The Political Discussion Thread

[Womble]

......not yet anyway......but it's headed there.....because more and more people are just gonna go to the NHS because they're paying taxes for it and daggum it all they want their fair share....and since they have no choice but to pay taxes they're gonna stop paying for private health care because it would be redundant

Not really.

Like I said, Israel has universal tax-funded healthcare. Alongside it, we have supplementary private medical care organizations and companies which provide services that public HMOs do not. Dentistry is mostly a private market; my aunt is a dentist who has her own practice. All sorts of specialized care is offered by private companies as well. There are private hospitals alongside public-run ones.

And frankly, if you get better health care for lower price, why do you care who gets your money- the government or the private businesses?

[mad_gater]

Really? I PAY for private health care (insurance), in ADDITION to what I pay in premiums for nationalized health care. I think you may also be laboring under the false assumption that people who are covered under national health care are not paying for it. The idea behind national health care is that EVERYONE is covered. Before I could afford extra - private - coverage, I was covered. Now, when I can afford extra - private - coverage, it doesn't mean I don't have both. I really have to ask - where are you getting your information? I've heard stuff like this but it tends to not be terribly informed - care to share?

maybe it works differently in the UK...I don't know...but over here in the states we have no choice but to pay taxes....if I'm gonna get health care I'd rather it be privately where at least I still have a choice....with government there is no choice...like I said..I'd rather "we the people" controlled how we take care of our needy cuz in many cases we know better than the government how it should be done

[shipper hannah]

maybe it works differently in the UK...I don't know...but over here in the states we have no choice but to pay taxes....if I'm gonna get health care I'd rather it be privately where at least I still have a choice....with government there is no choice...like I said..I'd rather "we the people" controlled how we take care of our needy cuz in many cases we know better than the government how it should be done

Everyone pays taxes here, provided you're earning a minimum.

I suppose the NHS is sort of like an old friend - private companies may screw you over but the NHS will always be there for you.

[mad_gater]

I also once saw an online video describing different political structures according to how much control the government had over the people....first it described the 2 extremes.....0% government (anarchy) and 100% government (forms of government like communism and fascism).....the ideal government falls somewhere in between.....and out of the forms of government that fall between the 2 extremes the Republic model I think is best.....Republic actually, in terms of the Latin roots of the word literally means "Law of the people".....in a Republic government doesn't control every facet of your life except where necessary to keep the peace......i.e., we have just enough government regulation to make us accountable to what are rightfully known as crimes but we're still free to conduct business and live our lives as we see fit as long as our activities are within the bounds of the law......the Romans first tried this model....The Roman Republic though became the Roman Empire we know and hate because corrupt individuals seeking more power over the citizenry somehow got into positions of authority.....and eventually enough corruption infected the Roman government that they were too weak to repel the Visigoth tribes

and I'm starting to see the same thing happen to our Republic.....wonder who our Visigoths are gonna be....;S

[Col.Foley]

Your basic necessities are not different than mine unless you are from another species. That's why they're called basic necessities- they're the stuff that everybody needs. Life, food, shelter, health, education, freedom.


Some one-size fits all solutions actually do fit all.


...Which is why the key to finding the right balance is willingness to change, adapt and modify the system to cope with new challenges, instead of defending a once-established rigid framework.


You're playing with definitions. Phrased more accurately, you're actually saying that in order to fulfill its commitment to protecting your life, liberty, property and freedom, the government should be willing to embrace some elements of socialism

Yes they are. Whoa you jsut admitted you an alien. Cool.

....right. is that in the land of the magic faeries and pixie dust shooting out of various bodily orifices?

Yes the framework that I like to call, liberty, freedom, personal responsibility, and you being able to stand, or fail, on your own. And if you need help that other human beings will be more then happy to lend a hand.

Nope.

[mad_gater]

Everyone pays taxes here, provided you're earning a minimum.

I suppose the NHS is sort of like an old friend - private companies may screw you over but the NHS will always be there for you.

over here though government is part of the problem....it's government regulations that have prevented many of the free market solutions from even seeing the light of day....many private practice doctors would probably like to save their patients some time and trouble and charge a monthly fee for unlimited care that would likely be lower than the premium they pay for insurance and perhaps still be enough for the private practice doctor to treat any needy people that come in at little or no cost....many hospitals would probably like to do that too.....except for the government regulation that doing so apparently by magic turns all these doctor's offices into insurance carriers...........there's also a government regulation against competing across state lines for health insurance.....there was also the idea of a tax credit that could be used so that people who needed it could go out and buy their own insurance....which would work but only if we dug ourselves out of debt first......so over here in the states it's government involvement actually making health care more expensive than it needs to be

[mad_gater]

Why do they have to obay or leave? Dont they have the right to try and change things democraticly like the rest of Americans? Joining political parties, starting them, voting and the like. Why obay or leave? You've been talking about "We the people." They're "the people" to, why dont they have as much right to try and change things as any other US citizen.

because every nation needs a military in order to defend that nation against an aggressive one.....so that is why our founding fathers put that provision in the Constitution to provide for public defense.....if you're not willing to spend the money necessary to defend the nation you profess to be a citizen of......then leave

[Rudy Pena]

because every nation needs a military in order to defend that nation against an aggressive one.....so that is why our founding fathers put that provision in the Constitution to provide for public defense.....if you're not willing to spend the money necessary to defend the nation you profess to be a citizen of......then leave

I disagree with you, everybody and anyone body has a right to choose if they want to be here or not.

If you so strongly like you say you are, then you should join the US Military.

[Ukko]

because every nation needs a military in order to defend that nation against an aggressive one.....so that is why our founding fathers put that provision in the Constitution to provide for public defense.....if you're not willing to spend the money necessary to defend the nation you profess to be a citizen of......then leave

Niether i or s09119 said anything about not spending on defence, just cutting the budget to save some well needed money.
And, Iceland does not have a military, they've been fine for the past 1000 odd years.

[Rudy Pena]

Niether i or s09119 said anything about not spending on defence, just cutting the budget to save some well needed money.
And, Iceland does not have a military, they've been fine for the past 1000 odd years.

Well the cutting has already started. The US Army times says that the US Army will be cutting 49,000 troops.

[Col.Foley]

I agree, if we can find things to cut from the defense buget it should be explored.

[mad_gater]

Niether i or s09119 said anything about not spending on defence, just cutting the budget to save some well needed money.
And, Iceland does not have a military, they've been fine for the past 1000 odd years.

probably because just being in Iceland is a natural defense.....no enemy worth their salt would want to attack a nation that's always hovering near absolute zero....

[mad_gater]

Well the cutting has already started. The US Army times says that the US Army will be cutting 49,000 troops.

and that's where I disagree...they should be starting with things like the $5 million toilet seat before starting in on the troops

[Rudy Pena]

probably because just being in Iceland is a natural defense.....no enemy worth their salt would want to attack a nation that's always hovering near absolute zero....

Well Greenland has more ice than Iceland.

[Rudy Pena]

and that's where I disagree...they should be starting with things like the $5 million toilet seat before starting in on the troops

How would you know they cost that much?????? Do you even know how much it costs.