Why I support health care reform

Aug 18, 2009 00:37

I know... there are several people on my friends list who are saying right now "Because you're a liberal... duh ( Read more... )

heallth, politics

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Comments 27

framefolly August 18 2009, 05:51:43 UTC
Hear hear!

*stands and cheers*

May I add this to my memories?

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elsaf August 18 2009, 12:00:20 UTC
Certainly. Thanks!

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deborahw37 August 18 2009, 06:40:47 UTC
Applause! Excellent entry. I really hope something gets done this time. America badly needs reform in this area

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elsaf August 18 2009, 12:05:46 UTC
Thanks. Me too. My handyman has been without insurance and access to health care for more than two years. I worry about him. And if gets sick, I'd like him to be able to go to a doctor, because I'm dead in the water without him.

If we're the richest country in the world, why can't we provide basic needs for our people?

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liliaeth August 18 2009, 06:50:18 UTC
Damn right.

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elsaf August 18 2009, 18:23:15 UTC
Thanks!

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jblum August 18 2009, 08:02:19 UTC
Dunno if I've ever told you this, Elsa -- I really admire your ability to cut straight through to the simple, obvious, but so-often-ignored kind of truth. Not in a glib or superficial way, but instead a wonderfully uncommon form of common sense.

And from Down Under, the whole health-care argument Up Over sounds completely demented. We have "socialized medicine", and the world has conspicuously failed to end...

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elsaf August 18 2009, 15:32:25 UTC
Thank you, Jon.

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shaddyr August 18 2009, 09:30:01 UTC
I've been so puzzled by all the resistance to health care reform. My Canuck brain just does *not* grok.

Why wouldn't people want this? Seriously, I just don't get it.

My brother and his wife paid $10,000 to have a baby, and then some tests when there were a few problems. ::boggles:: Holy SHIT! How do people do that? I went into the hospital and paid $39 for having a TV while I was there. And yeah, I was in a semi-private, because I would have had to pay for a private room, but whatever. But that's what I pay taxes for. And sure, Canada has much higer taxes than the US does, but... dude. If I break my leg, or I need an apendectomy, and I'm working a part time shift at 7-11, I get the same health care as anyone else. I don't have to freak out. It's all good.

In the last year, I've seen a number of "Please donate to our _fillintheblank-a-thon_ to help with so-and-so's medical bills" on LJ. And I think holy shit. To live in a country where you can't just take for granted that if you get sick you are going to have medical care ( ... )

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elsaf August 18 2009, 15:31:51 UTC
I donated to a bowl-a-thon last Friday for a former co-worker who retired, then lost her private insurance, then found out her cancer had come back.

It's just so absurd that we're holding bowl-a-thons to try to save someone's life! It happens every day in this country.

What I'd REALLY like to see is a Canadian-style single-payer system. But, I'm afraid that's too much to ask for. So, I'll be happy to settle for a government run insurance program, similar to our current Medicare.

The bottom line is, we've got to get this fixed.

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deborahc August 19 2009, 22:30:53 UTC
Word. I can't even tell you how envious I am of citizens of other countries that have universal health care, and how incomprehensible I find the passionate, vitriolic, irrational opposition to the concept on the part of some Americans. America styles itself as the land of the free, but when it comes to freedom, you (in the plural sense) have the distinct advantage over us. When the world wide recession hit, every time I heard a report about how bad things were in other countries, first and foremost in my mind was the thought that no matter how bad it got there - even if people lose their jobs and/or their homes - at least they still have health care.

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