I am in a lot of pain today - sometimes my neck just makes me so uncomfortable that it's hard to concentrate. So, I'm taking the day off writing, except to briefly mention a couple of movies I recommend you see this weekend:
Sicko
Whether you love or hate the producer, this film is tackling one of the biggest issues we have in America.
To my amazement, a recent film reviewer sounded surprised when he said that he has now discovered that all the socialized medicine bashing that we've been hearing for years may simply be propaganda. Gee... ya think?!
Although I'm a Republican, I can assure you that most of what you hear truly IS propaganda. You see, there are some things that money, and competitiveness, and Big Business should not be allowed to tinker with - and our health is one of those things. It's not in their best interest to get us the best care, because it doesn't weigh out financially. Now, how hard is that to understand?!
I wish it were otherwise. I wish we could believe that people are inherently good. But wisdom and experience tells us otherwise. The truth is that if your god is money, then it reigns over all decisions. In such a system, the individual means nothing and is easily caught and ground up in the gears of the machine.
Sadly, there are some things that the government needs to be involved in. Roads, parks, and other projects that won't be profitable to your average business organization are all examples of things that must be handled by the government. We need to add healthcare to the list.
Whether you agree or not, watch the movie first (as I intend to this weekend).
Live Free or Die Hard
I saw this movie on Wednesday. If you get a chance, go see it! It's classic "Die Hard" style, and Bruce Willis is still just as amazing as he once was. Although the latest Rocky sequel sucked, this movie proves that some sequels, if done properly, are every bit as good as the originals.
About Me
- Saur♥Kraut
- Saur♥Kraut has been called The Mouth of the South.
This blog was repeatedly named one of the best blogs in the area by the (then) St. Pete Times and Tampa Tribune. After a hiatus of a little over 3 years, she has recently returned to blogging and generally annoying everyone.
Saur♥Kraut grew up in the Tampa Bay Area and, after a brief period of roaming, settled there for good... just as a tick settles on a dog. She now lives in uneasy symbiosis with the most densely populated area within the State of Florida.
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9 comments:
Can't wait to see Sicko but bit worried about how it shows the National Health Service in the UK to be a beacon of good practice.
My wife was a doctor in the UK with socialized medicine and some of the stories she tells makes me cringe and thankful that here in America, money will still get you good health care. I think a national healthcare system could work but we need to do a lot of work before hand starting with limiting lawsuits and putting caps on payouts.
Sicko is already on my list along with Live Free or Die Hard now that I've heard your review. I thought Rocky VI was kind of slow but a more fitting end to the whole series than Rocky V.
Saur, your last several excellent posts almost made me forget you're a Republican. The thing I will disagree on is whether Ann Coulter is pretty.
Republican or not, I'm with you on the universal healthcare. I think there are many conservatives who agree. However, don't think I will see it in my lifetime. Pity.
There are certain things that should not be left to "competition", and health care is definitely one of them. Utilities are another. If the place where you live starts pushing for deregulated and open market electricity, SCREAM to stop it. Here in Texas we pay an average of 15 cents per KWH, which is over the world average. It was supposed to save us money.
Competition only works if one of your choices is to not purchase something. Health Care is not one of those things.
A lot of crap is propaganda. But people do not think - they react to what they hear on talk radio. And we all know that 90% of talk radio features shows where the host say all drug users should be locked up forever, but then when his fat ass is busted abusing drugs suddenly that liberal waste of time rehab stuff is the perfect solution.
When hospitals AND medical insurance companies are for profit, what do you expect to happen? Why would an insurance company ever want to pay out for any claim? And then, don't you think they are going to charge you more than they think they will have to pay out?
And the insurance companies work with hospitals to manage their costs. If someone with no insurance goes to a doctor they pay a higher price than an insurance company would pay for the same service. But when Congress tried to pass a law that would allow medi-care to do the same thing for prescription drugs - the Republicans blocked it. The drug companies charge the government full price for medi-care drugs.
When you do cost the insurance companies too much, your ass is dropped OR they start to refuse claims. As long as you are healthy they will take your money. Get sick and they would rather you die than get better.
And for the people in Texas - weren't you guys just a LITTLE suspicious when the utility companies were the ones pushing for the deregulation? Why on Earth would the people selling you electricity want to lower your costs? When the utility companies were behind it, you all should have asked why. Why would the friendly neighborhood power company be in favor of allowing "competition" that would "lower prices"?
Lazy, I wasnt fooled, but then I dont vote for Republicans either. You'd think that nobody would believe when someone says "trust me" anymore, but it still happens all the time.
I talked to a doctor friend of mine last night about the American health care system. He was actually involved in the health care debate in the 90's, studying the issue, going overseas to see other health care systems in action, talking to politicians, etc. He said that even in the 90's most pols knew that universal health care was dead in the water, but that it would be inevitable within thirty years or so because the current system couldnt possibly sustain itself.
A decade and a half later, and look at the mess we've got - care to take a guess at how much longer it can continue?
Did people really say to themselves, "hmmm, a system where a non-productive middle-man only makes profits from gambling that he'll take in more money than he spends on health care, yet controls the access to the health care that those who give him the money receive? Yeah, that'll work great!"
great post. I've been reading through your blog..we have many things in common. I'll probably see sicko on Netflix. last week I saw oceans 13.
stop by and say hi sometime~
I grew up in Bircher environment. I of course believed that the government had no place in the business world.
I have modified that view. The value of the CAFE requirements set in the 70's was my first awakening to a new reality. Subsequent looks at areas of "common interest" that are outside the market economy are further enlightening. Would the Cuyahoga River have quit being a fire hazard without legislation? What about air pollution? Deforestation? I think not. Medicine may very well be the next place where public policy needs to step into the Market Place.
All that said, Moore has his points. He does fail to do his research though and is not above taking cheap shots where he can. I think he debases his message at times.
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