Flame — HabitableZone

Flame » in reply to Bush the Child Killer

You guys are all missing the point about Nationalized health care.
ER — (archived)

And opposition to National health care has nothing to do with efficiency, quality of care, or compassion for the poor, or fiscal responsibility either. Sure, the health care industry is phenomenally profitable and those who benefit from it don't ever want the cash flow to stop. But that doesn't explain the blanket resistance to it by so many other interests. The real issue is why does National Health pose such a threat to its opponents, even those who are not in the insurance or medical or pharmaceutical fields, that they vigorously seek out and attack any proposal, idea, legislation or even rumor about it?

This is what's really going on. We live in a prosperous country, and with a little foresight, financial discipline and common sense just about anyone can take steps to protect himself from most economic catastrophes. You may never get as good a job as the one you lose, and your standard of living may take a major hit, but you can always get something, enough to keep you and your family alive, with some shred of dignity.

But if you get sick, even something routine like an inflamed appendix or a kidney stone, no matter how frugal or responsible you are with your finances, you are facing ruin. Unless, of course, you just refuse to pay your bills, in which case they get passed on to the taxpayer and responsible healthcare consumer anyway. The health industry never loses, it just prospers, and raises its rates next year.

It is the fear of losing health coverage that keeps the working population so terrified of losing their benefits, or so desperate to get a job with some, that they will do anything and put up with anything to keep that coverage. This leads to a workforce that is under control, docile and intimidated and causing no problems for their employers. It keeps the unions in their place, too. And if their share of the company health plan gets too costly, there's always temps, outsourcing, downsizing, illegal workers or the threat of these things to keep things quiet in the cubicles. When you're young and invincible and personal insurance is cheap, you can tell 'em to stuff it and go get another job. When you are a little older and get a couple of medical close calls and dependants under your belt, the world suddenly looks very different. They've got you by the cojones and they know it. And they make sure you don't forget it, either.

TB is absolutely right when he says, "Nationalized health care isn't about health care. It's about political power. "

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