Why is it that we give money to Israel and they have universal free health-care, but we in America dont?

Question

We have a larger population = larger tax base
We give them aid and grants

Answer 1

Good question. Israel gets grants on a yearly basis from the United States at a tune of around 4 billion a year. Supposedly this is to help maintain the Israel military.
In a ways, this is true. For the U.S. budget, this is not that much from our pot. Why Israel? Because the country itself is an excellent strategic military point in case the Russians every attack (cold war, remember?). We would be able to mobilize a quick defensive on Israeli territory to counter the Russians.
Of course, that was then, this is now. The reasoning now is to counterbalance the Arab/Muslim threat. Since the Israelis have more in common with us, they can be used to keep the Arabic countries in line. It's all a political, and strategic alliance, and this costs money like all political situations.
As for their free health care, it's possible some of our grants pay for this, but more likely the citizens 60% income tax rate pays into it pretty well. I guess we should'nt complain too much about our own tax system.

Answer 2

First off Israel is our only (real) friend in the middle east. The country was set up after WWII by the newly formed United Nations. Their healthcare system and the way in which their democratic government works has no bearings on the reasons we give them money. The fact is they have always been a strategic partner in the middle east. Also it is no secret that every country that surrounds them has attacked them without provocation and hope inhalation befalls them, simply because they are a nation controlled by a Jewish run government. As for "why don't we have free health care"? We are a Democratic Republic that has in it's roots capitalism. "A historic rational of working for what one needs". This is good to an extent but leaves allot of underprivileged people out. There is fear from a great deal of tax paying people, that free health care will break the system. And they are right "if" the program is not put together very carefully. In most countries with free health care, their budget is in trouble. I could go on in more detail but it could take hours.

Answer 3

In general, in the U.S., all of the major health care providers, be they MD, the actual hospitals, pharmacies, etc, are against government run health care. First, the payments received are below the true price for care. MDs have to limit the number of medicare/medicade patients otherwise, they will go bankrupt. To make things worst, the time for them to provide payment is very bad. For Illinois medicade, the average reimbursement time is 3-4 months.
For universal health-care, you would have to increase tax rates significantly. Medicare is within a decade of going broke. What would end up happening is a two tiered health care system. Those with private insurance or can afford to pay the extra cost, and for people who just have the government's insurance.

Answer 4

KFC, if the US went to a universal free health-care as you mentioned, would you being to give up more than 50% of your gross income because thats what happens in Canada. So you have to ask this free well is it free? Your still paying for it with more taxes out of your income. I say keep it as it is, find a good job that offers health care options.

Answer 5

Because the AMA is a BIG fish in the political game. Why take the money away from them?? That would mean taking the money away from the political candidates they back.

If you look at the places that the healthcare is paid for by their government, then you will see a country where doctors are not the high paid professionals that they are in the country where medical care is a big money maker. Also, the insurance industry would go ape sh!t about it - that is where their money comes from, too.

Answer 6

Health care would go to hell. There would be waiting periods of months to see a doctor and extremely long waits to get basic surgery. Time was when the minor injuries and sicknesses were taken care of at home. Now, people that have insurance go to the doctor for a hangnail. What do you think would happen if EVERYONE could go to the doctor for a hangnail?

Answer 7

You don't have to go all the way to Israel to complain about the benefits we don't have and others do. Just look at any government job, I 'm talking about city, county, state and federal levels. These poge's are sucking the system dry, while ordinary citizen's do without. This democracy thing is starting to get a vile odor about it.

On top of all that, they want us to send our son's and daughter's to defend democracies. You know, like Iraq, where the Islamist's overrule sectarian government.

Answer 8

A lot of people do not want a free health care system - including many doctors and patients. Israel has always been more socialist than the U.S.

Answer 9

"Free Healthcare" ain't free, albert.

Canadians routinely come to the US to get procedures done that can take up to a YEAR to get in Canada.

Anything our Government tries to "manage" is usually ineffective, expensive and inefficient. Look at Veteran Medical Care, Social Security and welfare.

Answer 10

We aren't giving them aid for health care. We are giving them aid to help them defend themselves against Islamofascists.