Quote Originally Posted by theforthdrive
I would like to confirm this. I consider myself intelligent. Im college educated. yet, last week I spent two hours trying to find out what the fuck socialism actually is and why Obama was being called one. The conclusion I came to was it was just more hypocritical BS. Some things are ok to be sponsored by the gov't ...ie schools, welfare, disability payment. but others not... ie. health care. Ive had the opportunity to travel to a few parts of world. And it changed my outlook in life because it broke down the fallacies I was taught as a kid about America being the best and everywhere else inferior. I had a close friend attend med. school in a county with social medicine. he became very sick and was in ICU. Never paid a dime as a foreigner and as a med student said he had great care. How is this bad socialism yet I personally know four people on disability from the gov't and I dont think one of them really needs it. yet somehow, this is good socialism?

stoned88911 I think youre speaking in black and white. Not everyone can be a billionaire. you said it yourself.... brains and hard work. what if you have no brains? shitty luck? I also know smart hard working people that dont have much because they choose to have some level of morality. Morality can hold many people back from making massive amounts of money. Furthermore, I would argue that many athletes and modern day musicians dont have super high IQ's (but high earners)and some dont even have work ethics. For every LaBron James there is a Sabatian Telfare!
i gotta give it to ya: well said.

there is a wisdom in 1 year of traveling to different parts of the world and learning about different systems, cultures and perspectives that one cannot find in a decade of studying in one location, even if it's the best university in the world.

I've met a number of Americans who have traveled and lived abroad and almost every single one of them says something similar to the above story (including some of my professors, and I'm talking about Texas people, u know...)

but i already know the counter argument: "I aint gonna pay a dime for someone else's health problems cuz when i need help, i can take care of myself"

I wish every person who says such a thing was actually a follower of this idea, but a lot of people just gurgle this idea and dont even know why and barely follow it. insurance for instance is basically using other people's money to your advantage. also u pay for your time of need and other people's problems even if u never use it due to excellent health. get it? its just profit oriented for insurance companies

Social healthcare system, is basically a non-profit insurance system governed by a government entity. Taxes are the premiums, everyone should pay them, sure not everyone does, but this will not make the system any bad. just think about it, doesn't this system sound familiar?

In Texas we have 1 out of 5 drivers without liability insurance on the roads which causes other people's premiums to go higher and public safety risks to increase. Regardless, still those who follow the rules and laws and pay taxes and premiums still "pay the cost" of the irresponsible individuals. because the insurance companies are profit based and will pass their risk cost to their customers... OK for car insurance which is not nearly as expensive and as hard to get as health insurance I'm down with free market and competition.

but healthcare is a different issue, as the saying says "one is too many" we are dealing with something that cannot be manipulated, "health".

sadly, one problem with profit oriented healthcare is that it plays with people's quality of life and even their death, over what? profit and money? I don't think money is worth everything. At least a companies' or a few in individuals (shareholders) profit aint worth nobodies life.

its called healthcare how can u take "care" of someone's health when the first order of business is to take care of your money even if its at expense of someone's life. these two will not always go along, u know...

see, doctors and hospital staff are usually sworn and thus provide healthcare and emergencies (lets say most of the time) to even those whom they know will not pay the cost, thats an ethical behavior. but insurance companies dont think that way.