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"Would Americans accept 'Socialized Medicine'?" asks Princeton economist Uwe Reinhardt in the...
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Sunday, August 5, 2012, 6:29 AM ET"Would Americans accept 'Socialized Medicine'?" asks Princeton economist Uwe Reinhardt in the NYT. They already do - "the vast health system" that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs operates, which Reinhardt describes as the "purest form of socialized medicine." The VA system is also one that neither political party would ever seek to privatize.
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The quote fails to articulate the level of care the VA provides our wounded warriors. VA operated facilities would stand no chance of surviving in the competitive private arena.Unfortunately many VA patients have not the resources for a better care facility, and are relegated to this "government option".
Our fighting men and women deserve better.
their fair share of taxes.
"FIRST"... Why are you calling me a tax cheat?
What makes you think individuals and industry owners (which I am both) are dishonest?
Why didn't you write... honest tax payers money misspent by government?
Have you donated to the Disabled American Vets lately?
I am trying to point out that most people with small businesses or file itemized tax returns, typically liberally take off tax write offs (Leona Helmsley abuses).
That is above the generosity the govt already gives that sector to reduce their taxes.
Other matters is the fragrant abuse of govts misspending.
I was just trying to point out that many Americans have this "holier than thou" complex.
There was a young lady at the farmer's market collecting at the Ferry Building for vets yesterday.
My mother fund raises for disabled vets, and I have volunteered at the VA hospital in Palo Alto.
Following tax code abusive?
Citizens with complexes?
Government generosity to small business?
Charitable contributions are deductible..Does this make the contributor holier than thou?
I'm asserting that a significant portion of tax payers, on top of the generosity of the govt, knowingly commit deficient tax returns.
no need to respond to this post, my original post was clear enough.
Please explain clearly what "government generosity" means from the point of view of... taxpayers at the top, middle and at or near the bottom.
He injured his leg.
He waxed poetic bout how stellar the care he received was, by a physician who handled professionally competitive athletes - i.e top tier specialist.
From the comments here on SA you'd get the impression Canada's healthcare was terrible, but most of the anecdotes I hear are positive.
http://bit.ly/OBRtvF
http://cbsloc.al/MXrGCf
The founding fathers were aware of this danger, the temptation to have a "higher power" solve their problems. The danger of true democracy, or the rule of the majority, which would trample the interests of the individual, local, and state governments. The idea that the federal government should be given the mandate to insure fairness, in all areas, that is should guarantee happiness, rather than the pursuit of happiness, is the most important tipping point this country has yet faced.
The fundamental question everyone should ask, is not which presidential candidate will do more for them, or which one will maintain or grow the entitlements, or which will support the public sector or the private sector more. The important question, is which candidate is most interested in supporting the principles of the American republic. Which candidate appreciates how far this country has "evolved" from those principles since the start of the "War on Poverty" fifty years ago. After all that time and something like $16T spent on the every increasing entitlement system, all we've managed to do is marginalize the American family and the American drive to succeed. We now face a new form of poverty, one of the spirit. With every new expansion of the Federal government into our lives, we become increasingly morally bankrupt.
From what we have read, which is not that much, the VA system actually does work reasonably well. Not perfect as nothing ever is but reasonably well. And they certainly have some very traumatic and complex medical issues to deal with for severely wounded vets.
Let's not even mention the unusual mental health needs of combat veterans.
If we were truly to address health CARE, it might be along the lines of local health clinics with referral privileges to specialists. Perhaps young physicians could retire college loans working in those clinics. We are barely opening the topic.