Presidential election, 2016

[Ragnarök_62]

Classic-Xer Wrote:In America, you'd receive the same level of healthcare that you receive in New Zealand for almost nothing.

Huh? How do I procure health care here in the US for "next to nothing" without being so poor I'm eligible for Medicaid? I think you have to also forfeit all of your assets to get Medicaid.

Quote:Right now, one third of your income goes to your government to provide you with health care and whatever else your government provides.

I think  I'd rather have even some level of government provide health care than insurance companies. Insurance companies are run with profits in mind, not providing a reasonable service for the vig they take. Health care can't possibly work out as a private good because there's a demand/supply mismatch. What's happens to folks who get cancer, diabetes, heart disease, suffer some sort of accident, etc.?

Quote:It isn't like that in America. In America, you don't pay federal taxes until you hit a certain level of income (which you would be below at this time) and whatever you receive as far as support from the federal level wouldn't cost you anything.

Are you sure?  Payroll taxes start with the first dollar earned. If I had my way, I'd get rid of all payroll taxes and health insurance companies and have single payer and pay for it with a VAT tax.

Quote:Right now, a substantial number of Americans don't pay taxes but receive all kinds of benefits/subsidies.

I think almost everyone pays sales taxes. Almost everyone pays property taxes either directly or passed down via rent.

Quote:For the last time, you don't know America as well as I do. You don't know Americans as well as I do. You don't know Republicans at all because you have none.

Tara's lucky.   I really don't understand Republicans.  They can always find enough money for the Pentagram, but there's never money for safety net programs.


Of course there are a number of structural cost problems.
1. Enact tort reform.  Loser pays.
2. Delete all regulations that stifle competition.  Abolish the ban on drug imports. Legalize weed, since weed does have medical uses. The fact that the weed plant is a schedule 1, while Marinol is a schedule III is ridiculous.  Health insurance would not be abolished,  but constraints of competition area like restricted to a single state needs to go. So yeah, if anyone wants private insurance, then go for it. As long as a minimum of care is provided for, I see no problem with folks choosing better care on their own.