Health Care Reform Debate-Megathread

[worstblogever]

Looks like Rick Perry may have just got back in the race to be Mitt Romney's VP.

[Darrell D.]

Rick Perry Announces Texas Won’t Implement The Affordable Care Act, Leaving Millions of Texans Uninsured

Yep, it's better to engage in a pissing match than actually give a shit about your constituents.

[Charles RB]

Presumably, any suffering will be passed off as "see, Obamacare hasn't done any good!" and hoping nobody remembers a few months ago.

25-30% ? That's about what gets taken out for taxes period, not including health insurance.

Gee, Americans are getting a shitty deal.

That's what I've thought when Yanks have talked about how they pay lower taxes - you didn't seem to be paying much less. Now I know that's because you don't. And yet, the myth survives despite the existence of global communications. The idea that the US isn't the complete champion at everyone doesn't seem to compute. (As opposed to here, where half the time we seem to assume we must suck compared to everyone else)

As one of his fellow citizens, I'm fine with this, and don't view it as "sponging" (ugh).

Oh come now, what about these filthy scroungers? Our tax money went towards treating these people and all they do is lie around expecting to get something for nothing!

[Nick Soapdish]

That's what I've thought when Yanks have talked about how they pay lower taxes - you didn't seem to be paying much less. Now I know that's because you don't. And yet, the myth survives despite the existence of global communications. The idea that the US isn't the complete champion at everyone doesn't seem to compute. (As opposed to here, where half the time we seem to assume we must suck compared to everyone else)

You probably spend a bit less per capita on defense.

[Charles RB]

That's true, you spend an extra 2% of GDP on it than us.

The Greeks spend more GDP than you though. Because... er....

[Nick Soapdish]

That's true, you spend an extra 2% of GDP on it than us.

The Greeks spend more GDP than you though. Because... er....

Because Turkey might be planning a sneak attack.

I didn't think it was that close between the US and UK. "You guys" sponging off of our military spending is supposed to be one of the reasons that the US can't have as much of a social safety net. Maybe they just meant the rest of Europe.

[Loren]

Because Turkey might be planning a sneak attack.

Just because you offered up the segue:

Is the Antichrist building his nation even now? - Rise of Islamic Turkey triggers warnings of biblical prophecy

Jonathan Kay wrote last year that "A concise way to describe WorldNetDaily is that it defines the exact inflection point on the spectrum of right-wing punditry where legitimate journalism ends and out-and-out conspiracism begins." I think it's tipped past that point.

[Iangould]

According to this: the US spends 4% of GDP on defense, Australia spends 3% and the UK spends 2.4%.

The US also benefits from a good chink of the Australian, British etc defense budgets being spent on American-made weapons.

[Charles RB]

Because Turkey might be planning a sneak attack.

That's the excuse, but since the last clash was decades ago and they're both in NATO - and Turkey wouldn't want to alienate all NATO and the EU.

I didn't think it was that close between the US and UK. "You guys" sponging off of our military spending is supposed to be one of the reasons that the US can't have as much of a social safety net. Maybe they just meant the rest of Europe.

Probably - but that stops working now the Cold War is over (which led to European military budgets being cut). At the moment, unless a European nation has a lot of overseas commitments (so us and France), they don't need to spend that much on a military. US bases in Europe aren't really for our benefit now, they're for yours.

[shades of eternity]

"sponging"

"mooching"

You guys aren't even worth arguing with anymore. Go live on an island atoll in the south pacific all by yourself if you don't want to be a part of a civilized society.

I think they prefer being on an island in the north atlantic ;)

[Iangould]

Here's another fun thought for people: the US government spends more on healthcare than do the governments of other developed countries, both as a proportion of government revenue and in dollar terms.

Anyone who claims to regard cutting the US budget deficit as their top priority should be demanding the US copy of the British or Australian health care system ASAP.

[Shawn Hopkins]

Yep, it's better to engage in a pissing match than actually give a shit about your constituents.

And the people who will die so Republican governors can try out for VP? Fuck ' em, they were poors anyway.

[the4thpip]

And the people who will die so Republican governors can try out for VP? Fuck ' em, they were poors anyway.

And the poors are notorious for voting Democrats, if they vote at all.

[Shawn Hopkins]

Here are some examples of how Republican administrations, some of which have governors who would like to be vice president, are putting your public health first.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/ne...Ls/#cmComments

Fucking up the worst TB outbreak in 20 years by keeping vital information secret and closing the state's only TB hospital.

http://palmettopublicrecord.org/2012...risis-centers/

Cutting funding for rape crisis centers because they are distracting.

[the4thpip]

Spam is NOT healthy food!