Cybargs wrote:
Jay wrote:
Everything I've been talking about is strictly Obamacare. It is not universal health care, it is a pure wealth transfer from young to old. Nothing more.
obamacare is just a half assed attempt at everything.
what you think about universal healthcare jay?
If you simplify the idea down to 'free healthcare for all', it's great, but simplifications of complex systems isn't the best route to go when dealing with things that effect peoples lives. I can simplify the construction of a four story building and say 'just pile one stone on top of another' but when you do that without calculating load or shear or seismic concerns your building will collapse.
Once you start getting into the details regarding universal health care and socialism in general you realize the foundation is very shaky. At its core it's not very much different from what we have in America today; it is essentially national health insurance. You pay your taxes instead of a monthly premium. From that point we diverge, a lot.
We have private hospitals and private doctors, but for all the flaws that go with that, they are all competing with each other on some level to provide the best care they can. If I go to a website like zocdoc.com I can pick my doctor based on his community rating, just like I can pick my restaurant based on reviews. Instead of simply trying to be competent, he's constantly trying to get better so he can win new customers and he's constantly trying to get better so he can win new customers and expand his practice. Government workers in general do the bare minimum required to not be fired.
The other primary difference is that under socialism, the government takes a take it or leave it approach to that it will pay. This may help the taxpayers wallet, but it hurts both service and innovation. Why innovate if the research will cost more than potential gain? Ever notice that the US dominates the world in new medical technology production? I'm not willing to give that up to save a few hundred dollars a year on my medical insurance.
Lastly, all these countries with government health care have forgotten to brace for seismic shock: what happens when the government eventually defaults on its debts and can't pay its workers? Or if the government collapses? Our system would go right on working.
Tldr; the degradation in quality vs the few hundred dollars I would save doesn't balance out for me. It's a complicated issue that I've barely touched on here, but suffice to say I do not want my government running the health care system. his practice. Government workers in general do the bare minimum required to not be fired.
Last edited by Jay (2013-10-04 05:08:41)