Shameless plug for a good cause

[sleepyjeff]

Originally Posted by Strangler Lewis

Like society, your family is just a collection of individuals.

Not just a collection of individuals.

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by Strangler Lewis

The notion of "the family" as a holistic unit in potential conflict with the rest of society is something of a conservative fiction, no? Like society, your family is just a collection of individuals.....

Quite honestly, this is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever read.

[tracilicious]

I disagree. In many cultures the societal unit functions quite a bit more like a family. Looking out for each other, etc. All cultures used to be that way. Where should we turn today for that sort of community? Churches? Well what if you aren't religious?

I disagree with the standards of healthcare being high here. If the health care in Canada is so poor, then why do they have better statistics than we do as far as a great deal of things. That same site that I linked lists some statistics as far as how the U.S. stacks up compared to other countries. You can look up the same things on the CDC website if you'd like something less biased. Our infant mortality rates are shameful.

[scaeagles]

In many cultures? Aren't we a conglomeration of cultures?

Aren't abortion laws much more restrictive in some other cultures? Why not adopt their restrictions on it, then? I could go into so many things that other cultures do that are so completely offensive it isn't tasteful to post. You can pick and choose what you want from other cultures, but there will not be agreement on what is best to adopt.

I don't want a societal unit that functions as a family and tells me what is best for me and my children or for you and yours. My preferences are not yours. Yours are not mine. I pay to have my kids in a private school to avoid such things. There are many things that I don't care if society in general approves of, I don't. There are many things that society in general doesn't approve of, but I do. The great thing is your family probably functions well. So does mine. And we're different.

[Strangler Lewis]

Originally Posted by sleepyjeff

Not just a collection of individuals.

Mathematically, yes. Emotionally, no, which is only because I came from a reasonably positive family background and was exposed to reasonably positive examples of family behavior among my friends and relations. I also learned somewhere not to have six wives, treat women like property, demand cult-like obedience and murder my daughter because she was not my son, all of which goes on in families here and abroad. Plenty of families treat their kids like boarders, especially once they turn 18.

Community is also a positive value that conservatives like to pretend they have a monopoly on (unless they're running down the gay community). But people don't automatically make a functioning community either, as any time through the littered streets of a poor neighborhood will tell you. However, communities often rally around their less fortunate members. Whether they do it by reaching in to their own pockets, through an organized church effort or through an organized government effort doesn't seem to be a meaningful difference to me. Responsibility doesn't end at your front door.

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by Strangler Lewis

Community is also a positive value that conservatives like to pretend they have a monopoly on

And compassion is a positive value that liberals like to pretend they have a monopoly on.

[Prudence]

I don't want the question of whether I live or die to depend on how much money I was able to earn. Frankly, I find the notion that I should just suck it up and deal, no matter what the circumstance, appalling. My worth, and my contribution to society, should not be measured solely by my paycheck - or whatever I managed to inherit.

I dislike the current system of health insurance provided primarily through employers. I'm sure it seemed like a nice perk at one time, but it's not available to everyone. It's not available to everyone who works. It's not even available to everyone who works hard. But because it is the primary model, it is difficult, if not impossibly cost-prohibitive, to obtain individual coverage. If the reluctance to provide universal coverage is that some sloths might also benefit and people should pull themselves up by their bootstraps, how does that reconcile with those bootstrap-pulling examplars of American industriousness whose employers do not participate, and to whom individual coverage is not available?

Speaking of sloths - under the current system I do end up paying for their care anyhow - directly, through Medicaid, and indirectly, through higher service fees charged to cover charity care. But instead of that risk being distributed over the entire population, it covers the sickest end of that population. People don't show up at Harborview because they're well, they show up because they've experienced some medical trauma and they're broke. So, essentially I'm paying twice - once as part of my "fringe benefits", and once as part of my taxes (and service fees).

There is no perfect solution to this. There is no amazing, wonderful, miraculous solution that benefits all the people we consider worthy and deprives coverage to all those deemed unworthy. But because no one will act on an imperfect solution, here we sit.

I don't support privately-managed health care because in that scenario the goal of the private manager is to deny me care. The less care I receive, the higher the stock price goes and the more acclaim the CEO receives. And I don't think for a second that the notion of "preventative care" plays a role. CEOs don't appear to care about the long-term health of their companies. The company only has to do well-enough during their tenure to ensure their golden parachute will sail them safely to the retirement destination of their choosing. If denying me a pap smear today means I might have an advanced, more expensive to treat cancer in 10 years - so what? That will be a problem for the next CEO. Meanwhile, it saves money in the short term to deny treatment.

Heck, it's not even good for the country. I miss an insane number of work days to illness stemming from untreated allergies that have a) never been identified (so I can't avoid the allergens) and b) don't respond well to OTC medications. I can not GET treatment for my allergies, despite having "health insurance", because it's cheaper to deny treatment. It costs my employer more in lost work days, but hey, it pays more dividends to the stock holders.

Ultimately I prefer universal health care because I find that the goal of private providers is contrary to the service they allegedly provide. Do I think that it's a magical solution that will bring kittens and sunshine to all who want them? No. But I think it's a better fit for my personal values.

[flippyshark]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

Community is also a positive value that conservatives like to pretend they have a monopoly on

And compassion is a positive value that liberals like to pretend they have a monopoly on.
__________________

Great! Conservatives are plenty compassionate, and liberals have a fine sense of community. I knew that already. So, let's move forward, shall we? (At least this exchange is concise.)

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by Prudence

I don't want the question of whether I live or die to depend on how much money I was able to earn.

I read the entire post and found the discussion interesting. However, this opening statement is appaling!

No one is denied basic medical care that would save their life solely because of how much they make. This isn't the first time this has been brought up in this thread and it is complete horse-hooey to insinuate it!

[tracilicious]

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

I read the entire post and found the discussion interesting. However, this opening statement is appaling!

No one is denied basic medical care that would save their life solely because of how much they make. This isn't the first time this has been brought up in this thread and it is complete horse-hooey to insinuate it!

Ok, but what if I have a suspicious looking mole. Do you know of a dermatologist that will look at it for less than $150-$200 if I don't have insurance? I suppose the ER probably looks at moles, but the hospitals that will take you no matter what your insurance probably don't have the staff to deal with something like that efficiently or accurately. So I don't get my mole checked, it ends up being cancerous, and I die. Because I couldn't get proper medical care in time. Because I didn't have health insurance.