I Don't Get It

[eumelia]

I don't get it.

Really, I don't.

I've been to the States and I didn't get it then. I've been reading up on the subject because the Interwebs are busting with the "health care" discussion.

My country has socialised medicine, we get the choice of four different HMO's, they compete with each other and have supervision and controlling rights over different hospitals.
There is a Health Basket that includes various kinds of medications that would have been unattainable for many people, but through prescription you can get your Insulin, your Xanax, your (practically) whatever you need for an affordable price.

We pay for this service along as well as for national security (so that in case we are unable to work we will still be able to afford health care) through our pay cheques or certificates if one is an independent.

Is it perfect? Hell, no. Most of the time, it is more aggravating than not.

However, this year due to an actual medical necessity I saw the health care system work and we actually got money back after the treatments my mother had to go through were done.

I understand that this sounds like luxury for some and it is. In Third World counties (not all) and in the United States.

That's really fucked up.

Also? Crazy Americans comparing Universal Healthcare to Nazi Policy, WHAT?!

Barney Frank says it better than me (via mizzpyx)

I mock.

That's what I have to say about this really, really redundant debate (it's a debate!!!).

Comments

[kynn.livejournal.com]

I think it's almost entirely racism. They don't want "their" money to pay for "those people," i.e. anyone browner than they are.

I don't actually see much classism; it's poor whites who are vocally complaining about this [1] -- people who could very much benefit from Obama's policies. White people aren't protesting because they're comfortably well-off and they don't want poor whites to get "their" money; they're protesting because they're poor too and yet they hate the idea that any of "their" money could go to keeping blacks healthy or whatever.

So, IMO, almost 100% barely veiled racism.


[1] Although they are, of course, supported and egged on by very corporate interests which are definitionally classist. But there's a question of who the dog is and who the tail is, and who is wagging whom.

[aesiron.livejournal.com]

I think most *poor* whites are arguing against UHC out of racism, but I get the impression that the less-poor, i.e. the nebulous "middle class" that every American pretends to be, are arguing for for classist reasons as well. I'm a white Southerner living in a trailer park, and while I do have privelege due to my pale skin, I'm still considered unclean in large swathes of society.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

Let us unite in our filth upon the Earth, says the Yid girl to her Trailer Wrangling Buddy!