ACA Repeal/Replace: Progressives Face Moral Dilemma

[Kinser79]

The tags are getting cluttered.

Bob Wrote:I don't know that the problem is size, or primarily size.  Most every civilized nation has found some sort of solution, most of which could be scaled up.

In my previous post I noted not only the size of the country (geographical area makes large areas harder to govern) but also the racial/ethnic, economic and political diversity of the nation.  Democracies function more readily in homogeneous societies (see most of Europe prior to the current Muslim Invasion) and Japan.  The US, and India are exceptions to this, but both have instituted a system of federalism to handle the problem.  India's federalism is stronger than the that of America.

Autocracies can expand theoretically infinitely but in so doing distance from the capital increases the corruption level.  An old Chinese saying is "The Emperor may be supreme but he is also far away". 

Quote:I just happen to take access to health care as being a basic human right, but somebody's got to pay for it.

We have to be clear here.  When you say health care you mean the actual provision of care.  That is to say going to the doctor.  I'm fine with viewing that as a right.  Honestly I want sick people to go to the doctor--mostly so they don't make me sick if their disease is infectious.  Enlightened self-interest there.

That being said if we're talking about the paying for the provision of health care then the answer is simple.  Make a deal.  When I was faced with the choice of making a deal with a private doctor or going to the VA I made the deal.  The VA fucking sucks, and not in the good way.  People went to doctors before insurance existed, they will go to doctors long after our civilization collapses (which I view as inevitable anyway).  I would not however, say that health care insurance is itself a human right.  People have no more right to insurance of any kind than they have a right to own stocks or bonds.

Quote:Letting the states handle it would break the problem into fifty parts.

And that is a bad thing how specifically?  When I'm fully dressed I wear 10 different articles of clothing (and no I'm not talking about a suit).  They are shoes (2), socks (2), drawers, trousers, undershirt, shirt, belt and hat.  I don't try to make my shirt cover my feet nor do I try to cover my head with my shoes.

Has it occurred to you that perhaps New York or Florida needs the shirt or trousers while Wyoming needs a sock?

Quote:If we keep trying to attack it at the federal level, and the dominant party keeps making the population unhappy, every four or eight years the whole health care system might get thrown upside down.  Not ideal.

It is worse than not ideal, it is unconstitutional and actively destructive.

Quote:And if one believes that health care is a basic human right, letting each state decide who has that basic human right is kinda dubious morally

Only if one takes Health Care is a human right to mean "health care insurance is a human right".  There is a difference between if you're sick go to the doctor figure out how to pay for it later, and everyone must either buy XYZ type of product.

If we take Health Care is a Human right to mean "when you're sick go to the doctor, he'll treat you" then it becomes a matter of mere provision of a service.  Strangely the private sector is really good at coming up with ways to provide services at prices nearly everyone can afford.  If a governmental entity is absolutely vital to the provision of some of this care, then the states can and should provide free/low cost clinics for the destitute/poor (so they aren't cluttering up the ERs).

That being said, every service provided by a government eventually turns into the DMV.  I strongly suggest you discuss going to the VA with a vet whose only source of health care provision is the VA.  I bet they have stories that would make your hair (or remaining hair) kink up tighter than mine.

Mostly Guy took care of the rest of my responses for you