another man's 50" flat screen.

 

[Reverend Rick]

What do you consider 'basic need'? One man's 'basic need' may be another man's 50" flat screen.

50 inch? why so small?

 

[BSM1]

50 inch? why so small?

I was trying not to appear greedy.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

So much for sink or swim.

We can all be cattle in the field awaiting our next meal of whatever our master decides to feed us or not.

I would rather die than live like that.

If all our needs were met, we all could sleep till noon and do nothing all day.

Instead of being productive we all could turn to the fine arts and masterbation all day. :slap:

So much for respecting artists for their professions.

 

[Dirty Penguin]

So much for sink or swim.

We can all be cattle in the field awaiting our next meal of whatever our master decides to feed us or not.

I would rather die than live like that.

If all our needs were met, we all could sleep till noon and do nothing all day.

Instead of being productive we all could turn to the fine arts and masterbation all day. :slap:

This isn't what we want and it isn't what we're advocating at all.:slap:

Even so.....what you say above would still cost us less than the countless billions we give to corporations in the form of tax breaks or the billions we spend on an over blown and bloated military industrial complex and a massive intelligence division.....Those along with the millions and billions we give in foreign aide as well. If we cut back or cut out most of this excessive spending then providing healthcare to all and making sure we take care of our own first wouldn't even be an issue in the country.....

 

[Reverend Rick]

So we get healthcare and the rest of the world gets even more human rights violations. Is that acceptable to you?

If we stop being the world police who will step up?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

So we get healthcare and the rest of the world gets even more human rights violations. Is that acceptable to you?

If we stop being the world police who will step up?

The US is the world police? Since when? From my vantage point, it seems like the US has been responsible for more human rights violations than it's prevented.

 

[Twilight Hue]

This isn't what we want and it isn't what we're advocating at all.:slap:

Even so.....what you say above would still cost us less than the countless billions we give to corporations in the form of tax breaks or the billions we spend on an over blown and bloated military industrial complex and a massive intelligence division.....Those along with the millions and billions we give in foreign aide as well. If we cut back or cut out most of this excessive spending then providing healthcare to all and making sure we take care of our own first wouldn't even be an issue in the country.....

Case in point as to why it's a very bad idea to put goverment in charge of healthcare.