For crying out loud! The reason we are being told we need these draconian budget cuts is because there is no money in the coffers. Well, no kidding. The wealthiest 2% aren't paying their fair share of taxes, and all the money they get stays in their stuffed pockets; trickle down economics didn't work for Reagan and it's never going to work; and we've been at war for over a decade now. Politicians such as Ryan and Romney want to make us believe it will work. How many people realize that taxes were as high as 90% in the 40's and 50's. Is it any wonder that the 50's were a time a tremendous wealth and growth in this country? In 2012, Many Europeans pay out nearly half or more of their salary in income tax; indeed, the income tax in the United Kingdom, Austria, and Belgium, and is that other European country(not!), Japan is 50%. Income taxes go up from there. Surprisingly, Aruba's income tax is the highest, at almost 59%. But what do these countries get for their taxes? Free, or very low cost medical care, including dentistry and optometry. And it is not some used up, old fashioned care, either. They get modern treatments, modern diagnostics, and modern medications, almost all without cost to themselves. They get paid preschool, and free, or low cost, university. Here in the US, a four year public university can cost per year as much as one parent earns per year. Health care is like the lottery: your job, if you even have one, may or may not provide insurance, and it may or may not be anything you'd buy for yourself if you had the choice. Which is all to say, there's no free lunch. Either you pay your taxes for the common good, and if see it that way, you'll feel good about yourself, or you'll pay for the wealthy to keep their tax cuts. We have a chance this fall to continue to achieve the small steps forward we've been making, despite a Congress at odds with itself, or lose everything we've achieved over the past 50 years or so.
A single payer system would enable medical providers to do preventative health care, allow for time to do teaching of whole foods diets and healthy self care.. based on understanding. Turning medicine into a business with financial goals and quotas, and selling care to the public by the "minute" is not the calling of healing and caring that medicine has always been prior.
In the old days, the healers were often themselves the test subject, and many died in service to others. No one wants to die, and if you do not have to, that is all the better, but the spirit has changed. Now its a business, and the stock in trade is your illness.
A single payer system could be both a business and a calling. It only makes sense to consolidate services, do bulk buying of supplies and controlling the costs of care. Why do we need three MRI machines in a city block? Easy, so every medical group can overcharge us for the MRI service and make the profit for themselves.
We could learn from Canada, and take the best.. but handing it over to business men and insurance companies .. is not going to make you healthy. As Bill Maher said.. there is no money in wellness, there is no money in death... the money is in the middle, half dead, drug saturated, unhealthy inpatients, who need lots of care and studies.
Thanks for a sane and reasoned treatment of the difference between sovereign government debt and private debt.
It's no secret why the "Great Depression" was so devastating. Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon, placed in his office during the infamous Harding Administration to enable Wall St. predators to have total freedom to fleece the unwary during the 20s, converted the Treasury Department into a cheering section for Mellon's campaign to remove the inheritance tax.
Mellon's reaction to the crash was to propose: "liquidate labor" and "liquidate troubled assets"--so of course his Wall St. buddies could buy such assets for pennies on the dollar. "Liquidate labor" speaks for itself.
President Hoover, unfairly blamed for the depth of the depression, was so angry at Mellon, whom he couldn't politically get rid of, that the two men were not on speaking terms as the situation deteriorated.
The "Mellon Trust", the cash cow which Mellon and his right-wing heirs have been milking for more than a century, was built by Andrew Mellon and his brother Richard by forcing their way into control of promising firms to which they had loaned start-up capital.
Paul Ryan is not only a disciple of Ayn Rand, but Andrew Mellon.
Get set for a wild ride, should Ryan/Romney get the keys.
I am not sure what to make of your comment here. It would have to be very tongue in cheek and sarcastic. Britain is slowly catching up with America on the Healthcare cuts being made the austerity measures that are creeping in are already causing hardship to thousands and they haven't even begun to take full effect yet. People are being led by the mainstream mediato believe that everyone on benefits is either lazy and scrounging or on the fiddle. Disabled people are being told they must find work even though a lot of them are mentally unfit because the tests applied to them are about physical capability. Full time Jobs are being replaced with part time posts which is useless andpeople are being told they will have to work for benefit. How I see it is, if there is work for benefit then that work should exist for pay. Why should the taxpayer fund workers at Tesco and companies like that I know the arguements I have heard them all but it doesn't make sense. These unpaid workers will be replacing paid workers Companies Like Tesco who avoid paying taxes get free workers so end up noy paying wages. if people dont get wages they don't pay taxes. This country is doomed because no taxes more austerity downward spiral
My questions to all of your comments on this article is this: would you rather watch America go broke with a Dictator in the White HOuse, or would you be more inclined to allow these two known Americans to try their hands at getting our deficit back to save our America for our Children and contain FREEDOM as well???
Do you want more of the same reckless spending and taking the money out of American workers who still have a job as well as the rich and provide food, housing, etc. to immigrants who aren't even Citizens of the United States?
I'm sorry, I am retired and I know I would be upset if I had to support every stray dog, cat, horse, pony or illegal immigrant on the streets ........just because they are here.
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