Mythbusting Health Care
I am not a member of any organized party — I am a Democrat. - Will Rogers
It’s rather amazing. The Dems have a 60-seat majority in the Senate, and a large majority in the House. And yet they can’t pass something that the large majority of Americans (both Dem and GOP Americans) want to have. Health care has been a thorn in the side of this country for decades now, and been a critical problem for at least two decades. One would think our leaders would leap at the opportunity to fix it and get re-elected.The Blue Dog Dems are ignoring the 72% of ALL Americans of either party (as per the Washington Post, CNN, and MSNBC) who want a public option to the health care. They’re ignoring their constituents so much that these blue dogs are now courting the GOP. The same GOP who are unwilling to offer a plan, any plan, besides keeping the status quo.So, here’s some myths knocked down:
- America has a private health care system. Wrong. Some 47% of the health care funds spent in the US are already from the US government through Medicare, Medicade, and the VA. (Public status via Paul Krugman.)
- Medicare is not a government program. Wrong. You thought an insurance company was running this?
- A public option equals socialized medicine. Wrong. There are a variety of ways a public option could work. Canada does not have “socialized medicine” any more than the US does, you get to pick your doctor, etc. (Wikipedia)
- A government-run system is always more expensive than the free market. Wrong. The VA system treats vets more cheaply than US free-market medical services. And at a higher quality. (MSNBC)
- The free market can solve this health-care crisis. Wrong. The free market is an excellent tool, but like all tools it is not useful for all situations, it can be harmful in some. (Paul Krugman again: Why markets can’t cure health care)
- The health care bill will kill senior citizens. Not just wrong, but an outright fear-mongering lie. The government for years has encouraged a living will. As have many independent legal and medical practitioners. Politicians and others with an axe to grind and little ethical standards are lying to you. (CNN, MSBNC)
- The US has the best health care system in the world. Wrong. While this was once true, it hasn’t been true for decades now. Sources are too numerous to list here. Just look at health and death statistics, independent studies and international reports all show that we’re consistently slipping.
- The cost is too large. Funny, that cost question never comes up when we want to attack some other country and commit ourselves to a decade-long war. Or buy an airplane that costs $40,000/hour to run, or have a massive, non-public, and un-audited black budget that grows every year. (Un-audited in the sense of a public audit.) This cost question just comes up when it comes to heath, education, or something that affects the lives and welfare of the average American citizen. Why is that? In any case, what’s the cost to us now with bad health care?
In summary, if you hear something weird, check who’s saying it and their past record. If their funding is coming from the health care industry or some “think tank”, be wary. If their record is to oppose anything helpful and support large industry and the military-industrial complex, be wary. And if it sounds preposterous - like killing old people - it probably is someone trying to manipulate you.