Saturday 3 October 2009

The debate in the USA about Health care or not to care

I have been following the Health Care debate in the USA from Rome, I am surprised at the level of animosity. The hate in some comments is palpable, racism also plays its part. The ignorance of the commentators may they be private citizens or media personality is astounding. Comparing the Obama administration with Nazi Germany (1933-45) or Soviet Russia (1917-1989) is laughable, do any of these experts or commentators have any idea what life was like under the Nazis, if Obama was a Nazi, he would have physically eliminated all opposition by now, that is what you do, there would not be one Republican left alive and families would have been rounded up, shot or imprisoned. News media closed down, Fox News gone, its commentators would have met a horrible death. Same in Soviet Russia, no opposition allowed, obviously commentators use such example to create a sensation, but it is sad because it preys on the ignorant masses and stirs up hysteria. All the President really wants to do is to allow every citizen access regardless of financial resources to medical help and treatment if required. Any country in the world with a responsible government wants this basic minimum for its citizens.

You cannot have democracy only for the rich, the well connected or the special interest group, it does not work, it creates tensions and social unrest in any country. Socialize medicine works in many countries, Canada, the UK, France, Scandinavia, etc.. citizens of those countries have a better standard of living because of it. What is difficult to understand in the American debate, why all the fear.

An economic study today shows that Norway has the highest living standard in the world, Canada is at no. 4 and the USA at no. 13. Food for thought really. Another fact Cuba, that little island 90 miles south of Florida has better health care overall and lower infant mortality than the USA and it is all free. I would say this is pretty shocking when you think of it.

I am an outsider looking at the USA and I can only shake my head and wonder where is the Land of the Free going with this internal negative debate. President Obama should be praised for wanting to implement this health care policy, not put down. Let's hope that the voice of reason will be heard.

4 comments:

  1. Amen from the middle of this big mess! The town-brawl meeting I went to was one of the most frightening things I've ever experienced. The anger, hatred, racism, and name calling was unbelievable.

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  2. The hateful rhetoric is truly beyond belief.
    As near as I can figure,a vocal fringe of people have decided it is better to remain ignorant and afraid,than risk having their tiny little worlds shattered by reason.

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  3. Everyone I've met who is terrified of "socialized medicine" has never spent time outside their country, except for those all-inclusive trips that rich folks take, where they never leave the compound built especially for tourists. Also, they've never spent time outside their own small minds ...

    I would go back to free Hungarian health care in a minute. Sure, they're still using glass IV bottles instead of those disposable bags, and their files might be on paper instead of on a computer, and the waiting room may look a sketchy US bus station, instead of having plushy $1000 chairs and a salt water aquarium, but ... doctors still make house calls there. For free. Women aren't pushed out the hospital doors hours after giving birth. Doctors seem to give a shit and aren't looking at their watches for the next appointment.

    My own deductible will triple in January, and my copays will double. My yearly cap will double or triple - can't remember which, and it doesn't really matter, as either is too much. And they wonder why people who HAVE health insurance won't go to the doctor? We can't friggin' afford it. Yeah, I'd go back to socialized medicine in a heartbeat if I could.

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  4. I really do not know how Americans do it in terms of Health care. Scary really.

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