By now we should be aware that President Obama’s Marxist heart is in the right place. He has proven that with most decisions he has made. It appears with each piece of legislation that travels down Pennsylvania Avenue to The Capitol Building it is wrapped with love. However, socialistic love is not always the answer to complex issues such as healthcare.Is it love that ‘persuades’ America’s emergency room administrators to treat everyone who walks through the doors with a non-emergency and NO insurance? Is it love that motivates a pharmacist to give a sick man a few pills until his insurance kicks in?
I want to believe that love is the reason.
I also want to jump on the free healthcare for all Americans bandwagon…but I cannot for two reasons. I will list my justifications/positions in the form of a question:
*Why in the world should we trust our government to manage a system as critical as healthcare when our elected and appointed officials have proven that they are not the best managers of governmental affairs e.g. social security and national security?
*Why should the government GIVE free health insurance/healthcare to Americans who do not value their health?
Both questions are among my critical analysis in the recent discussion that’s playing out in the news. What stands out the most for me is that the White House is pushing forward with a plan that may not consider my second concern. The first concern is not an issue for me considering our government is horrendously incapable of managing/protecting its citizen’s life benefits and human rights.
Yes, I am aware that there is a minor focus on preventive health measures in the three thousand page proposal. Nonetheless, there is no emphasis on personal responsibility: Taking care of yourself.
I would like to see some thoughtful discussion that will lead to regulation on what can be done to encourage people to do the right thing when it comes to the management of their health e.g. do NOT provide coverage for those who neglect their health or require somewhat of a ‘litmus test’ (medical physical) before coverage is granted. Of course if the uninsured does not pass the test he/she needs to receive medical guidance with strict goals/objectives so he/she can gain the government’s social benefit.
What do you think?
Paying for healthcare for all the uninsured is costly. Perhaps we will have a healthier nation if we move in this direction. Perhaps this will be another waste of money.
We have to admit that this nation has not done what is best along the lines of staying healthy. Some of us don’t even go to the doctor until it is too late. Also, this country has made it extremely difficult to eat healthy e.g. the high price of fruits and vegetables.
Written by Brian E. Payne.
Organizing for America BarackObama.com Health Care
To Pay for Health Care, Obama Looks to Taxes on Affluent - NYTimes.com
6 comments:
Reader Response:
I would love to see free health care for all Americans. However, you are correct. It would be far too expensive given the fact that America does not promote a healthy lifestyle. This past Sunday CBS Sunday Morning did a story on a restaurant that proudly promoted an extraordinarily unhealthy menu - The Heart Attack Grill in Arizona (See below). The reporter made light of it as though it was a joke. He ate the quad hamburger (8,000 calories). Their french fries are cook in lard and the provide no salads.
Countries that provide free or nearly free health care have healthy, normal weight, and in shape citizens in all age groups. Only when they allow Burger King, etc. to enter their countries do they start to see a rise in weight gain and other serious health issues. More American are starting to go vegetarian. Washington, DC was recently recognized as the fittest city in America. This is good news for DC, but their needs to be total focus on healthy living in the USA.
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The menu includes "Single", "Double", "Triple", and "Quadruple Bypass" hamburgers[1], ranging from 0.5 to 2 lb (0.23 to 0.91 kg) of beef (up to about 8000 calories), "Flatliner Fries" (cooked in pure lard), unfiltered cigarettes, beer and liquor, and soft drinks such as Jolt cola and Mexican Coke made with real sugar.[2] Customers over 350 lb (160 kg) in weight eat for free if they weigh in with a doctor or nurse before each burger. Beverages and to-go orders are excluded and sharing food is also not allowed for the free food deal.[3]
-DW
Reader Response:
Healthcare is a right not a privilege!!! Healthcare is a bas ic human right much like decent housing, employment, education and the opportunity to make independent political decisions. AmeriKa, has for generations taken away the rights of humans and have hoodwinked the general population and the world into thinking that only those who are wealthy should eat, be healthy, have a decent place to live, gain education and the opportunity to work. Capitalism the ideology that governs the healthcare system is banking on the fact that people will continue to develop HIV, Diabetes, Hypertension, obesity, cancer and the list goes on. These companies make billions off of people who are chronically ill. Prevention is generally not funded by these larger health care companies because it means that you do not contract HIV; then you won’t need a life-time of medication that makes these companies rich.
Does AmeriKa need universal health care coverage? Absolutely, however lets ask ourselves how comprehensive will it be. What will health coverage do for someone who is unemployed, illiterate, and has no access to resources (both material and=2 0immaterial)? This society is driven off the premise that there are those who have and those who have not. Capitalism is a system that is driven by the advanced of a few while the rest are exploited. If you don’t believe me ask the Rockefellers’, or the Openheimers.
However, universal healthcare is on the agenda so let’s examine why individuals would not want to support such a measure. Some believe that they individually will be footing the bill for those who are going to be gaining health coverage. Generally, these individuals are working and somehow think that those who are employed are the only people who pay taxes. Everyone regardless of their employment status pays taxes. There is not a single thing I can think of that does not have an associated tax. So the notion that if you are employed you are going to be the martyr for those who do not have health insurance is nothing short of absurd.
It is immoral to think that just because someone is not in tip top shape that they are ignoring their health. What caused a person living in a neighborhood with no groceries stores to ignore their health? Could it be the fact that they do not have access to food that is healthy? Could it be that they are living on a limited budget and can only afford to buy canned and boxed food? Let’s ask ourselves if you have $5.00 to feed 5 people are you going to be travel to whole foods and buy one vegetable item or are you going to go to the closest store (which is often a liquor store or second rate grocery store) and buy food that has a high fat and salt content. Or are you going to go the McDonalds and get food off the dollar menu? Not having access to the resources needed to eat properly drastically impacts a person’s health. Furthermore, if a person is trying to escape from the reality of their oppression are they really going to be concerned about their heal th? Many people are living day to day and hand to mouth, this harsh reality dictates that their primary concern is how to get through the day. This may mean that they turn to participating in unhealthy habits, which could included eating, drinking or using controlled substances.
Everyone values their health, but the reality is everyone depending on their socioeconomic status does not have access to resources to properly maintain their health. Prevention is the key to a healthy individual and but access is limited to those who can pay and those who “AmeriKa” deems worthy to access care. What happens if you loose your job today? What health insurance will you have? Will your position change when you are one of the millions of people who do not have access to see a doctor until you cannot manage the pain?
-MF
Muata responds to MF:
Barack Obama is on his way to wholesale socialism. Not that I have too much of a problem with it - but this mode of operation is going to get him killed. If not killed severely marginalized because he will NEVER change the ways of this capitalistic beast, America. This country feeds of what's in place: Capitalism. The Have Nots will never Have as long as we sit around and do nothing.
Doing nothing is not eating right. Watching mindless television. Not studying. Going to church. And, other ridiculous THINGS.
Health care is not a human right in my book. I pay for it and those who are capable should pay. And, I do not care to have some wealthy person pay my way if I lose my job. Actually, I ate better when I was unemployed.
If I was forced to make a choice to grow a garden or go to McDonalds I would grow a garden. That is taking some personal responsibility for my health. In the final analysis in Ameica most folk have a choice to live or die. Too many of us are choosing death with every aspect of our lives. INCLUDING making healthy food choices.
Instead of going to local package store to get a can of corn, why not become a part of a community gardening program? I just read a story on one in DC. The people who joined made a choice to instead of taking their 5 bucks to the carryout. We all have a choice. If the we cannot get immediate results: ORGANIZE to come up with a better way of life.
No more e xcuses from me. I am aware of the forced unfairness. Nonetheless, people need to chose life over death or rebel against the sponsored destruction. We ain't ready to die for what's right so I should not even expect to rebel. We are cowards. Tired azz punks...The men and women in Iran as I speak are rebeling.They are my week's heroes. Americans...again COWARDS. We will not force our government to do right by the people.
"Everyone values their health..."
You can't be serious. Crack heads know that the crack is killing them. Most folk who eat at Burger King every day know that the burger is clogging their arteries.
I expect PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY from each of us. Even the poor. I did when I lived in poverty. Why? I made a choice to live.
Rage Against the Machine or Die.
We are dead if we continue to spend a dollar on a value fry instead of going to by an apple!
-Muata
MF responds to Muata:
HEALTH CARE IS A HUMAN RIGHT!!!!!
-MF
Reader Response:
Brotha Payne, what the deal?
Sorry for this LATE response to your complexity of coverage blog, was vacationing in Orlando.
Anyway, your right! We can't really trust our gov't to run anything but HELL (I ask you) as an adult who understands our current health system WHAT management skills have the insurance / drug companies demonstrated to you? I say give the people the lessor of BOTH evils. You have to take the power out of those companies hands because when health service or lack thereof is predicated on a dollar, there will always be profound abuse of the system (not saying your gov't isn't).
To this stance: Why should the government GIVE free health insurance/healthcare to Americans who do not value their health?
Because its a proven system for every other moderned civilized nation. I have a friend whose from the UK and to witness the simplicity of their system is truely AMAZING! Why can't we? Now don't get me wrong the price is HEAVY and I am no advocate of taxes (which UK and countries as such have) but you can't put a dollar value on LIFE!!
-AC
Muata responds to AC:
They have demonstrated how to make a profit in a capitalistic society. Not saying that I agree, but in the Great United States it is about makin money at all cost. No one is immune to getting cheated and played. This includes the sickly and elderly. And that's the way it is! America has allowed for this to occur.
I defintely do not trust the US government to manage my health care. No way. They have squandered my social security benefit. If we had honest and decent civilian men/women in place to handle the health care system I would select them over the gov any day.
You ain't ready to be taxed like they are in the UK and Canada. Are you?
Also, I believe if one smokes 5 packs a cancer sticks a day they should not be covered by a free system.
-Muata
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