Remember we're taking part in that war too. And our economy isn't as large in the end as the US' either.
You guys aren't experiencing the defecit that we are though. We're already so far into the hole, that something like universal healthcare would just screw us over even more. By the way, how are you love? I miss you. Haha <3
I'm not entirely versed in how the US economy is at the moment, so I really can't comment. I just find it weird a "little" country like Australia can afford what basically amounts to public healthcare, and the US can't lol. Get on Meebo?
The United States would be (and will be) able to afford public healthcare if our leaders would stop waging pointless wars. You seriously compared how Canada's healthcare system works to a nonexistent system in the U.S. and claimed it wouldn't work because they'd take a third of your money from taxes. You don't know that's how it's going to work. They're not just going to say, "BLAMMO, here's healthcare, but give us half your money." They'll devise a plan so it works, especially if there's a determined Barack Obama in office. It wouldn't even happen right away, but it would eventually, especially if they start taxing people based on their income, because the richest always get tax breaks (which is FUCKING BULLSHIT) when the little people have to pay more.
The health care system of the United States is antiquated, inefficient, expensive, and downright shitty. The people who take the brunt of its negative effects are the working class. People who make too much money to be eligible for medicaid, but not enough to afford commercial health care. Having to stay at the hospital for a few days shouldn't be something that puts you into a mountain of debt that takes you years to get out of. So what is someone to do when they don't have insurance, but need medical attention? They go to the ER. I'm sure a few people on here can attest to how outrageously expensive that is without insurance. If everyone was insured, people wouldn't have to go that route and tons of money would be saved. Our health care system is broken, and reform is LONG overdue. We're the worlds wealthiest country, but somehow we can't afford something that every other industrialized nation has? Bullshit. Our leaders aren't doing their fucking jobs. End of story.
The problem with the first thing you said, is that, even though we're in a war, we're going to be in it for a while. Universal healthcare cannot work if we're still in a war, which we will be for a while longer. We can't just pull all the troops out now; that's suicide. And yes, I did compare it to Canada, because that's a healthcare system that's in effect, and it is certainly something that you CAN compare it to. Whatever the amount they take for universal healthcare, I guarantee that you will be paying the same as, or most likely more for other people's health, than you would for one operation. It just seems so silly, especially after you were saying how you're still hurting financially from an operation. What do you think universal healthcare will do? Take MORE of your money to help the people that can't afford it. They say universal healthcare like it's free, and when you get operations done, yeah, it's free, but you'll be paying the same as or more as you would to begin with in taxes for said healthcare. It just seems silly to me. However, I do agree with Tim that something needs to be done to reform healthcare, but I strongly feel that universal healthcare is NOT the answer.
A bit off topic, but for anybody who continues to believe the lies that have been spread around about Barack Obama's birthplace, full name and religion, Here is his birth certificate: http://images.dailykos.com/images/user/3/BO_Birth_Certificate.jpg This is a direct scan of the paper itself. Take that, idiots.
I realize you're trying to make your point, and I understand it, but you're talking as if they're just going to take half our paychecks. You don't know that that's how it's going to work. Plus I never said it'd work the first time around. It's obviously going to take a long time before anything even remotely like universal healthcare happens. I still think first they need to figure out how a doctor gets off charging $100,000 for an operation...
I loved my dad's response to McCain's quote on free healthcare: "Man, if this was the 1960's, there'd be a million hippies lined up at the Canadian border by this time tomorrow."
Sorry, but I think regarding the $52,000 tax on a $100,000 income, there's something up with that. Either that person is lying, the Canadian government is keeping a shitload of that for itself, or Canadians are going to the doctor almost every day. We have universal healthcare, and we're not paying anywhere near that much in tax, nor does our government bankrupt itself doing this. And before anyone says "but Canada has more people", yes they do. More people to go to the doctor and claim on healthcare, but also more people paying tax, so per capita you'd think they'd be the same.
My history teacher was talking to us about universal healthcare in Canada and he said that they take 52% of the income. I imagine he's correct since he's telling all his classes that, and he is a very intelligent man. Will: I understand what you mean. Just seems to me that Uni healthcare would just be such a pain in that ass for everyone, financially. And I very strongly agree that operations cost WAY too much, and that something does need to change.
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tax/individuals/faq/taxrates-e.html I suggest your history teacher learns how to use Google before lecturing his class to make sure what he's about to say is factually accurate
Not much to do with the subject right now, but I thought this video someone made on youtube fits this thread. [youtube]jLbEmm6rtDM[/youtube]
Australia has quite a good public healthcare system, we're in the same war, as well as a million different peacekeeping operations every year, and we're fine. It's an excellent system, which hasn't caused us to go bankrupt, and in the end our economy is still weaker than the USA. So basically... What Daniel said.
Also, I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but in the US, if you're working full time and have healthcare through your employer, you're paying for it. They'll take money out of each paycheck for your health insurance plan. Then, you still have to pay copays anytime you see a doctor, go to the hospital, or get a prescription filled. The deduction from your paycheck is essentially a tax. It doesn't go to the government, but for all intents and purposes, it's a tax. So with the US system, you pay this "tax" then still pay everytime you go to the doctor, or with other systems around the world, you pay the tax and don't pay an extra single dime when you go to the doctor.
Right now, they are just starting to set the tone of their campaign. This early, i really can't tell which i would side with, but i am leaning towards obama. Furthermore, the GOP base is not even warming up to mccain (of course, i could be wrong) and even though it's still early in the game, this just proves to show how we see our candidates to-date. i know i will get burned for this, but i think mccain is a warmonger. i get the impression that he doesn't care to what happens to our troops in the middle east and the other parts of the world. Can’t we just all get along? i think it is time for a purification; i think it is time for a change; i think it is time for obama time. Now that the candidates are set for the US Presidential Election, Barack Obama and John McCain are beginning to set the tone for their campaign. Looking at their most recent speeches in http://pollclash.com , what do you think about what you hear?