Why do I have to hear the truth via an Australian ?
A closely related rhetorical device — the idea that Americans or American values are “unique” — also deserves attention. For example, Emanuel describes individualism and equality of opportunity as “uniquely American.”1 Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, asserts that a public–private hybrid is essential because it is a “uniquely American solution.”3 Others describe rugged individualism as a “uniquely American” value that makes us “reluctant to provide our tax dollars to support someone else’s health care.”4 Such defiant-sounding assertions imply that “uniqueness” is a matter of pride and an end in itself. But these generalizations are impossible to prove, a distraction in the debate, and ultimately irrelevant. What is relevant is whether a solution works, not whether it is unique. Indeed, the aspect of the current U.S. system that is truly unique among developed countries is its failure to cover everyone — hardly something to brag about. Brett, “American Values” — A Smoke Screen in the Debate on Health Care Reform, NEJM:July29,2009. [Emphasis E@L]
it’s our “uniquely american” ability to keep our head in our ass and rely on buzzword explanations. remember wolfe “bullshitter” blitzer focusing on the fact that the president spoke in sentences that were too long and NOT what he was saying…. xoxox
(i hate it when e@l is right, sugar!)
Why is it that since some do not want to spend their own money on health insurance, that our government thinks that they need to force you and me to pay for them?
Because in the end you pay for it anyway. I am compelled to buy liability insurance on my car-why not health insurance?
The wierd thing is that America spends WAY more than most other countries on health as a percentage of GDP, and yet it lags WAY behind on a plethora of health indices. Obviously there’s a discrepancy there. It’s because the all the money is being swallowed by “administration costs” in the health groups (like executive salaries) and by totally unnecessary “teriary trials” that big pharma uses to extend their patents (not producing new drugs! — “Texas ranks third among states in research spending, it lags far behind in moving that research to finished products”) amongst a plethora of other tricks that inflate their profits.
The money doesn’t even get to the doctors, let alone to the patients as tangible services and treatments. The choice is really between the graft and “softness” of a public “socialised” service, and the theft and cost-bloating scams that inevitably occur as a result of greed in profit-motivated systems. At least the public systems must be financally transparent and accountable…
Sav: XOXOXOX! And it happens so rarely!
oops, I used “plethora” twice in that post – I must be channeling Dan Brown!
But the government does not run the auto insurance companies , yet.
If the insurance companies would behave responsibly-then the government would not have to be involved in this at all.
Instead they place profit over taking care of people.
Oh brother!!!