Why do liberal/progressives complain about the debt being created in Iraq, but want to use it for health care?

Question

i thought debt is debt..at least iraq would be short term...how long will the debt increase with permanent "universal" healthcare...

so it seems getting into debt isn't a problem?

Answer 1

I'd rather have debt that improves the quality of American life, versus debt that has killed 4000 US soldiers and wounded 30,000 others.

The reality is, health care would cost less than 1/4 of what the lie-based war in Iraq has cost thus far and counting.

Answer 2

Erm, not all liberals/progressives complain about the debt in Iraq, and there are several right wingers who also complain about the cost.

I live in the UK and work in the NHS (our universal health care system). It has problems, but not as many as the US healthcare system has. Despite spending much more per head of population than other developed countries, the US has worse health outcomes. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care#Economics Life expectancy and infant mortality figures in the US are worse than in other developed countries, despite more money being spent (and wasted) in the USA.

In the UK there are waiting lists for routine problems. Problems that can not wait are treated as emergencies. Also, in the UK, people can also have private health care.

I can understand Americans being proud of living in the richest and most powerful country in the world. What I can not understand is why Amercians settle for an expensive healthcare system where babies die that would have a better chance of life if born in another developed country.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2167865,00.html

Answer 3

Uh, you have to consider ALL of what we say, and also take reality into account.

The war has been MUCH more expensive.

War murders, which is what YOU approve of, health care SAVES lives, which is what we think would be a good thing.

But, you also have to consider our position on the current "the only people who don't pay much tax are the people who have ALL the money; the people who don't have enough money to live on pay almost all the taxt" policy.

Makes no sense.

So, you think that only people with no money should pay tax, so the government doesn't have much money, and that all that money, and 1,000 times more should all be spent murdering people who did nothing to us.

We think people who have 90% of the money should have to pay tax, stop getting free money from the goverment, and that government should serve the citizens, and not spend all its money, and much, much more, murdering people and destroying entire countries.

What is it you don't understand again?

Then, there's the fact that government could do a LOT to make health care a lot cheaper.

Bargain meds, for instance.

Eliminating the tens of millions of dollars currently going to health plans, that don't actually have any value at all.

Answer 4

First off, unless you have half a trillion dollars on hand to lend the federal government to cover what's been spent so far in Iraq, the debt being incurred because of the war is by no means "short term".

Second of all, the USA already spends more than any other country on health care *and gets the least return for it*. Moving to a single-payer health system will actually cost less than what's being spent now.

But thanks for playing "Apples and Oranges"! Buh-bye!

Answer 5

Oh your so right. Its much better to spend the money on a bogus war instead of helping fellow citizens in the country with health care access. Or putting money into education. Or rebuilding New Orleans. Or rebuilding the crumbling infrastructure.
A true blue American patriot's way of thinking. Congrats.

Answer 6

Debt is not Debt. Owing 100,000 dollars at 6% on a 30-year mortgage is one thing...owing 100,000 dollars in credit card debt because you bought a bunch of junk is another.

People object to going into debt for the cost of occupying another country. Apparently some people would prefer that we spend some or all of that money providing or subsidizing healthcare for our citizens. Go figure.

Answer 7

Because, since no supporter of Universial health care ive ever seen,

Can tell you how much it would cost, orr even give an estimate,

Nor tell you where the funding will come from.

Don't believe me, just ask them sometime.

So they try and make people assume, that for 100 billion a year, we could provide universial health care to everyone.

Actually, i'd rather have universial housing, than universial health care.

Housing cost much more than health care ever will.

You will hear nonsense, like, well france does it, great, france also gets 60% of thier energy from nuclear power plants,

So why don't the advocates of Universial health care, advocate for nuclear power.

It's real easy, universial health care would have an annual cost of atleast a trillion dollars a year.

The US only had 1.4 trillion in individual and corporate income tax revenue last year.

So to use those to raise another trillion dollars in tax revenue to fund universial health care,

Would require a 71% tax increase to generate an additional one trillion in tax revenue.

Now I don't know about you, but 71% of the total federal tax's I paid last year, is alot more than I pay for my current health insurance.

About 8 times more.

But thats supposed to save me money ????

Then they use fake numbers that 45 million americans do not have health insurance.

It is 45 million people in america ( not citizens ) do not have health insurance for atleast ONE DAY .

So were supposed to overhaul the system, because people go one day out of 365 days, without health insurance ??

That makes no sense at all.

When we start regulating what doctors get paid, how long do you think it will take, before they start telling you, that you make to much money and want to regulate your paycheck ?

Answer 8

Oh gee, I don't know maybe because helping our fellow citizens with out of control healthcare costs that can ruin them financially or result in premature deaths or lifelong disease and disability if not attended to is more important to us than extending a conflict that has killed and maimed the innocent, lost our sons and daughters, is based on a lie, and profits the greedy buddies of the a****** that started it like Halliburton and the corrupted officials that are now screwing up Iraq's new s*** government.

Answer 9

i think this healthcare plan could very well be a mistake at this time for our country - i'm not sure the risk of increasing the debt is worth it. but come on - you have to see the difference between helping americans and throwing billions away on an uncertain cause that is hurting our country.

Answer 10

Healthcare would improve American stability, keeping the workforce able bodied and therefore keep the economy strong, a strong economy can respond to debt, war on the other hand has the opposite effect