Idiots in America

[queenriley]

I got called a socialist the other day.

In class we were talking about health insurance and the like, the fact that the long-term care facility we're training at offers good insurance to full time employees but it's somewhat pricey, that sort of thing. I mentioned "wouldn't it be nice if we were like other industrialized rich nations and had a national health care system?" I received blank looks, so explained further. "National health care... it's where you get sick, you go to the doctor, you get medication, and it's free. Sure it's got some problems, but at least every single person in the nation can get health care when they need it and not have to worry about not being able to pay for it." Looks of understanding and "yeah, that'd be nice!" and then "But don't communists do that? Communists are bad."

My reply? "Actually, the US is one of the few industrialized nations in the world that DOESN'T have a national health care system. Canada, the UK, [not mentioning others as I'm sure some of these people don't even know what or where the UK is...] etc... they all have national systems." The teacher then piped in.

"Yes, but taxes are really high in Canada."

I said "I would GLADLY pay more taxes if it meant every single person in this country could see a doctor when they needed to. Besides, we could all afford the taxes if we didn't have to worry about paying for health insurance or a few hundred dollars every doctor's visit. I say bring on the taxes and give us ALL health care." She looked at me like I'd grown a second head.

That's when she called me a socialist. "Well that's socialism. Do you know what that means?" duh. Yes. "You do know that socialism is a bad thing, right?" um..... k, whatever.

She's a freakin NURSE! This woman has been a nurse for 20 YEARS! She's seen hospitals turn people away for cancer treatment because they couldn't pay. She's worked in an ER stabalizing people and then SENDING THEM HOME knowing they'll get worse just because they didn't have health insurance. She's watched kids, KIDS, die because their parents couldn't cover the cost of their much needed transplant, even with insurance, when there was an organ match right there for the taking.

And she thinks I'M nuts for wanting a national health care system??!?!?!?!

Yeah, okay, whatever.

I don't understand people. I really really don't.

Comments

[soupytwist.livejournal.com]

"Um, you do know that Socialism is a bad thing, right?"

OH MY FUCKING GOD. That makes me want to smack her over the head with a fucking dictionary, open to the word "OPINION".

*hugs you lots*

[queenriley.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I just kind of blinked at her in disbelief... not much I could think to say to that.

It's no wonder she looks at me funny all the time, has since class began.

[soupytwist.livejournal.com]

Somehow I doubt there's much anybody could say to somebody who thinks that paying some taxes for everybody getting free health care is a bad thing. *rolls eyes so hard she gets eyestrain* I mean, seriously. Jesus.

(Incidentally, I now totally have a plan for kidnapping you and the family and bringing you over here where you could get hugs and free health care. :))

[queenriley.livejournal.com]

Yay hugs! And free health care.

But yay hugs!

[sarka.livejournal.com]

Wow. That thing you guys had back in the sixties with the paranoia must've been really effective.

Because dude. Socialism = bad. Wow.

I just can't wrap my head around that.

[queenriley.livejournal.com]

It's hard to grasp... but then, I shake my head in wonder at a lot of things that come out of her mouth.

[seviet.livejournal.com]

Oh geez. I really don't understand this paranoia regarding Siocialism, Communism and whatnot. THEY ARE NOT GONNA EAT YOUR BABIES.

[seviet.livejournal.com]

That would be 'Socialism', of course.

[queenriley.livejournal.com]

Hehe, of course. Don't worry, I would have chalked up the typo to my misreading due to wow!brainexploding than your mistype.

[queenriley.livejournal.com]

You mean I don't have to hide my children? They WON'T eat mt babies? I don't have to believe it's the US way or it's OMGRong???

Well who'd have thought.

[niennah.livejournal.com]

"You do know that socialism is a bad thing, right?"

Oh, my god. Brainwashing in action. That's unreal. McCarthy has left some legacy.

[queenriley.livejournal.com]

You're telling me. And I have to live here surrounded by it.

Schrub sure as hell isn't helping either what with his campaign of "Democracy is good for everyone. Let us force our way upon those different than us whether they want it or not! Yay!"

*shudders*

[tefkas.livejournal.com]

That's wholly scary. *shudders*

That's some serious brainwashing going on... what price critical thinking?

Of course, I have an extremely vested interest in promoting the joys of a National Health Service, but still

[queenriley.livejournal.com]

Gotta love what the US teaches about other forms of government.

I, too, have vested interest in promoting a national health care system, but I don't see how ANYONE in the health care field, whether they've lived without insurance or not, could think it'd be a bad thing.

[katinka31.livejournal.com]

I thought about this a lot last year, when we had three minor surgeries in the family. Even with insurance, we still had quite a bit to pay ourselves. :(

[mrs-bombadil.livejournal.com]

Since I have no words: >:-(

[major-dallas.livejournal.com]

hmmm free healthcare for all you say, hope the rumors about the quality of care the Canadian Doctors are rumored to have isn't true...

In any case I would in the end prefer to have affordable quality healthcare available because all money you pay for healthcare is tax deductible and the difference between paying more taxes for basic healthcare for all and buying my own is that I pay for what I use and pry not as much taxes overall.

Cheers

[mrs-bombadil.livejournal.com]

Erm...I feel like picking on you today so I'll just point out that you seem to have, erm, rather missed the point. :p

[major-dallas.livejournal.com]

Well what would you expect *grumbles*?

[mrs-bombadil.livejournal.com]

I would expect that no matter your own personal viewpoints on an issue, you would realize that the arguments used were STOOPID and that your friend was treated shabbily :p

[major-dallas.livejournal.com]

my friend seemed to handle herself very well despiter her treatment,

*Go Christine*

and no I don't think Socialism is evil, but I'm not all for it either so....

still, Christine, some people were actually brought up to beleive that Socialism is very bad, almost as bad as Communism. Consider the prevelant examples of Communism in the past 100 years and how bad those countries were; barely enough food, healthcare and even sanitation for their well to do, and that's nothing to say about their poor. Not too mention religius persecution and other such social problems.

As for socialism, it is not very good for Capitalism in many areas and as you know, if it inteferes with the money, it won't fly here. Right or wrong, that's our reality, now as I've gone way far off on a tangent, I'm leaving now...

oh and I'm not defending anything, just saying is all...

Cheers

[queenriley.livejournal.com]

I never said I was a socialist, or a communist for that matter. I don't happen to think socialism is bad, nor do I think true communism, if human corruption weren't always an issue, is bad either. But then, humans are corrupt and things don't work out like they are supposed to, so it's all a moot point anyway.

I just think it's a dumb argument to be a nurse, see things like that, and then tell me "you do know socialism is a bad thing, right?" I mean, really, can I not form my own opinion about something?

I respect your opinion on not wanting a national health care system. So long as you've done you research on it, know what it's about, what it would take to set up, how it would benefit or not benefit the people, you have a right to whatever your opinion is. So long as it's educated, I won't ever try to disuade you.

But the post was not about my opinion on a national health care system. The post was about something entirely different. You just missed the point is all.

Also? The rumors of shoddy doctors in Canada? Rumors. Just like in the US or anywhere else in the world, you will get some good doctors and some bad doctors. You can't know if they're good or bad before you see them either.

[prettyannamoon.livejournal.com]

*snerk* Luckily (or sadly) I think most of the sheep of my generation wouldn't have known free health care = Socialism. And thanks for giving me the perfect opportunity to use this icon - grumpy!doctor/grumpy!democrat OTP! ;p

[jenni-snake.livejournal.com]

As a Canadian with fantastic doctors, I would like to dispell any rumours of poorer care quality than any other system, including private.

As a rampant socialist (let's not forget hedonistic Marxist), I know how inherently evil it is to espouse values such as the provision of free and equal universal health care for all other citizens, regardless of whether or not they could afford it, and paying for it whether or not I use it, because they also happen to be human, and that's just the kind of seemingly-senseless humanity that I value in my philosophy.

Of course, I suppose if I had to pay less taxes I could spend it on more material goods that I don't need...

/rant

(Sorry for lurking for so long - but if there's something I can't shut up about, it's socialism. :-D *waves to queenriley*)

[hildigunnur.livejournal.com]

Whoa! Brainwashing.

Having a national health service rocks and it doesn't come down on the quality. For instance, Iceland (with its mostly free health service) has the lowest infant mortality rate in the world. If I remember correctly, it's like 2,6 against every 1000 living born infants and the numbers are similar when you take in stillborns and such.

But then again, I might be imagining this, as free health service is a bad socialist thing or something.

[bevo.livejournal.com]

You know..its a sad sad world that we live in when someone can voice a great idea, and because its a GOOD idea..you are a commy!

I love you and I miss you! Good Luck with school and stuff!!!

[snoopypez.livejournal.com]

...

I hate people, sometimes.

You, however, are smart and correct and I never hate you. :P

[jediboadicea.livejournal.com]

Ugh. I don't know what's more disturbing - the teacher's reaction, or the fact that the other students seemed not to even know what national health care was. Most days I can't help but feel that it's the active resistance of brainwashed or self-interest(wallet)-motivated parties that prevent real health care reform from taking place in this country, but I guess the real truth is that most people don't even understand that there *is* another option. I just don't know which one makes me despair more. Is it worse to deal with brainwashed people, or ignorant ones?

And yes, I know that some informed people still prefer to pay out the nose for their healthcare while others die from curable illnesses because they don't have money. (Or, less meanly put, I know that some people have really strong feelings about their taxes and just prefer the current system.) But it's the general ignorance about the reality of nationalized healthcare systems that really gets to me. The persistently spread rumors of quality of healthcare being worse in other countries with universal healthcare, for example. Never mind that the rumors are unfounded, I'd like an example of quality healthcare in *this* country that didn't cost you a fortune to get. Anyone who's ever had their HMO deny them a procedure probably has some words to say about "quality."

I work in medical billing, which means that I know exactly how much (and how exhorbitantly) doctors and facilities charge for medical services, and I also know exactly how often (and we're talking the majority of the time here) health insurance companies try to con their way out of paying your bills through contractual loopholes, leaving even insured people in the lurch. And my roommate works in an emergency room, where she sees firsthand the consequences of having to deny people necessary care because they don't have money. So every day I hear and see horror stories from both sides of the system. This system DOES NOT WORK. It WILL fall apart. It is in the PROCESS of falling apart. But... er... that's a rant to put in my own journal, on another day.

I just wanted to say that you have my sympathies. It's so frustrating. I've tried to learn to take being called a Communist as a compliment, but sometimes it gets so old to have to wrangle with stubbornly close-minded ignorance every time you want to talk about the possibility of anything outside the temple of Holy Capitalism. :(

I applaud you for speaking up and actually trying to put forth "new" ideas in that situation. Most of the time I just stew silently, which helps no one, least of all myself. So, brava! And I hope the class is going well for you aside from this. :)

[hallie2985.livejournal.com]

Free Health Care all the way, baby. It's not actually free, but it's free at point of service. ALso, just because there is an NHS that doesn't mean that you can't continue with your private medical insurance, getting private treatment, and enjoying all the privileges that your money can buy you. Nevertheless, for those who don't have the money... I dunno, I find it hard to accept that the USA is one of the most developed countries in the world, and yet it refuses healthcare to those who cannot afford to pay millions of dollars for live saving treatment. It's Victorian, that's what it is. And the Victorians kicked the bucket over 100 years ago.

Also: NHS does not equal socialism. And socialism does not equal bad. Stupid teacher.

:)
Hallie

[perceval.livejournal.com]

yes, time for you to get a better teacher in this respect. dude ... thats unbelievable