Greatest threat to freedom..

[maxiep]

They are already rationed. The difference is they are rationed by people who are legal obligated to turn as large a profit as possible.

So in doing their duty to shareholders they have to deny care to as many people as they possiblely can. They decide who lives and dies by how much it will cost. If you think that is ok then I really have no idea how you can live with yourself.

How would a government system be worse then that?

http://www.hsabenefitsconsulting.co...lth-insurance-carrier-denies-the-most-claims/

Medicare rejects more claims than any major insurance carrier. The difference today is that if your claim is rejected, you can still pay for it on your own. The way these House and Senate bills are structured, we'll be a single-payer system within five years. There will then be no option to seek other avenues of care. When the government decides you can't have care, that's it.

I'm often surprised by the people's faith in their government. Count me as a born skeptic.

 

[maxiep]

Personally, though, I feel the greatest threats to my own freedom have precious little to do with "socialized medicine."

1. I can't lose my job or I won't be able to afford health insurance for me, my wife and kids.

Portability is a huge issue and one the Democrats aren't addressing. Why shouldn't an individual be allowed the same tax breaks as a company? The Republicans did in their bill. The Republicans also allow for Health Savings Accounts which are essentially 401k's for health care. Why shouldn't I get a tax break for saving for future health care?

2. I hate that some idiot terrorist fucks over half a decade ago cause me to still take off my shoes at the airport. I hate that sinking feeling in my gut I still get every time I get on an airplane.

In that sense, the airlines, the FAA and Homeland Security have done a good job at keeping us safe.

3. I hate that our government seems completely incompetent at handling major disasters (Katrina). Which makes me even more concerned about #2.

It should make you more concerned about #1.

I've always found it depressing when people living in cookie-cutter beige gated communities who work 50 hours a week so they can drive the same overrated SUV that their TV set tells them they need to have for their hour-long commute to their bland corporate job and pay for it all by piling up massive debts and waste every Sunday praying to somebody who doesn't exist while paying priests to tell them he does are terrified that the government is a threat to their "freedom."

It depresses me, too. However, I believe in freedom. If that's someone's view of their dream life, then far be it from me to tell them they should live differently.

*whew* That may be the worst use of dependent clauses without commas I've written. Well, at least this week.[/QUOTE]

 

[maxiep]

Well, the health care policies aren't directly killing people the same way the military isn't directly killing people, so your rationale here fails. They just put people at a greater risk of dying.

The US Military makes every effort to ensure that our soldiers are never in a fair fight, that they have an overwhelming advantage. We spare no expense to protect them. You can't say the same for the government when their first move is to cut $500B from Medicare Advantage.

 

[maxiep]

Typical neo-con fear mongering. There was a 1-minute section of the speech where she used the word "fear" or "fearful" 10 - 12 times (can't remember exactly). Hilarious.

I'm so happy those on the other side never fear monger.

[video=youtube;-usmvYOPfco]

 

[maxiep]

Perhaps you need to look at real socialized medicine and see if you can spot the difference, because there is huge difference between what is being proposed and what is actually socialized medicine.

Are you intentionally ignoring the Mother of All Slippery Slopes? The intention in both the House and Senate bills is to end private insurance and grease the skids toward a single-payer system. Those on the Left have acknowedged as much. Either of these bills accomplish putting us on that track with alacrity.