Yes or No? As I'm sure most of you already realize, I'm very much against this. I have chosen to argue as such as part of a debate in one of my classes. Lets get some debate going on this!
if you hate choice, freedom, health and money, then yes, public health care is good. it is particularly good if you are responsible and healthy and you have to pay the bills for fat idiots and smokers and gang gun violence victims and various other BS. it is also nice if you love the wasted money prevalent in all organizations not trying to make a profit. we all know it, collectivizing is the enemy, individual choice is the solution. of course the primary point to be made is that health care isnt really "free" anywhere. the question is whether you want to buy it directly for yourself the way you like, or pay for yourself and everyone else through a system that is inherently terrible. i am actually suprised that this country has not yet submitted to the socialist pressure and gone with national health care. people are simpletons and too easily misunderstand what "free" is. another reason you might like free health care is if you want competent doctors who run up huge debt getting spectacular educations to have no way to pay it back in private practice, thus dissuading them from being a doc in the first place.
I echo what martin said. We are in need of reform of our health care systems, but social medicine won't help anyone in the long run.
I don't want this to be completely one-sided... What about all the old & poor people that need healthcare but can't afford it? Don't we as a society have an obligation to look out for those who can't look out for themselves?
This is an outstanding point. I should note that I also agree with the rest of the post, but this angle is one that I hadn't considered.
Cradle-to-grave Euro-style socialized medicine is an extreme solution. So is a Third-world system, where the wealthy get great care and the elderly and poor get nothing at all. There is a proper balance to be achieved between these two extremes and it's pretty much the dual-track system we have now. A private medical system where the wealthy can buy exceptional health care and allowing the middle-class average working American to have comprehensive affordable health insurance. This is in place alongside with a public medical system where the poor and the elderly can get basic health care on a subsidized or free basis. Louisiana should consider getting rid of the expensive Huey Long-era charity hospital system. We are the only state in the union to offer this. The poor in most states go to county health clinics for basic health care and to regular hospitals for major cases using subsidized insurance coverage.
Another thing to consider is that with socialized medicine there is little incentive to innovate upon existing technologies. Right now a surgeon is always looking to do things better to give his practice a competitive advantage and help his patients heal quicker and become stronger. If you socialize medicine the doctor loses the incentive to improve upon existing surgeries because no matter how he performs he receives the same pay.
all you have to do is look at the VA and get your answer. if the average joe was (mis)treated in a private facility the way the govt has done in VA hospitals, they wouldnt have a business or the govt would have threatened to shut it (themselves) down long ago. The places that house these vets are usually in shambles and filthy with no regard for those living within. Yet, there's no shortage of lavish golf courses, admin buildings and estates found next to those in charge. All nicely wrapped in a VA bill. this is with 2 or 3 mill vets. multiply it times the populace and you have created a monster so big you can never go back. worse than social security. no thank you. everyone in this thread makes solid points. there is no reason to debate the other side. socialism simply sucks ass. really sums it all up. Use all of europe for your answer.
I have heard of iron wood before, but this is the first time I have heard of free subsidization. "Free" health care will be anything but free. Taxpayers will pay for it through the nose. There are better ways to resolve the health care problem without morgaging our children's future to do it. The last thing this country needs is another entitlement program.
