Universal/Socialized/Public Healthcare: Your Arguments are ridiculous America.

Facebook has done us all the ‘favor’ of putting the Presidential debates on forums for all those ‘Facebookers’ out there to debate to exhaustion. I generally don’t participate in these because its not just tiresome but frankly, I come across arguments like the one I am going to post, and frankly, these kids don’t know what they hell they’re talking about.

In terms of taxes, most of our parents bred us to think lower is better. I remember in high school debating with fellow classmates about the very-real operational tax the school district HAD to pass to open the newly built lower school. If it didn’t pass, they’d cut 90% of sports and extracurricular activities. I remember our Valedictorian and two sisters, who were I believe captain of the volley ball team, along with other highly engaged high schoolers were like “No, because it will raise my parent’s property tax”. While I understand this, it doesn’t speak to the fact that the initial tax to build the school was passed, it was built, and this was the only viable tax. I think the same kinds of kids argue against public health care; their parents complain about taxes, they really don’t understand other countries’ systems, and they only look out for themselves.

The day they aren’t covered by mom and dad or they work a job that doesn’t provide health care, they’ll get it. Even then, its still a poorly executed system that relies on the invisible hand and trickle down theories. Pffft.

Here is what a Facebooker said to someone in favor of ‘universal health care’:

“It is not the worst in the world ( U.S. healthcare). It is among the best, it just is not the best. And that’s probably not due to our health care system but Americans being generally far more unhealthy and living unhealthy lifestyles than other countries. Bottom line, universal health care would be an absolute disaster. If you want your taxes to skyrocket, go ahead, be for it. It is not free, you pay for it with your taxes as well as for others. Why should I have to pay for someone else’s doctor visits, hospitalization, tests, medicines, and much much more? Why do you think people from all over the world come to America for health care? Because they don’t get good quality health care in their socialist countries and have to wait forever to be seen. Also, universal health care just adds more power to the government. Do you really want the government deciding whether or not you should have a certain surgery because there is not a life threatening need? Do you want the government running another institution with their tendency to not run institutions that well? Private health care is better for the economy and has better quality. Also, the salary of doctors and other health care workers would drop drastically. Thousands of people working for insurance companies would lose their job because their insurance company would go bankrupt. America is NOT a socialist country and we shouldn’t turn into one. If someone wants to live in a socialist country, they should move to Canada or a European country where the taxes are among the highest in the world. In my opinion, socialism is a minor form of communism trying to make everyone equal and to redistribute wealth. Communism has never worked. I understand that something needs to be done to stop the extreme high costs of health care, but universal health care is most definitely not the way to go. ” – Jane

My backlash of a response to her and all the others using Canada, taxes, and communism as a response. I apologize for the lack of citation and references, as it was a Facebook post, although I’m sure it would have augmented my perspective on things:

“There are hundreds of posts (on this subject), so I just stopped at the first that truly got my attention. Before you defend private health care: have you ever gone without any insurance during a health care crisis? I’m going to say probably not, because if you have, you’d understand how desperate things can get.

1. We have superb health care POTENTIAL but one of the poorest executed systems. So yes, we have the means, but few can attain the coverage needed to get that five star care. What does it matter if you can’t get it?

2. Having social health care doesn’t make us a socialist country. And what most Dems and liberals are talking about is an integrated system that allows for paid coverage as well as flat coverage. Examples of this already exist in our government you’re just USED to them; we have the USPS and its not like people don’t use Fed Ex or UPS. We even already have some of these elements in health care, it is just hugely lacking. It can be fashioned, and it would be sensitive to our market economy, naturally.

3. “Private health care is better for the economy”?? Who’s? If you haven’t noticed, the only people that truly reap benefits from private health care are hospital execs and pharm companies. Other countries DO have standards for public health care and they DO pay well because they can afford to do so by health incentives.
Healthier citizens and those with access to health care means less tax dollars wasted on preventable disease, early pregnancy, and even emergency medical attention. There ARE government checks and balances that can be implemented to better monitor this while still paying doctors well enough- European countries do it.

4. Out of all the socialized health care systems, CANADA ranks far far lower than others, so people should stop using it as an example! I can tell you the France and UK do not have the same gripes. AND EVEN IF THEY ALL DID, according to studies, countries with socialize services and high taxes rank among the HAPPIEST in the world. Literally!

5. I think people are using the term ‘universal health care’ broadly; it doesn’t mean just raking in a single tax and pumping out unquestioned free health care. It’s complicated and requires a great amount of infrastructure that is sensitive to both our economy and social needs. People like ME are willing to pay taxes for people LIKE YOU because I know none of us can predict our future need for a system like this; your child might be born with a handicap, and I might get cancer. As one doctor I spoke to on the matter said “It shouldn’t be health insurance. Sickness and death are inevitable.” Americans have no foresight for this, as a collective conscience.

6. People like me are more worried about creating a sustainable environment for our neighbors and our kids than just myself, and I’m willing to live a more conscientious lifestyle to do it.

7. Nine out of 10 Americans don’t know what they hell they are talking about when they say Socialism or Communism; neither of these systems are inherently evil.

8. Telling people to get out of the country if they don’t like things the way they are? True patriots and those who love their countries are willing to invest to make it better, not abandon it. (More information on ‘dogmatic nationalism’ opposed to ‘patriotism’ in previous blog Howard Zinn: Be apart of your Country’s Democracy”)

Please don’t take this personally, as this addresses my issues with many people who argue public health care. My points were brief and I assure you not as simple as I presented them, but I hope you truly consider the future of our entire nation before making your mind up on this.”

I wonder if any of this will resonate.
For now, those of you with this ridiculous dogmatic rhetoric from your parents, go ahead, prove yourself right, pay for your own insurance. Or, just drop it and run the risk of getting sick.  What are you waiting for?

Cheers not Leers!