-=Political Opinions=-

[schneidts]

I think socialized medicine is a bad thing. There is a reason people come to the U.S. from all over the world to have medical procedures done-we're the best. If you look at the quality of the healthcare in nations with socialized medicine, it's mostly crap. In the U.K., for example, many of the hospitals are maintained at much lower standards than those that we're used to in the US. When budgets need to be cut, it's easy to trim funds to hospitals and generalized healthcare. Unfortunately, the poor still end up with crummy healthcare, and the rich can afford great care from private doctors. That being said, I do think the government has an obligation to protect it's citizens. I think a public health care plan needs to be available. Everyone would be eligible for the "basic" health care package, at no expense, or at a very low cost. If you can afford better, than you could pay for the higher plan that had better coverage, etc...Even if the "basic" plan was very crappy, at least it's something. I wonder how many low income family members forgo medical attention when they really need it due to a lack of insurance.

 

[tony detroit]

There should be no good, better, best system. Just do the best that can be done.....why can't it go like that?

 

[tangman99]

WOW! It's nice to see a thread of this topic being handled in a mature sense. That doesn't happen very often. I have a few opinions of my own be it right or wrong. I don't know. I am knocking on the door of 40 so I've been around longer than some and trailing others.
I'm like dicemanj. I make a good salary and so does my wife so we are very blessed in that area. I spent many years in my youth wishing I was rich and working my butt off to make a lot of money. Now that I've learned a little about life, I realize that money is not what makes you rich. My wife and my children are my riches and everything else is just a bonus. When it comes down to it, I can give up the cars and the house.
As far as Walmart is concerned, the country is starting to catch on to what Walmart actually does for a community and are fighting back to keep them out of their areas. They do bring jobs. Low paying jobs with little benefits. The real damage they do as mentioned is put other companies out of business that pay a decent wage to their employees so they actually bring down the community. I, like many others shop their at times because of convenience and prices, but I go to other stores just as often.
As far as going to war? I have no damned idea what I think anymore. Both sides have gotten so good at convincing us why we should or should not be there, it kind of depends on who opened their mouth last. Whatever we believe, I still back our soldiers 100% and wish them all well. I was one of the ones all for it when it happened and now I see things are not quite what we were told. Sure some things come out after the fact, but not everything. You could write encyclopedia sized books on what our Government does not tell us. Our media is just as bad as countries that censor the news. You see a story about something that happens in Iraq like the wedding party getting bombed. You get their side and what our Media tells us which is spoon fed to them by the Goverment. Somewhere in between is the truth, but how close to which side is usually not known.
If you have ever seen a movie called "Wag the Dog", you know what I'm talking about.
I won't even go into health care. It's anyone's guess where that is going. As far as Blue Cross/Blue Shield is concerned, they are by far the best in what they provide. I have consulted for them off and on for 9 years and they are indeed not for profit. As required, they do have a fixed amount that keep in reserves to be able to cover health claims for a fixed amount of time with no resources coming in, but you would be shocked to see what they pay out on a monthly basis. Presciption drugs and medical cost due to uninsured rightoffs and malpractice insurance rates are killing them. If you have an HMO, I don't care who you are with. Educate yourself on how it works and don't take NO for an answer if you need a second opinion. HMO's can be deadly if you have a poor primary care physician and don't understand how they work. I will be glad to elaborate to a certain point if anyone is interested, but a search of the internet can educate you as well.
And last but not least is society in general. The world is made up of two kinds of people. Those that work hard to better themselves and those who look for handouts at every turn. Life is not fair and those who struggle to make a better life don't always make it through no fault of their own. I'm all for giving a helping hand to those who truly want it for the right reason but those who won't lift a finger to better themselves can deal with it. One true example. I'm sure everyone has seen someone holding a sign that say's "Will work for food". I'm sure some of these people are legit, but most are full of it. I proved this point to a friend of mine at lunch who was always giving out money to these guys. I pulled over at the side of the road where one guy always stands and told him I had some work for him that would take about 4 hours and I'd give him $25.00 cash. If he had said Yes, I was just going to hand him the $25.00 for really wanting the work. His reply to me was, "Sorry man, but my schedule is full."
My .02 cents, nothing more, nothing less.

 

[krowleey]

there is so much free money out there to be had for education, small business. all you have to do is want it. If you think this country owes you something your wrong, you have to do for yourself, go to school get a job that pays the bills sheesh. and you cant say anyone in detroit can't do that, hell the Goverment bends over backwards with opportunity, especially for poor folks. anyone can work a min wage job to put food in thier belly since thier books, tuition, parking and even housing is paid for. As you should, not to mention the checks you get sent to you for FREE. the only class this goverment does not help is the middle class. I'ts easy to sit and analize how things should be to "me" but ya know it isnt that bad. you complain about how much your taxed but you want medical insurance for eveyone in the US? Canada has nowhere near the population as the US and it still costs more to live there than here. It's funny to me how people can say how bad the country has gotten and how good it used to be. What year was it so much better than it is now? Do you relize how much money we spend on health care for illegal aliens? it's an extreme figure here in California, so you cant convience me how bad it is here in US. This is the best country in the world to live in, we keep a security blanket over the world, thats right, thats what i said. This world would be a terrible place if it wasnt for the USA and all the blood that was spilt in the past present and future. You might think Bush is a idiot but you know what, he is our president and he Loves America, and as long as we have a president that loves America we will always stay the way it has always been. FREE
This war was wanted by the people in the US no matter if there was weapons of mass destruction or not, hell i wanted to pave that country after 911 as did most of the US. I dont know who is more of the enemy, the Iraqi Terrorists or the media, because they got alot of you hook line and sinker and that my friends is $$$. as far as motorcycle helmet law, that is a state law not federal, Arizona has no helmet law, you just have to wear eye protection for a very good reason. thats my 2cents God bloss America and our soldiers that are fighting for our freedom with thier lives.

 

[ka0z4allu]

As far as forgoing medical attention due to lack of insurance, I can attest for that. Last april I laid down one evening with the most excruciating pain I had ever known in my stomach. My wife kept trying to get me to go to the ER but I refused due to lack of insurance and not wanting more Bills I can't pay. Well I wound up passing out and waking up in hospital with a removed ruptured appendix. Doctors said I was close to death for not coming in right away. Scary thought I almost exchanged my life for having no insurance at my place of employment.:nope:

 

[dicemanj]

ka0z4allu- If you don't mind me asking, what do you do for a living? Does your employer not offer insurance at a disounted rate, or did you turn it down. I am not trying to be rude, just curious, can you afford to get insurance on your own. These are things that should be considered will taking a job. I recently turned down a job because of lack of benifits, it was about 15k more than I make now, but by time I pay for 100% of insuarance, 401k and such, it was not worth it. I do have a friend that sells medical equipment, he is technically a sub contrator, or the company and has to pay for all his expenses includig medical.
There is a story here in Columbus. A man is living with a women for several years, not married, with one child. He gets in a car crash and breaks his neck, he does not have insuarnce, and his family is being kicked out of the apartment for not paying bills. They owe rediculas money to everyone. At first this sounds like a sad storey and this is where the news story ends.
Here is the rest of the story. The mans employer offers insurance, but he turned it down because he did not want to pay for it.
He accident. It was around 2:30 am and he lost control of his car after droping a cig. Where was he at until 2:30, at a bar, it did not go into how much he was drinking.
Even worse, since the man was not married, he could have filled backruptcy for all his debt and his girlfriend could have kept her job and apartment, but instead they don't pay any of the bills.
Or if they got married they could have been under one insurance policy, which the mom and daughter had.
This is an example of how the media does not paint the entire picture.
I agree with tangman on how nice this thread is. To often people get upset and can't even listen to other peoples views.
Tony, I thought the casinoes in Detroit were going to help. I know I have donated several bills there.

 

[beth]

We do have socialize medicine in this country. Its called, Medicaid and Medicare. It does does help the working class, though. :nope:

 

[krowleey]

not going to the ER becuase you dont want a bill is silly. they cant refuse your treatment. its pretty close to free medical as it is, they will take 5 dollas a month for payments

 

[jlem]

Originally posted by tony detroit
One day I woke up and thought there is only X number of good jobs out there, period. And they are all taken.
So whose fault is that? The people that have the good jobs Worked harder and where a step above. Sure some are born into riches and get the hooked up but plenty of people work hard and some are just smarter and therefore are more in demand than Joe Dirt who has trouble picking their nose. Somebody has to do the crappy work and that is just the way it is. Very few people who can't get a step on in life because of the man or any other dumb excuse they can think of are victims. Some people I am sure get screwed and that sucks but if you get layed off or fired it usually is because you where not good enough to keep over the other guy. Society can't hand out a great job to everybody. It's so funny how no body wants to take responsability for their own faults these days. Goverment is everybodies scape goat these days which is funny because we elected the goverment, so I guess all the nations problems are our own fault ( yes tony even yours )

Since I did say that are Goverment is elected I better mention that As far as Gore loosing the election because I know that someone will point out that Gore supposably had more votes. If america really cared then the electoral college would have been done with decades ago but americans don't care and are content with not changing the current system.
KROWLEEY. I won't quote your post up the page beause it is really long, but you are right on and I thank you for your post

 

[tony detroit]

Originally posted by dicemanj
Tony, I thought the casinoes in Detroit were going to help. I know I have donated several bills there.
They just ruin more lives and destroy more families. You should see all the casino related billboards around here now, like 1 in 10 has to be casino related. There is a horse track and casino being built in Romulus right now. They are just fueling the fire that eventually is going to run out of fuel.

 

[ka0z4allu]

I do concrete for a living and I used to deliver Pizza's at night as a 2nd job until my driver's license got suspended for getting behind 2 months on my child support. So now just concrete, and there is no insurance offered. I got approved for medicaid after my surgery for being off of work/loss of income and still have it now, so do my children. But you might as well have no insurance because the care is poor. You get one primary care physician who has to see so many patients that after waiting for months on end to get in the office, you wait all day to see him and then are rushed back out the door with really no regards to your problem. I have been only twice but my kids go often for checkups and stuff. Both times I went they had lost my medical charts and had to start over and it has happened to my childrens records on many occasions. I have hardly even been to a doctor's office myself prior to surgery as no affordable health care was available to me or even to my parents when I was a child. So I guess my kids getting something is better than what I had as a child, just wish that were jobs available here in SW florida that were not in constructiopn or service industry and provided the option for decent healthcare at a resonable price. Just makes me a little angry when I see all these made in china things that I know could have been a good job for me if only it were american made. I guess they can just get work done more cheaply in other countries. U.S. citizens are surely capable of doing the same jobs that are performed in other countries.

 

[tony detroit]

Originally posted by jlem
So whose fault is that?
Fault is directly related to government decisions. Cost of healthcare for an employer to provide you, cost of living, cost after taxes, your takehome pay after taxes. All fault lies within government decisions, you just do not see it that way.

 

[dicemanj]

ka0z4allu- i truely do feel for you and your children, especially the kids, I have three and I could not imagine having to pay for all their dr bills.
Good luck to you.

 

[ka0z4allu]

Thank you

 

[jlem]

Originally posted by ka0z4allu
Just makes me a little angry when I see all these made in china things that I know could have been a good job for me if only it were american made. I guess they can just get work done more cheaply in other countries. U.S. citizens are surely capable of doing the same jobs that are performed in other countries.
The problem is is that we do not want to pay what stuff would cost if it was made in the USA. Nobody says you have to buy forein. you will pay alot more if you buy american but it is there to buy. If the country does not want jobs going overseas then the country has to quit buying foreign goods, plain and simple. It's not the goverment sending jobs overseas, it is the consumer and if any one has ever bought anything made in china or mexico then you are the reason why jobs are overseas and not the horrible suppresive goverment that everybody without a perfect job likes to blame their own problems on.

 

[jlem]

Originally posted by tony detroit
Fault is directly related to government decisions.
Made by the people who we elected into office. Until you run for office or make a real attempt to change things then all you are doing is sitting back in the cheap seats and yelling to other people in the cheap seats that don't want to take the effort to change things either.

 

[fshhub]

that almost makes sense
unfortunately boycotting voluntarily doesnt work anymore.
ever try to buy anything that was made in america, completely?
if it is not built oversees, then its components are. and vice/versa

 

[jlem]

Originally posted by fshhub
that almost makes sense
unfortunately boycotting voluntarily doesnt work anymore.

Then we all are part of the mob and we accept it's decision. I wish that all americans had geat jobs and all of us where wealthy but our society and not our goverment has brought us to where we are now. I wish that all products sold in the USA where made in the USA by American workers but our society has not and won't let that happen because we all like that Blue light special. I do not believe that our goverment is perfect but it is what society has settled for and unlike others ( Tony Detroit ) I will not blame my countries problems on a few people who my fellow citizens along with me put into office.

 

[dicemanj]

JLEM - I count't agree more. About sending jobs oversees, it is not the gov, but the companies decisions. The board of directors for these companies are sopposed to do what is best for the shareholders, ie stock price, if they find it fit that the best overall labor, or parts come from out of the country they have an obligation to outsource it.
However it is not as simple as just buying only 100% american, that would make it near impossible to buy any car, or electronic devices, or Nikes. Let's use Nike for example, the family that is currently struggling to provide food for the kids, the $100 pair of Nikes, would cost them at least $500 if they were produced in america with the same profit margins. Yes there would be jobs for more americans, but again, these would be the low paying jobs that no one wants.

 

[ka0z4allu]

I think it would still be easier to pay for those $500 nikes if there were better jobs here for americans. Also your government could easily give tax breaks to companies and consumers who chose to manufacture and purchase American made products!:thinking: