Universal Health Care

old dogg · #1 08-07-2007, 12:21 PM

Universal Health Care...Three little words that keep popping up. Sounds great... right? After all its free...right? Hey sign me up!
But the real story is that it is a bad idea. Bottom line Universal Health Care= higher taxes. But don`t take my word for it. Ask those who live with it, like the nation of Norway.
The goverment ( Norway ) is giving you free health care, or at least that is what they say. But that means you are paying for it with your tax dollars. Norwegians are some of the most heavily taxed people in the world. That makes Norway one of the most expensive countries in the world to live in.
In Norway a glass of cheap wine costs ( in U.S. dollars) 16 dollars, gas costs 9 dollars a gallon, and the tax on a new car doubles the price of that car.
Remember free health care is a bitter pill to swallow. Would you rather spend 20 dollars co-pay on a doctors visit or an extra 20 grand or more on a new car?
Its your choice.

Nielsio · #2 08-07-2007, 12:27 PM

Dan. · #3 08-07-2007, 12:38 PM

Excellent post. I especially love the part where you quoted and cited the numbers you used.

BTW: no one actually believes universal health care is "free," except for perhaps Michael Moore who kept repeating it on Larry King

Kaj · #4 08-07-2007, 01:29 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Universal Health Care...Three little words that keep popping up. Sounds great... right? After all its free...right? Hey sign me up!
But the real story is that it is a bad idea. Bottom line Universal Health Care= higher taxes. But don`t take my word for it. Ask those who live with it, like the nation of Norway.
The goverment ( Norway ) is giving you free health care, or at least that is what they say. But that means you are paying for it with your tax dollars. Norwegians are some of the most heavily taxed people in the world. That makes Norway one of the most expensive countries in the world to live in.
In Norway a glass of cheap wine costs ( in U.S. dollars) 16 dollars, gas costs 9 dollars a gallon, and the tax on a new car doubles the price of that car.
Remember free health care is a bitter pill to swallow. Would you rather spend 20 dollars co-pay on a doctors visit or an extra 20 grand or more on a new car?
Its your choice.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nobody thinks its free. Guess what? Our Army, Navy, AF, Park Service, Schools, Fire Depts, FBI, etc., aren't free either. So until you start railing against "universal national defense" with equal passion, then your argument is selectively applied (i.e., hypocritical).

old dogg · #5 08-07-2007, 01:50 PM

" Nobody thinks its free."

"The goverment ( Norway ) is giving you free health care, or at least that is what they say."

Of course its not free. But there are those who would like you to believe its free.
And there are those who believe those who say its free.

Kaj · #6 08-07-2007, 01:56 PM

[ QUOTE ]
" Nobody thinks its free."

"The goverment ( Norway ) is giving you free health care, or at least that is what they say."

Of course its not free. But there are those who would like you to believe its free.
And there are those who believe those who say its free.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's free in the sense that you don't pay out of pocket per visit. I think most people get that. Just like its "free" when the fire dept shows up to put out your burning house -- there's no bill for their services. And actually if you want to get technical, for those who pay near nothing in taxes, universal health care would be free.

And I'm still waiting for your outrage against "universal national defense". Which of course isn't free, either, and results in higher taxes as well.

Copernicus · #7 08-07-2007, 02:06 PM

[ QUOTE ]

Nobody thinks its free. Guess what? Our Army, Navy, AF, Park Service, Schools, Fire Depts, FBI, etc., aren't free either. So until you start railing against "universal national defense" with equal passion, then your argument is selectively applied (i.e., hypocritical).

[/ QUOTE ]

Except that defense is more efficient when supplied on a "universal national" basis. Nobody has demonstrated that it is true for health care. The countries that provide socialized health care are evidence that it isn't true, since they are either extremely expensive, lower quality or both.

ElliotR · #8 08-07-2007, 02:12 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Except that defense is more efficient when supplied on a "universal national" basis. Nobody has demonstrated that it is true for health care. The countries that provide socialized health care are evidence that it isn't true, since they are either extremely expensive, lower quality or both.

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
Excellent post. I especially love the part where you quoted and cited the numbers you used.

[/ QUOTE ]

old dogg · #9 08-07-2007, 02:14 PM

Wouldn`t be free for those people who pay little or no taxes if it is in the form of sales tax. Which in all likelihood it would be. These are the people(the poor)who believe they are getting it free.

pvn · #10 08-07-2007, 02:18 PM

[ QUOTE ]
And I'm still waiting for your outrage against "universal national defense". Which of course isn't free, either, and results in higher taxes as well.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm opposed to it! Of course, if we actually had "universal national defense" it wouldn't be nearly as objectionable as what we really have, which is "univeral national offense." But that's another thread.