Historic 2008 Election?

[Kyle Berggren]

If Medical Coverage is a right, and something we want to require, it probably shouldn't be big business.... As much as I love the idea of helping people, I'd rather see it supported by the taxes & fees of the same people. I'm not a fan of the levy lid system they use for public schools, it's neither effective nor fair, but a solution that involved purchasing insurance from the government (at a state level probably before national) could be a better solution. I'd hope that we could have more than 80% of premiums paid out as claims. To give you an idea, a few years ago in California they had to inact a law that required at least 70% (I'm about 90% sure on that number) of premiums to be paid out in medical malpractice cases. Premiums significantly dropped. That's the reason small businesses don't necessarily provide insurance coverage for their owners or employers.

Oh & once that happens we should try personal responsibility on for size. I hear it works great when we prioritize health care over doritos, starbucks, Blockbuster Video, 26" spinners, home internet, etc...

[Sonny]

If Medical Coverage is a right...

"IF" is the key part of that statement.

I'd like one of my left-leaning friends to show me where in the US Constitution that federal government provided medical coverage is a "right."

[Campbell]

If Medical Coverage is a right...

"IF" is the key part of that statement.

I'd like one of my left-leaning friends to show me where in the US Constitution that federal government provided medical coverage is a "right."

It is certainly not a right, however, it should be a benefit of living in an advanced society such as ours. As far as the government handling it, I am not big on that. Bush's proposal actually seems pretty nice, offering tax rebates to help cover the cost of health care. Health care is certainly something we should earn, either through our employer, or by earning enough money to pay for it on our own. The problem is that many people in this country just can't afford it and not because they are lazy bums that didn't go to college. Bush's plan seems like a viable way to put health care within reach. I haven't researched it all, and I am certainly not an expert on health care, but I feel like if the government helps people attain health care through private providers the competition for those services will increase and the prices may drop across the board for both individuals and employers. If you make it a government run insurance plan you run into all the crappy bureaucratic issues we already have with government programs. Medicare and Medicaid need a lot of reform, and then you have the FEMA nightmare during Katrina. Social medicine is a fine idea, but in a free market it can stagnate and produce sub par results.

I work for a small business and although I don't have to pay for my health insurance, it is not very good insurance. Minor costs like prescriptions and doctor visits are not a big issue, but hospitalization, surgery, or a major health problem would put me in a bad situation financially. If I can catch a tax break and augment my current health insurance as well as providing insurance for my whole family, I would be a lot better off.

Like I said I don't know all the details of Bush's plan but on the surface it sounds like one of the best things a president has done for this country in a long time and could have a very positive effect on Bush's legacy.

[Sonny]

It is certainly not a right, however, it should be a benefit of living in an advanced society such as ours.

I think I should eat Surf and Turf each night. That most certainly is a benefit of living in such an advanced society.

Do you think it's fair to allow others to use the imperial power of the federal government to force you to open your wallet to grant me Steak & Lobster tonight? Why is it different with medical insurance?

[OAKS]

It's not a right, but it's in our country's best interest to make sure the population is healthy.

[OAKS]

And Sonny, I think a better analogy would be for others to use the power of the government to force others to open their wallet and let everyone have at least a loaf of bread and potable water to drink. Your analogy would be more akin to forcing the taxpayer to pay for women's breast implants if they want them.

Oh wait, we're already doing that. Just search 'Breast implants military'

[Beta]

It's not a right, but it's in our country's best interest to make sure the population is healthy.

Siii, just like it's in their best interest to educate the population.

[Campbell]

It is certainly not a right, however, it should be a benefit of living in an advanced society such as ours.

I think I should eat Surf and Turf each night. That most certainly is a benefit of living in such an advanced society.

Do you think it's fair to allow others to use the imperial power of the federal government to force you to open your wallet to grant me Steak & Lobster tonight? Why is it different with medical insurance?

With that line of thinking why should the government pay for public transportation if I never ride the bus? Why should the government subsidize the airlines and Amtrak if I never, or rarely, ride a plane or train? Why should my tax dollars be used to subsidize grants and loans for higher education if I paid for college on my own? Why should churches receive a tax exemption if I don't believe in God? Why should the government subsidize agriculture just because some farmer can't make his crops grow? Why should no child be left behind when I did fine in public schools and went to a fine university? None of these are rights outlined in the constitution.

So really, steak and lobster is a luxury. No one is saying we should give money to the poor so they can all drive giant SUVs like all the upper middle class soccer moms out there. No one is even saying we should give people free health care. The problem is that health care is not within reach of many Americans, the cashier at your grocery store, the self-employed, the guy who mows my grass, the highway construction worker that works 12 hours a day, full time temporary workers, etc... It is easy to say that these people should take hold of the opportunities they have in this country and go to college and get a good job with health insurance, but then who checks you out at the grocery, mows your grass, wires the electricity in your home, builds your highways, or harvests your produce?

Overall I think Bush's plan will make private health care better for everyone, employers, employees, and all the new freeloaders that will spend their money to get this newly found luxury of health care. Oaks said it with more brevity, its in our best interest to have a healthy population.

[Pinball]

I can just imagine when "guys/gals from my generation" start running for politcal office and the first thing that pops up via the media are pictures of them being drunken idiots/having fun, being stupid from facebook, myspace, webshots etc or stored on someones computer for 20 years. Damn digitial photos..........

Does it honestly matter if someone drank a little too much a couple of nights in college, got high once, or maybe tee-peed someones house in 8th grade?? Look at some of the actions/bad decisons of some out our greatest leader......

[somrandomguy]

I can just imagine when "guys/gals from my generation" start running for politcal office and the first thing that pops up via the media are pictures of them being drunken idiots/having fun, being stupid from facebook, myspace, webshots etc or stored on someones computer for 20 years. Damn digitial photos..........

Does it honestly matter if someone drank a little too much a couple of nights in college, got high once, or maybe tee-peed someones house in 8th grade?? Look at some of the actions/bad decisons of some out our greatest leader......

Which is why a generally good rule to live by is "don't put anything on the internet you wouldn't want on a billboard." Though I can definitely see the benefit in this as well: maybe if the information age makes it impossible for these drunken idiots to be elected, we'll actually start electing some competent people rather than the idiots we have in office now. If you can't handle drinking responsibly, why should we let you have the responsibility of running the country?

[Adam G]

What the hell is facebook?

[Adam Gamradt]

If Medical Coverage is a right...

"IF" is the key part of that statement.

I'd like one of my left-leaning friends to show me where in the US Constitution that federal government provided medical coverage is a "right."

We are sufficiently civilized to classify quality health care as a right.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."

I realize you wanted something from the constitution. So here you go.

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

[sohotrightnow]

PWNED!

[Kyle Berggren]

Please replace promote with have everyone pay for you & we've got a deal. Bottom line, catastrophic Health Care coverage for many young people (which means deductible of $5k, $1 million limit) is less than $70 month... What do you spend on beer, starbucks, movies, magazines, make-up, bling? That figure is high, my coverage, which is above & beyond what my company provides is $56. FYI, they offer discounts for prepaying.

As far as grocers not making any money, go ask a journeyman (Union) checkout clerk what they make & you'll hear an amazing $17/hour!!!

As for why should churches & other not-for-profits not pay taxes? How about many (not all, some are scams, & I'm thinking Scientology, etc.) are trying to provide the community with value & service, while not trying to make a profit. So our local not-for-profit lacrosse club can put on more camps & buy more gear for players that can't afford it, rather than paying taxes.

I'm personally more of a proponent of the fair-tax, so that people are taxed for consumption/use not income, but I'm not a fan of giving someone something they can provide for themselves. No I don't want to deny anyone medical care, but I don't want to pay for someone that simply decided it wasn't as important as going to the bar.

[Kyle Berggren]

If you want healthcare to be a right... Who's shoulders does it fall on to pay for it? Your Doctor's? Your Government? Your Employers? Your Neighbor? You?

All I'm hearing is give me, I'm not hearing any reason that someone else should provide for you.