Sorry I asked2.
Your wish is my command.
Capitalism Wins.....barely
- Thread starter dgsevier
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I raise my hand. Just who is actually providing these socialist security checks, BTW? I would much rather invest my 15.3% in a way I deem works best for me and my lifestyle, earn interest and enjoy possibly deferred growth. But, even without the benefit of deferred growth, I would still gladly take my investment back and invest it for me.
Good try, though~~~~~
I have been to Finland and spent a good bit of time in Spain with family and friends there. I even got immediate, "first class" emergency service in a hospital there when I sprained my ankle. Socialism will give you nothing to fear, unless your just an "old style" capitalist, clenching your well deserved money in your hands so you may secure a "first class" afterlife.
Hey, I guess I am only a socialist "sympathizer" at this point. I have been called way worse in my lifetime.
Hey, I guess I am only a socialist "sympathizer" at this point. I have been called way worse in my lifetime.
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I've been called worse too. Cannot repeat here in polite company.
I recently visited the Netherlands (just a few days, not long enough to get the complete picture of course) and was very impressed with how well everything seems to work there for residents and visitors. I have a friend who's lived in UK and whether you call it socialism or not, says the health care system there beats ours hands down. This well traveled and well educated person is horrified at what a dinosaur system we have in place, not just for health care but lots of other stuff too.
And an accountant pal of mine advocates ditching the entire US tax code and instituting a national sales tax in its place. I don't know if that's a good idea or not but it seems like an interesting one to explore. (Please bear in mind that I majored in English not business, and had to withdraw in disgrace twice from Econ 101, but I do know how to balance a checkbook without a computer to help, LOL) Anyway, when you consider that the tax code is tens of thousands of pages and even the IRS's own experts can't agree or understand it; when you consider it gets changed many times each year and brilliant professional accountants who spend lots of time keeping up still don't understand it all, that means something is wrong and needs fixing! Or starting over from scratch!
The Netherlands are awesome! If socialism works for them, have at it. Their government has also been handing out needles in parks for at least a decade to deter the spread of AIDS, which would place an added strain on their health care system. UK? A friend of mine (British) brought his aging Mother here for our nursing home care system because their socialized one is 'a mess.' He doesn't mind paying to receive better care, although everything is paid for there, he and his family knew she would receive better care here.
People from Canada cross the border daily for our medical care system because their socialized system dictates not only their care, but the level received, timing, etc.
The only thing needing improving with our medical care systems is the need for managed care to stay out of doctors' offices.
Our schools for medical training are better, which is why MD candidates from around the globe choose the USA for their medical degrees.
And, we do have socialized medicine - Medicaid, Grady Hospital in Atlanta(verge of bankruptcy, however), but also the best trauma unit in the south and many graduating MD students (from around the country) choose Grady for their internships.
We have many, many socialized programs.
When looking at a country like Netherlands, UK, Canada, I think it's prudent to compare tax base and level of care! IMO, hands down, the US is the better choice.
Of course the minimum retirement age will be upped again. Actuarial tables are an expendient way for government to extend its Ponzi scheme. Soon, social security benefits will be means tested and we will see the emergence of a new COLA forumula which more closely simulates the costs experienced by seniors.
Your generation will not realize SS benefits. That's your reward for joining the Ponzi scheme so late. Here's the good news: SS will be the least of your generation's problems.
It seems to me that a meaningful discussion of the relative merits of healthcare systems has to be isolated to yield productive results. News today is littered with stories describing the US healthcare system as broken, backwards and/or expensive. It is expensive and one reason is our tort system. Our system is unique in the world so maybe tort reform is a good starting point. Physicians are forced to practice defensive medicine. You know, let's get an MRI just to be sure.
Speaking of MRI's, several months ago I posted the mean wait times to get an MRI in Canada and Sweden, two countries normally thought to provide excellent universal healthcare. The wait times were a few months and were published by the governments in those countries not some right-wing fringe organizaiton.
Your friend thinks the UK system beats the US system hands down? Consider the below-linked article. It is published by the Leftist BBC. A woman is told to get an MRI and learns the wait time is eighteen months. A few years ago, I was told to get an MRI; got one the next day with the latest greatest state-of-the-art machine. There is another reason why our healthcare costs are high: we have the latest in availability and technology.
BBC NEWS | UK | Brain scan woman told wait months
I know. I just wanted to give Bob the best argument possible, and give him every benefit of the doubt. Concur on the least of our worries as well. The Republic's unraveling is too far gone.
Tort reform isn't necessary if society can impose a higher cost to bring forth frivolous lawsuits. One quick switch is to move to the English Rule, in which the loser of the civil suit pays for the winner's attorneys fees.