If I understand this correctly, Bush wants to tax my employer and I to offset the revenue loss of giving a tax cut to the self-employed for health insurance. If so, this is a typical liberal "rob Peter to pay Paul" scheme dressed up in right wing rhetoric. Why does anyone think this fucker is a conservative?

I don't get it. He's trying to advocate the privatization of health insurance, thus putting more money in the pocket of insurance companies? How does that solve the problem of health care? I still can't afford it.

It's all fucked up. In my dreamworld, I'd like to see a totally libertarian approach to it, i.e. end all gov't health programs and regulations and severely limit liability cases that come before the courts. That would make health care affordable to everyone overnight, but since that will never happen, I'm about 2 steps away from being for a socialized health care system because that's what we're slowly moving toward anyway. These politicians and lawyers just can't keep their fingers out of it. Maybe if we have conservatives write the law on the way a nationalized single-payer health system would work, it might work better than it does in other countries.

Why can't the government fund a national health care system out of tax money and put certain restrictions on it? Like unlimited care for minors or students under 21, like most insurance companies do. But once you reach your majority your coverage is limited to so many doctor visits a year, emergency care, and an allotment of prescriptions. Then for additional coverage the adult could purchase supplemental insurance for things like critical illness, cancer, etc. The private health care industry would still be making money, and the doctors still get paid. Most of us that are uninsured don't require much. But it would be nice to know if I have to go to the hospital again on an emergency basis that I'm not going to be paying tens of thousands of dollars for the care that I need.

On that note, all emergency rooms should be set up on a triage basis. I'm sick of people abusing that shit for a head cold.

healthcare is a touchy subject. I would say that if you can make better coverage with the money we pay now... do it. But I am totally against national healthcare for everyone and tax increases that go with it. I am sorry... but I am not fucking sick but 2 days a year theres no reason i should have to pay for the other 363 days of the year for a servi i dont use.. in fucking fact.. those 2 days a year when im sick I dont even go to the doctor...

I am tired of hearing this canadian style rhetoric that healthcare is a right.. since fucking when? Right to speech, right to practice religion, those are rights. Not a right to rob peter so we can pay paul for medications. fuck that.

You don't utilize the fire department or ambulance service every day either, but your taxes still pay for that. You don't drive every road in the state of Connecticut, but your taxes pay for that too. You may not have voted for your state's government, but you're paying their wages.

It's easy for someone who is never sick or who has excellent coverage to say they don't care about those that don't. But when the time comes that you're stricken with a fluke disease and have no way of paying for the $50k + a year that treatment costs, you'd likely be singing a different tune.

I'm moving to Canada if health care goes up any more.

I can sympathize with those who are sick, but when it comes to me paying for them thats another story. I may not use the fire department but they dont cost billions in taxes, niether do connecticuts roads. Especially if youve SEEN connecticuts roads.

And you cant abuse the firefighter system nor the road system.

Did you know if you're an American tourist in England you're entitled to free emergency care? Interesting that is...

Thats a good idea, just dont use our medicare system. I want my taxes to be as cheap as possible I am really getting sick of this shit. If I got back even 1/4 of the amount of money I spend in taxes every year I could pay for my school easily without any financial difficulties.

Thats cool for us, but If I was a brit that would seriously piss me off. But wait im confused... does free mean they will treat you and bill you later? Or the government just picks up the check?

That's why I proposed limits. Of course things like cosmetic surgery or dentistry, abortions, elective surgeries, and drug rehabilitation would not be covered. I'm talking about maybe 2 office visits a year that are covered, plus emergency care (again on an emergency-only basis), and maybe a small prescription plan. Nothing more indepth than your basic non-government worker health plan.

I know better than to appeal to your kind soul or good nature, but it really is quite a problem when you have to choose between paying rent or taking the medication you need to live. It's difficult to decide whether or not to buy gas to get yourself to work or make the required payment on a $60k hospital bill so they don't send it into default. This isn't like a welfare system where you have the opportunity to get yourself out of it. Employer health benefits are often terrible, unless you work for a major company or for the government. So the only option is for private insurance. The premium's on that are outrageous, and beyond reach for a lot of people. Especially those of us that are struggling with other things.

Would this so called plan be limited only to people with a job or who have a record of paying taxes within the last year? Because I might be able to get behind somehting like that. provided its hard enough for non-terminally ill people to get free healthcare.. wait not free, taxpayer funded healthcare.

Holy shit. I just realized that this fucker never posted while I was in another window.

I don't think you should necessarily have to be terminally ill. For instance, my disease isn't terminal, but it is debilitating and I'm stuck with it forever. Without treatment, I'll be more of a strain on society as I'll be confined to a wheelchair and most likely in a home. Seeing as how I'm broke as dog shit, it'd be a government funded home. Most likely I'd be on Medicaid.

I think yes. It should be limited to adults with jobs and their dependents.

Poor Europeans... I feel for them.

Healthcare. Bush is a fucking dumb son-of-a-bitch. All he is doing right now is pretty much assuring that a Democrat WILL take office this time around. What he si proposing will not work. Hell most of the shit he proposes will not work. It is all Lib idealism cloaked in con-sheep clothing. At least he could be true to himself. The fucker.

Anyways. Health care will take a lot more time to figure out. Personally I think that a small portion of costs should come from employers if only because it protects thier most valuable asset-- thier employees.