Why do people on this site think universal healthcare is associated with communism?

Question

They only country thought of as being communist that also has UH is Cuba. China is thought of as being communist and they certainly don't have UH.

Where is this crock coming from?

Reaganite- Neither N Korea or China have universal health care. S Korea does though.

I know people talk about socialism too, but that's not my point. There are a ton on here talking about COMMUNISM.

Answer 1

It is indeed a crock what you witness here on a daily basis. Of course, those who stand to make a buck from privatized health care would be spouting the "communist" poison ... that is yet another swiftboating piece in their campaign of fear.

The concept of an universal healthcare for every man, woman, and child is a socialized approach to creating a creating a much better and all-inclusive system ... and thus, loosely it is "socialism".

Communism partially involves socialism ... and so, the lobbyists, and self-serving healthcare corporations push the concept of Communism ... aka the arms race ... the Red menace ... Kruchev stating "We will bury you". to scare the daylights out of the uninformed and timid ... aka, the Republican base.

Communism as a form of government had some real problems and could be called a failure. But communism involves two components ... totalitarianism (which by nature is strict and oppressive) and Socialism (social programs for the betterment of all)

It was Totalitarianism that led to the long downslide and eventual collapse of the U.S.S.R ... Socialism was the glue that kept it all together for as long as it did.

So the republican strategy to kill any of the democrats initiatives at health care reform is this: Universal healthcare = Communism = bad ... and the uniformed minions swallow it like cotton candy, when in reality they get sick and die too, and thus are victims of the same lie.

I believe universal health care is exactly what this country needs. Health care for everyone is a basic human right.

Answer 2

While hiding in fear under their beds from the war(having to join it -that is) the repubs need other bogeyman to keep them properly frightened.
And 9 out of 10 are scared beyond belief by two things:
1) Communism (though it's long been gone).
2) Hilary Clinton - and the fear she may be right about Health Care.
Never wanting to admit to that - so what do they do? Mash health care and communism together so they get a double-whammy dose of being paranoid over nothing.........

Answer 3

If you listen to some people, almost anything the government does is socialism or communism. They are brainwashed with illogical propaganda. We have health care for the poor and for the elderly. Other capitalist countries, in Western Europe, for instance, cover all of their people and they are certainly not communist.

It makes sense that all Americans receive proper health care and it can probably save us money long-term. Preventive care and early detection can avoid worse illness and suffering, as well as many monumental costs later on.

Answer 4

I think that it is percieved as communistic . Communism is a stricker form of socialism ?

There is a lot of PR against it.

Think about the mess that states have made of mandatory insurance for automobiles. The idea is right , but there are a lot of hands that dip into it. It does not really help that many people on the common level. The DMV, COURT SYSTEM< ATTY< COPS and INSURANCE COMPANIES are all profiting in the case of auto insurance.

I suspect health care coverage would be the same ?

Answer 5

Because big Pharma and the HMOs want the idea dead, by whatever means it takes. Paranoia is a huge moneymaker and mountain-mover for them.

My local editorial cartoonist says it best:

http://davies.lohudblogs.com/2007/08/21/the-health-care-debate/


They simply have their guard dogs, political and otherwise, paint the pro-UHC side's ideas with the notion of the "Red Menace" because it's sure to still garner public outrage.

Answer 6

Because universal health care in practice is the same thing as nationalizing that industry. The nationalization of industry was a key tenet of Socialism, which stated that free enterprise can not provide enough for the general welfare of the people, so only through central government planning can the industry be more equitable.

The history of nationalized industry is one of stangation, at best. At worst, the industry deteriorates. Compare that to the nationalized industries of Communist Russia. When the USSR collapsed in 1991, most of the factories used in Communist production were the same ones that were being used when they were nationalized in the 1920's.

For every other industry, nationalization proved to be its death knell, falling far behind its free-market counterparts in other nations. So what makes Health Care so different?

And Health care in Canada and England is in shambles. Waiting periods that last months. Chronic shortages. The well connected being better off than the not-so-well connected. The American system is not free; it more closely resembles Fascism: which is basically state-sponsored corporatism; which is not free enterprise

Answer 7

The reasons are as followed:

1. Because Communism has negatively associated connotations in the US, therefore opponents of universal healthcare want to make it look unattractive to Americans.
2. Because it requires high government activity, which is highly associated with Communism in the US
3. Because it requires much higher taxes, a form of wealth distribution

These claims are fallacious because Universal healthcare does not entail a communist regime, in fact the countries in Europe that have remain capitalist in terms of their economies. Furthermore, they fail to take into account that there are non-communist ideologies that require high government activity too, like Fascism or Theocracy.

The "crock" simply comes from hearsay generated by those who don't want this change to take place.

Answer 8

where did ths crock come from?
probably from some schmuck who wanted to make himself important with false information!

the health care hilary is talking about, is more like the europaen health care system, and people, believe me.....there is nothing "free" about it. the people in europe pay a good part of their hard earned money for their health care. do you know that their total deductions (taxes, health care, ssn) a month STARTS at 48%, most have to give up over half of their earned money. would you guys like that better.....or let everyone choose their health care? my son, single, has a scott and white health care plan ( a very good one i might add) and pays $150 a month.......which in my eyes is not bad at all!

@libsticker .....whoever believes all those movies from a stupid white man, called michael moore, has to be one of his kind, and just as stupid....because a normal person would see the movies for what they are......interviews, reports and speeches cut together and edited to fit michael moore's sicko mind.......and nothing else!

Answer 9

The Road to Serfdom by F. Hayek
When you Nationalize industry it is Socialist or Fascist, or Communist. Karl Marx is quoted by Hillary, Obama, and the Breck Girl. The Communist trio are not advocating easier access through private means, They want the government to do it and to redistribute wealth via central planning. Try to educate yourself by reading the Communist Mannifesto and perhaps Das Kapital, and them balance it out with the Road to Serfdom, That way you may learn

Answer 10

Like it has been said here time, and time again...It isn't a form of Communism, but of Socialism.

Let us state the >Facts<.

Socialized Medicine, is still "Paid-For" medicine...It's just "Paid For" buy taking more money from those who pay taxes..(read: Every Working person)...to pay for those who can't/won't pay for themselves..(read: non-working/illegal people).

The Money still is paid, it's just now "taken" from those who now have no say in it. To pay for those whom have not had to work for it.

So, the people who get an education, the people who work hard, make something of themselves....now get penalized for doing so....and those who choose not to, get rewarded for their lack of self respect, drive, ambition.

So...the question is....Why would anyone still work?

What is the incentive?


Liberalism = Socialism.

Socialism = Communism "Lite" (Or the "Stepping stone to communism.).....and it's a slippery slope..........

I've seen, and I have friends who have to deal with the "Joys" of socialized medicine........No thank you!

T.S.