Universal health care

[memphis]

An important aspect of the health care debate that is often overlooked is the impact of health care costs on American businesses. Companies like GM can't keep up with foreign competitors, who don't have to provide healthcare to their employess because their governments take care of this. I don't have a perfect solution to this, but we have to do something or all of our companies are going to go under because of health care costs.

[memphis]

I don't support universal health care supplied by the government.

First of all, the government supplies nothing in essence.  Fellow citizens supply things, with the government as their means of delivery.

And government has proven to be an incompetent, ineffective, and inefficient means of delivery for most of the services it provides.

I would fear that with government as the means of delivery, overall quality would fall, and those with money would opt out of the government system and obtain private health care, effectively paying twice.  That is how it works with education in many areas, and I have no reason to believe that government health care would be any better in general quality than inner city education.  Government reduces things to the lowest common denominator, and seeks to equalize inequality by pulling down those who are doing better.  This is not in the interests of the vast majority of people. 

There could perhaps be piecemeal programs to help those without health care, as we have now, but I'd go no further than that.  I don't want government controlling such a large segment of the economy, and I don't want government directly involved in things like medical school admissions, etc.  I still remember that Hillary's health care plan required admissions quotas for medical school to "ensure balance and diversity."  I am completely against that, and I don't trust government with that kind of power.

I've never heard anybody suggest that the government provide healthcare. Instead, some have suggested that the government pay for healthcare. The difference is enormous.

[memphis]

First, the governement already pays for a large number (don't have the precise figure, sorry) through Medicaid and Medicare. Second, I'm not so convinced that private insurance companies are doing such a great job as the "transfer agent." Anyhow, my mind is not made up on the healthcare debate. It's really a tough issue. I just think it's smug and cruel to deny access to health care.

[memphis]

I believe universal healthcare should only be implemented in countries that can take it. It's a good idea in a place like Sweden or the UK, but a bad idea in places like the USA or Brazil or Russia. You have to take it on a case by case basis.

Please explain why you think that it is good for some countries but bad for others. What distinguishes the US from the UK, for instance?

[memphis]

I refute that a large percentage of the population doesn't pay taxes. Everybody pays taxes of some sort. If you buy a loaf of bread, you pay sales tax. No matter how little you make, you pay Social Security taxes. It's only on income taxes that the very poor catch a break. I also disagree that most American doctors have chosen their occupation for the money. Most doctors are passionate about what they do. You have to be to get through the rigorous schooling that they have endured.