I would vehemently urge the majority of Americans with health insurance to think -- to truly think -- about the 47 million Americans who do not have the much-needed safety net of health insurance. As an American who has enjoyed the much-needed safety net of health insurance for most of my 51 years of age, I cannot understand how the majority of real Americans can continue to refuse this much needed safety net to all -- I repeat, all -- Americans!
I constantly hear the conservative Democrats and Republicans bring up the matter of cost. I ask them: What about the hundreds of billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars that went to ultra-rich Wall Streeters, bankers and the automobile companies? Are these ultra-rich people any more American than the 47 million true Americans who suffer without the much-needed safety net of health insurance?
Please, especially at this holiday season, please remember the 47 million Americans without health insurance and realize that the time for true health-care reform is now!
Timothy Monroe Bledsoe, North Augusta, S.C.
Comments
"What about the hundreds of billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars that went to ultra-rich Wall Streeters, bankers and the automobile companies?" We conservative dems and repubs did not want the bailouts or the stimulus packages any more than we want the healthcare package. They were forced on us just like the health will be.
Who decides who is the less fortunate? Some choose to be the less fortunate. Some choose to sneak across the borders.
You can get instant medical insurance at the lowest price from http://bit.ly/7jAGD3
See Cloward-Piven/obama
47 million?!?!?! Where did that number come from? Wow, get another pitcher of kook aid and warm up that pipe....
Tim, of the 47million you refer to, 35million won't be Americans until the bill passes, making them instant citizens. And, if your tax bill goes up $15k/yr, will you enjoy the safety net of the ultra expensive private insurance that will exist after this silly plan is instituted? As a government school graduate, have you considered any type of thought beyond mantra chanting?
Mr. Bledsole, you avoid saying how we can pay for it by bringing up past mistakes. The well is dry, fini. We are printing money dropping in value like gold thrown off a mountain. It's going to cost a Zimbabwe-like million dollars for an aspirin when the effect of this spending hits.
EVERYONE in this country is born with the same opportunities. Some people choose not to take advantage of them or make poor decisions. Others work hard and achieve....and are demonized by those who want to confiscate their money and give it to those who didn't achieve.
Americans are struggling and healthcare is beyond the reach of many people. Even those with insurance have seen their premiums steadily increasing over the last fifteen years and rising cost may push healthcare insurance beyond their ability to pay. National healthcare is sorely needed and long overdue in our nation. We're the only affluent democracy in the world without it. Hypocrite conservative wail about cost but other countries afford healthcare for their people and the United States can too. Cost is not the problem! The problem is a lack of WILL in our greedy society where the almighty dollar come first and you get yours and don't bother mine. In some respects our country has never evolved beyond our frontier mentality. Many see themselves as rugged independent souls struggling and succeeding in the face of adversity. And they have contempt for the lesser crud who's failed along the path or didn't try hard enough.
And gasp thinks this guv'mint healthcare isn't going to cost us more and he wants to compare us to other countries? Every other country envies our country. Our guv'mint programs are going broke and libs want to add more to our debt. How do they think we can sustain this spend, spend mentality? We have the highest unemployment in over 25 yrs and the highest debt and libs make healthcare a priority. This should tell you about the mentality of libs. If you're not concerned - You're not paying attention...
Be wary of the shawnkempf28 post. It appears on discussion boards all across the US. The same http appears from other users as well. This has SCAM written all over it.
National healthcare is NOT needed. Personal responsibility is what is needed. "cost is not the problem" "rising cost may push healthcare insurance beyond their ability to pay"...........which is it? You can't help the poor by making everyone poor. HOW DO YOU INTEND TO PAY FOR THIS MONSTROSITY? Once you get everyone to pay for your health insurance, what's next? Car insurance? A car? A house? Your food? Man up and take care of yourself for a change. And yes....I have contempt for those who didn't try hard enough....especially when they DEMAND the same benefits as those who did.
You're right Techlover.....looks like a data miner.
Tim: what you don't seem to understand is that with the current healthcare reform proposal not only will the poor have less access to life saving healthcare, you also will NOT get the same level of care that you get now. Vast amounts of Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements to healthcare providers will be cut to pay for the "reform", therefore many clinics, doctors offices, and hospitals WILL either drastically reduce services or more likely close. This will lead to long wait times and in most cases rationing of services. Drink the koolaid if you want, but there will be no one to save you in the end.
Tigger_The_Tiger - All the other affluent democracies can afford national healthcare for people and I'm sure we're just as smart as they are! Surely they have irresponsible people too but that doesn't deter them.
It is estimated that the new health care proposal will only bring 9% more Americans under health care, but this health care bill will ultimately effect 100% of Americans. The payments start immediately if the bill passes, but the insurance coverage will not begin until 2013. Like paying for a new car, but receiving it 3-4 years later, saying it didn't cost anything??? Fuzzy math in action!!
All the affluent democracies you mentioned afford rationed and substandard healthcare...that's why they come HERE when they get real sick. Why can't you just pay your own way? Is equal protection not a good thing anymore? If you like those affluent democracies so much...why are you still here?
Look at the guv'mint drug users, alcholics, illegals and the obese that we have in our country that get guv'mint assistance while abusing the system. Do other countries have the level of abuse that our country maintains? The prezbho admin says there is so much abuse in our systems. Why not work on fixing the abuse, getting people back to work and fixing our economy before this incompetent guv'mint adds more debt?
getalife - You said: start paying immediately but you don't get the car until 3-4 years later! Have you noticed the popularity of this business way? It you're a Georgia Power customer, you'll immediately start paying increasing amounts on your bill but it'll be ten or more years from now before you get any electricity from their brand new nuclear plant.
gaspringwater on Sat Nov 28, 2009 7:35 AM Yes, and most other democracies inforce immigration laws and ration care. It has been pointed out about a million times CANCER SURVIVAL RATES ARE HIGHER IN THE US because we do not ration and our system isn't so over whelmed it takes two years to get a mamogram and biopsy.. Read reports the neglect of elderly and other problems with the British system before you spout off...The recent guidlines for breast cancer screening are just the opening shot of Obumbler care...These folks can't run a web page and you want to make them responsible for your health care?
Apples and oranges gasp......the cost of building a power plant will go away...the cost of Healthcare will NOT go away..and without that 3-4 year delay in benefits, it will be unsustainable...but sustainable enough for those who care nothing about you to trick you into voting for them again.
Tigger_The_Tiger - You said: All the affluent democracies you mentioned afford rationed and substandard healthcare. Well that's a popular American belief. But being calling them "substandard" is a stretch and that accusation is not substantiated by statistics compiled by the World Health Organizations ( WHO ). Rationed healthcare you say? Private insurance companies have always did this. I gather you're a VA ward and may not be familiar private insurance companies. Other people will know what I'm talking about if they've ever had a pre-approved medical procedure disallowed by their insurance company.
If your beloved rutabaga has been on a respirator in ICU for over a month, we probably don't need to spend another million dollars on her exit scene. She's a rutabaga. If we purchased healthcare wisely, it would cost less and become much more efficient. But how could such a system possibly benefit hospitals or the pharmaceutical and insurance industries, not to mention the legions of CPAs and clerks it takes to sustain it. But pull the plug on grandma? Why, Virginia, I'd as soon shoot Santa Claus right between the eyes. Except this isn't and never again will be grandma. This thing with the meter running is a rutabaga.
Thank you, belle! You get my vote.
We should not pass this health care bill because of all of the flaws in the bill. What Americans need to understand is that health care is currently provided to everyone regardless of whether they have an insurance plan or not! Every hospital which receives federal funding are MANDATED to provide health care....the hospital can not turn you away, as evidenced by illegal Hispanic aliens birthing their babies (who are given U.S. Citizen status), and this is a huge problem which has never been addressed. Any legislator who votes for the Obama plan should be voted out of their office in 2010!
gaspringwater, maybe this is breaking news to you, but we are not an "affluent" democracy. We are broke, it debt up to our eyeballs, and printing money everyday to try to prevent economic collapse. We have allowed for to many people to be a burden on the rest of us for too long. At some point we are going to have to stop the spending and require everyone who can, to step up to the plate to take care of themselves and those who cannot. Those who chose not to can do without. And since cost is not an issue to you, how many families do you out of the goodness of your heart buy insurance for? Or do you just believe the government is the solution to all problems?
taxed - How about using "effluent" democracy (vice Representative Republic which we are)?
gaspringwater - What is the unemployment rate in the European nations with Government rationed healthcare? How many people are on welfare in these countries? What is the income tax rates of these countries? Why do people come to this country in droves for medical care if the care is so great in other countries? How many people from the US go to Europe or Africa for medical care? What is wrong with personal responsibility? Why should I, or any other hard worker, be responsible for the health care of anyone who can afford to buy health insurance but won't or responsible for anyone who refuses to get a job and work?
taxedtodeath - I understand your concern for rising debt but you know we can whack down the most gross defense spending on planet earth and straighten up our national finances. Other countries afford national healthcare because they don't waste their resources on military spending.
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