Originally posted by Mysti-ken:
...And please tell me itââ?¬â?¢s not about maintaining a higher standard of healthcare for those who are fortunate enough to have access ââ?¬â?? because I have to say, when I boil all the arguments down to their essence, thatââ?¬â?¢s what Iââ?¬â?¢m hearing.



And this is what it is precisely about; better healthcare for the MAJORITY of the population instead of marginalizing healthcare for ALL through wholesale socialization to address the needs of a few. I don't believe in marginalizing quality to simply bring quantity to the masses, especially when there are better ways to address the need. If we take care of the issues that have begun to plague our healthcare industry, I would suggest that we could certainly lower the cost where it would become much more affordable.

Socializing medicine isn't going to solve the issues we need to reform, namely malpractice costs. Medical procedures haven't innately gone up in value; the RISKS associated with performing them in today's legal environment have and the insurance premiums have poked through the roof due to this. Drug costs are a seperate issue, though and one that needs to be saved for another time as it is a mess taken in conjunction with this.

Do I think everyone should have affordable healthcare? Yes. Do I think it should be a Constitutional right? No, because of the fashion in which it would be implemented. Given the mismanagement that a number of governemnt social programs have seen here in the US, why should I dare to risk my healthcare to the same effects of bureaucracy and governmental control, when the private industry version has worked in a very effective fashion for so long?

Again, "throwing the baby out with the bathwater" just isn't the right solution for the MAJORITY of the population here in the US. Lowering the bar so everyone qualifies isn't nearly as attractive to me as fixing the situations that are keeping more and more people from being able to reach the bar.

I fail to see where the Founding Fathers addressed socialized medicine, and I continually fail to see where government control has been a boon for the bulk of the population (take Social Security for just one example off the top of my head). The fact is that the BULK of the population will NEVER see even an EQUAL return of their investment in most government social programs.

Why is it in Canada that I've read that wait times for treatment is outrageous in some cases and some Canadian citizens are heading to the US for medical assistance? To better afford benefits for all of it's citizens, why has China lowered benefits across the board in the past years? Must I reiterate my own experience and that of others that I know about socialized medicine?

For the MAJORITY of the population, I firmly believe that not having an entirely government subsidized healthcare system is better, ultimately cheaper and effective in the long run. With the proper amount of attention paid to the legal and insurance climate that has absolutely spiked costs to outrageous proportions, I strongly believe that those left out would be able to afford it more than ever AND receive better treatment.

I think Churchill said it best:

"The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries."
-Sir Winston Churchill



Breaking the back of the insurance and litigation lobby in Washington would constitute the first steps towards creating an environment that can lower costs, in addition to putting limits on absolutely out-of-control liability costs.

Remember, all things being equal under a socialized medical program, liability and current damage statutes wouldn't change. Now we have the bulk of the US population now having to cover legal and malpractice costs that are hidden and redistributed through higher taxes.

No, I don't agree that having socialized medical coverage for all citizens is the way to proceed, given our successes with the private sector. While it may look good on paper and make everyone feel good, I have grave concerns turning something like this over to conservative or liberal politicians...

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