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

[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.