Social Security is a transfer of wealth from the poor younger people to the rich older people in all but a small % of cases. Think about it. Homeowners who've paid off their homes and bought them back in 1970s for $15,000 and have $2M in wealth in their homes. It's also a ponzi scheme, since it is taking money from this generation to pay off commitments to previous ones. At least they could have done it right. So much for the experts. In any case, they do have welfare for the poor and if the elderly are poor they should get welfare.
I am 39, totally capable of holding and working a full time job or even more. My father at 70 is wearing down and it's quite nice that he is looked after, even if it is myself and other younger people footing the bill. We should respect and help our elders, perhaps a little bit more than just welfare, they are too old to learn the lesson and go back to work this time with more conviction, so instead of turning them out we protect them and give them some respect and comfort. And they have worked throughout their lives, paying into SS so they get some of that security. It's been a wonderful program. My parents have been fairly successful, saved some money, have a wonderful pension plan (PERS tier 1 which in Oregon is almost criminal how awesome it is) and SS. Between all that, they have enough to live very comfortably, not rich, but go on several trips a year and enjoy their golden years. If they didn't have any one of those components, it would detract from their lives. But for those who are a step or two below my parents, SS actually becomes a savior. I know for my grandmother it was a good portion what she spent after she lived past what was expected.
Doctors always treated people who couldn't afford their fees. They'd take a pig or chicken in trade. I don't know where this need for universal insurance comes from, other than govt. already got involved and screwed things up. Please tell me why for life insurance or auto insurance (where they pay big claims) we see the companies competing with one another to offer it cheaper? (Save $450 switch to GEICO).
The problem with universal coverage is you'll have some committee of experts telling you you're too old to be worth wasting the Peoples' resources on so go away and die. Even if you have $2M in value in your home that you might want to use to pay for the treatment you need to live another 10 years.
Screw universal insurance, i want universal health care. As an example my best friends youngest son got some bizarre health issue that put his life at risk. It took several months to take care of the main issue, seeing dozens of experts and even flying to see experts elsewhere. And still now, over a year later, dealing with resulting issues that require more experts and follow up surgeries. My friend is a very successful broker with a major bank and had excellent (read expensive) insurance. So far, the cost of what insurance didn't cover is over $300,000. That's a fucked up broken system. Healthcare should be free. Everyone needs it, it should be part of living in our society.
Not every system is designed right, and too many incentives are taken out of the system to ensure quality doctors. But that doesn't mean we should give up on the goal, it means building a better mouse trap. Figuring out how and where to cut money and where not to. It means that a doctors might make a bit less, but not so much less that it becomes not worth becoming a doc.
These aren't easy issues, they need competent people to navigate, but they are doable. Our society, or at least our government, is screwed up at the moment, but that shouldn't stop up from trying to fix the problems instead of just cutting out everything.
