There is a giant elephant in our economic house that it seems no one will talk about.
Do you want an immediate, gigantic and continual economic stimulus to every person in the country?
Do you want the same for every business?
How about eliminating one of the most stressful and spirit-sapping conditions of our society?
It's simple--universal health care. If we passed a plan similar to Canada's, the economy would bounce back within a year.
If we don't, health care costs are estimated to go up 12% this year -- IN THE MIDDLE OF A RECESSION, when prices should be going down!
This is on top of the average 11,000$ that every family pays yearly. And that is if you are healthy.
Furthermore, health costs are destroying US business competitiveness, especially for small business but also for big ones like GM.
Why spend 900 billion giving people tax refunds? 900 billion would go a long way to starting a national system. Pull out of Iraq or cut down to 1000 nuclear warheads to make the rest of the money. It would be the gift that keeps on giving. I will spend that rebate check in a couple of days and forget I had it. Health care would be a huge boost to my bottom line throughout my life.
Let's not get into the silly arguments about a) long lines b) poor quality c) communism d) having the government make your health decisions for you. All of these are demonstrably false if you look at other nations (all of the Western world) with health care. Plus, we already have a screwed up corporate communism. Now, health insurance providers make us wait in line, deny us coverage, drive down the quality of coverage, drive up the cost, and make our health care decisions for us.
The US ranks 46th in life expectancy, behind Macau, Guam, Puerto Rico, Greece, Liechtenstein, Israel, Hong Kong, and Singapore, to name a few. And it is getting worse. But that is beside the point.
The main point -- undeniable -- is that the best economic stimulus we could pass would be universal health care, saving families and businesses on average 1/3rd of their operating expenses!
That is one giant elephant, just standing there, and no one has the guts to talk about it. (thanks, again, Reagan for brainwashing our country -- god forbid we have "socialism).
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Exactly. I want to know where these private health care plans are where you don't have excessive bureaucracy, long waits, and you do have choices. I'd get on that, except I don't have a choice... I am totally with you on this argument. National Health Care would solve lots of problems.
ReplyDeleteThe flaw with your idea is that they are borrowing the money now for the stimulus package. And they would have to borrow the money for universal healthcare every year until China stops allowing us to borrow. The country will have to pay and pay big in taking more of you money in taxes. You are saying that it will take away a burden it just will increase your burden because you will pay higher taxes then that premium you are paying. You are going to pay not just for you but all the people who don't pay taxes now. If you don't pay taxes then it is a great idea but it the folks who do that will have the problem.
ReplyDeleteGovernment will only waste more of your money and you will in the end pay more. Government solutions always cost more look at Social Security you pay gobs of money in and get very little back unless you live to be 200. Pay for yourself and not everybody else and you will find that you will pay a lot less.
Another problem with Health care system is the lack of technology when it comes to efficiency. All the paperwork back and forth causes wasted time and end the end wasted money. Technology can make the industry more efficient and more effective and less mistakes. This is how you make the industry more cost effective and lower costs.
As for all the other countries you mention ask them how much of there income they pay in taxes.
There is no need to pay more in taxes for it. If the bailout is not enough, cut the military budget. We spend more on the military than EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD COMBINED. It is ridiculous. We spend something like 40 billion a month in Iraq -- that is where my tax money goes.
ReplyDeleteAnd, with less to spend on health care, everyone has more to spend on other things-- more wages, more consumption, that leads tom more tax money without even raising the rate.
Thanks for your comments, though
Ok, so I looked it up. Enough tax arguments.
ReplyDeleteMany Canadians actually pay less than Americans
Canada: 15% up to $38,800, 22% up to $77,600, 26% up to $126,600, 29% over 126,200
USA: 15% up to $32,500 (notice, people who make between 38 and 32k a year pay less in Canada), 25% up to $78,800, 28% up to $164,550, and 33% up to $357,000 (notice, rich people pay less in canada, too)
I agree we need to cut defense spending because we are defending all these other countries. We need to let Canada defend itself but they can't. Our tax rate is higher because we are not just defending ourselves we defend the whole western civilization. Tax rates depend on what the government spends it money on and Canada does not spend on military spending so that is why their rates are lower not because of health care.
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