Is Universal health care the right thing to do for America?

Answer 1

Take a look at the rest of the technologically advanced Western societies which already have universal health care - their infant mortality rate is lower than that of the US, their drug addiction rates are lower than that of the US, etc.

Then, do a little research into home foreclosures in the United States - a large percentage of them result from exhorbant medical bills.

Anyone who says universal health care is a threat to individual liberty is deluded by big business propaganda. First of all, as taxpayers, we already subsidize medical research. Then, thanks to the powerful lobbying groups working for the medical and pharmaceutical industries, the government hands over that research to private hands who proceed to screw the public.

Further, when a poor person goes to a clinic and can't pay their bill, who do you think pays? That's right, the public.

So what's the alternative? If you ask the right wing libertarians and Republicans who are posting here, the answer is to let the "free market" take care of everything. If you have money for health insurance, great. If you don't, well, too bad for you.

To get a good understanding of the history of AMA and the medical/pharmaceutical industry in America, check out the award-winning book "The Social Transformation of American Medicine: The Rise of a Soverign Profession" by Paul Starr.

Then, if you're interested in seeing how free market economics and urbanization has effected health in the Third World (and ultimately here in the US), check out "The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance" by New York Times writer Laurie Garrett.

Answer 2

President Clinton may have gone about it the wrong way, but otherwise I don't see why health care shouldn't be a right and not a privileged only for those who can afford it. Let's face it, if you have a heart attack and someone calls 911 for you and makes sure you get to the hospital in time, are you thinking about how much this whole ordeal will cost you later? No. Assuming that you're not unconscious, you're thinking about getting treated fast and effectively so you don't die before your time. Of course, when you finally do receive the bill....

Answer 3

Hell no. It's a nice idea on paper, but it just can't work. The government has the midas touch. Well kind of, anyway. Everything they touch turns to crap. In America, the free market succeeds, the gov't impedes. Alway was, alway will be.
Let the market take care of itself. Health care is too important to let a bunch of irresponsible Marxists deciding how it is to be run.

Answer 4

Totally, it's time our government started spending all of our
tax money on something beneficial to society instead of
their pet projects.
I just heard Governer Rendall wants to raise the sales tax
to 7%. - Like him & his cronies don't already have over blown
salaries. Geez!

Answer 5

That seems irrelevant as the private health care industry in our country is far too powerful to let that happen.

Answer 6

Government would just mess it up worse. I prefer liberty.

Don't forget the millions of people who could buy health insurance but don't.

And the people who really can't afford health insurance, they are taken care of. Nobody bleeds to death in the street because they're poor.

Answer 7

"right" is subjective. Right in what sense? Morally, it would be "right" for people w/out heath insurance to get it.

Economically it may not be "right" as it will cost alot to implement.

Ultimately, it really depends on the plan which is divised, the costs, can we afford it, what it covers, what it doesn't, who is covered, etc. etc.