These days, all you have to do is mention the term "Socialized Healthcare", to see a lot of people have screaming hissy fits. A lot of it comes out as anger, but I believe that most of that anger is really fear.
Where is that fear coming from? From what I have seen, mostly talking points without a lot of data to back it up. Frank Luntz is in the business of making sure we keep the status quo, which means SCARING PEOPLE away from change, of any kind, that might hurt Insurance Companys' bottom-line.
(http://blog.sunlightfoundation.com/2009/07/16/health-care-word-soup-luntz-memo/)
While I realize that change is scary, sometimes the alternative to change is self-destruction. In the case of a lack of Healthcare Reform it is the deaths of the poor and middle class. I find this unacceptable. So, I did some digging. (You just never know what you will find, while digging.lol)
Here are some interesting bits of information that I found concerning USA (For-Profit) Healthcare and Canadian (Socialized) Healthcare:
Circulatory disease deaths per 100,000:
Canada: 219
United States: 265
Child maltreatment deaths per 100,000:
Canada: 0.7
United States: 2.2
Digestive disease deaths per 100,000:
Canada: 17.4
United States: 20.5
Infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births
Canada: 5.08
United States: 6.3
Intestinal diseases death rate
Canada: 0.3%
United States: 7.3%
Proability of not reaching age 60:
Canada: 9.5%
United States: 12.8%
Respiratory disease child death rate per 100,000
Canada: 0.62
United States: 40.43
Heart disease deaths per 100,000:
Canada: 94.9
United States: 106.5
HIV deaths per million people:
Canada: 47.423
United States: 48.141
Socialized Healthcare does not make a Socialized Country. The USA is a wonderful melting-pot of people, cultures, and ideas; some Capitalistic, some Socialistic, etc. You get the idea.
For me, though, caring for my fellow citizens is stronger than my fear of change. If the above is the results of Socialized Healthcare then sign me up.
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/141534/you%27re_also_more_likely_to_be_eaten_by_a_sasquatch_in_%27socialist%27_canada/
EDIT: Here is some information about Socialized Healthcare from some UK Citizens. (Horse's mouth, you know.lol)
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090721075851AAphiOk
Saturday, July 25, 2009
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Ha-Ha! I think it's the more than $1 trillion price tag that comes along with the president's proposal, as well as the rationing of health care that will undoubtedly result when the government gets its inept hands on and destroys yet another American industry, that people 'fear,' if that is the word you want to use. For me, it is not fear that causes me to oppose this vehemently, but rather, reason.
ReplyDeletePeople are certainly entitled to their opinions. I just think that characterizing those of us on the other side of this issue as fearful people who oppose change like wooden, uncaring dolts is. . . insulting and simplistic and frankly, ignores the mountain of evidence (See Canada, Great Britain, Germany, and France) that makes clear that socialism is an abject failure everywhere it's been tried.
I appreciate your passion on this issue and clearly, we will never be in agreement on it. But, it was interesting to read your line of thinking!
Take care!
Thanks for the comment! I was not suggesting that the USA become a Socialist Country, per se, just that having a Socialistic HEALTHCARE option is worthy of looking at when so many Americans die for lack of affrdable healthcare. For such a rich country as ours; there is no excuse for ANYONE to not have affordable healthcare. Please, I would like to see some sources cited for the "mountain of evidence" that the Healthcare of these countries is so much worse than our own. However, I never say never on people reaching agreements on anything; as long as people respect others' opinions and keep an open mind.
ReplyDeleteHugs to ya, Dawn. :)
http://www.theadvocates.org/freeman/8903lemi.html This is one article, written by a Canadian, that raises some of the legitimate concerns many people have - and rightly so. There are so many of these that there can be no question that this system is in dire straits. There are thousands of Canadian born doctors in the U.S. right now. That is just a fact. The notion of free healthcare is flawed and fallacious. Had we no where else to look to see examples of this failed system, then maybe I could see giving it a try here. However, other nations already have had this sort of system in place for decades now. And, people die everyday as a direct result of NOT getting the healthcare they need. I think we have to face the facts. Jesus said, "The poor you will have with you always." As for changing my opinion, since I did not arrive at mine in a matter of moments but have thought this through ever since the Clinton's attempted to take over an industry that accounts for 1/7 of the entire U.S. economy, i.e., since 1993, I doubt very seriously that it is likely to change. ;o) I've worked for people that advocated this and lobbied for it and heard all the arguments for it. I opposed it then, and I still do because when push comes to shove, this just doesn't work. The fact is, health care is not a right. Check out the bill of rights as a reference point. Furthermore, merely because some people have money does not mean that we should take that from them forcibly and give it to others. I suppose that is the grounds upon which I find this whole proposal most alarming. Egalitarianism is popular but it is patently un-American. One of the current proposals the president is putting forth would tax top-income earners in this country almost 50% of their income. How is that 'fair?' People work hard for their money, do what they are supposed to do to garner an education, work long hours, forego vacations to EARN their money. And it is, afterall, THEIR money. This notion that anyone, even the government, has the right to redistribute wealth is obscene. The only person that has the right to determine how best to spend their own money is the person who earned it. Some of the greatest institutions in this country were founded and bankrolled, not by the U.S. Government, but rather, by loving, compassionate people who earned money by working tirelessly and then willingly chose to use those resources for their fellow man. Most of your colleges and hospitals in this country came into being through charitable giving of this sort, not via government meddling. If a person willingly chooses to do something like this, it's one thing. But, what is being proposed, is nothing short of the redistribution of wealth, i.e., Socialism. It is tyrannical and should be opposed by anyone who truly loves liberty for if we have not the right to spend our money as we choose, then we are not truly free.
ReplyDeletePeople die. We cannot prevent every death and there is no way we can guarantee that every person will have everything they will ever need in this life. Neither does the Constitution grant that. What it does say is that every person has "the right to life, liberty and the PURSUIT of happiness." (Emphasis, mine) People who want the government to care for them from cradle to grave are apparently unaware of the founding Father's clear cut design. Government was never meant to play Mommy.
What we can do, what we must do, is the best that we can. I do not think that turning the system over to an entity that is now trillions of dollars in debt, that'd be the U.S. government, should illicit in any of us a large sense of confidence. The government pretty much fails at every endeavor it has ever set out to achieve. If there is a solution for 'fixing' the system, the government has to be the last place anyone would look!
But, hey, that's just my opinion. (wink) I'm sure you'll disagree. (Ha Ha) And, that's fine. No offense, I'm pulling for liberty on this one, my friend.
Love you!
Dawn
Girl, how on earth do you manage to get all your comments in so succinctly? :) I had to delete like, HALF of all I typed to leave my post. BUMMER!!!
ReplyDeleteGood night!
Dawn,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments. I do not know what the glitch is, hon. I have never had a problem, but this is a brand new blog.lol
Hugs!
Jude
I completely agree!! I mean, Why ARE Americans so scared of (what they call) "Socialized Medecine". It's silly and pre-mature (to me) to categorize and put some silly monster mask on a different healthcare option. The key word being "OPTION"! lol. People seem to not understand the entire problem with our Healthcare. Obama had it right when he said this part of Healthcare reform was just one sliver of what we need to get done. Hey, I'm not saying that the ONLY way we can reach a compromise on a true Healthcare reform is copying Canda, France or the UK...but rather take the good parts of what they're doing and make it our own. I mean...that's what America is all about..isn't it!?
ReplyDelete