We’ll let everyone born with a physical or mental handicap know that you (maybe) feel this way.
We’ll let everyone left unable to fend for themselves because of the actions of others know that you (maybe) feel this way.
Who gets to define “productive”? Your miraculous “free market” (that doesn’t exist)?
I see that productivity in your book is directly proportional to salary, and a person who becomes unemployed immediately moves from the productive to unproductive category. The rich heiress who does nothing is more productive than the guy working two low paying jobs to feed his family.
Ever wonder about what Jesus would think of your position?
I can’t even take you seriously when you make this argument. Plenty of people who miss out under our current health system are far from unproductive. They hold down jobs, pay rent (or mortgages), raise children, pay taxes. The only thing that distinguishes them from the rest of society is that what they earn isn’t enough to afford health insurance or pay medical bills.
We’re not talking here about providing working class people with BMWs or ski chalets. We’re talking about providing them with a basic level of health care that will, in fact, allow them to remain productive members of society, rather than (a) suffering in constant pain, and/or (b) filing bankruptcy due to an unexpected medical emergency.
Even if we leave aside the word “right” for the moment, i find any moral argument that would deny someone basic medical care in as rich a society as this is completely repugnant.
Selfish v. unselfish. That’s really what it comes down to.
Its not denying health care, it is refusing to provide it. Big difference, which totally nullifies your argument.
I think Jesus would wonder why people uses His name to argue for social policy only when their wishes appear to coincide with His. I think Jesus would say, “Hey, if you’re going to listen to me on this, then you should listen to me on abortion, too.”
And I wonder the same thing. You cannot simply apply piecemeal and cherrypicked the idea that Jesus’ lessons should guide us. If Jesus’ teaching is how we should form policy, fine. I absolutely agree that government should cover health care costs for all… and I assume you agree that abortion is prohibited. Right?
No? Then stop talking about what Jesus would want.
But you’re not. You’re talking about a system that would provide those benefits to people who don’t work a lick and don’t want to. You have no intention of limiting your system to those who “…hold down jobs, pay rent (or mortgages), raise children, pay taxes.” Do you?
Ah, the “welfare queen” meme returns …
In a sense, I suppose it’s selfish. In the same sense that it’s selfish that you won’t let me come over and fuck you up the ass. After all, you have an ass, and I sure need a fuck. So why be selfish about it?
What time should I swing by?
What did Jesus ever say about abortion? 
I don’t think anyone here knew you swung that way. 
“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.”
Granted, that was him wearing his God-the-Father hat, but it’s all divine.
A whole lot less than he said about compassion or wealth.
A man’s reach should exceed his grasp, else what’s a heaven for?
That would be about conception, not abortion. Try again.
(As an aside, I find it somewhat cognitively disturbing that I am offering up Christ’s viewpoint in one post and semi-reluctant anal sodomy in the next.)
But, whatever it takes to make the point understandable, that’s what I’ll do.
(Er… almost whatever it takes).
Bricker, are you a Druuge? Or a Ferengi?
Your basic argument seems to be that people should only get what they deserve and work for. Anyone else, fuck 'em.
Sure, if we can look into the minds of people and see exactly what their thought process is, I’d happily deny coverage to people don’t want to work and don’t want to pay for it. How do you plan on seperating those who work and don’t have coverage and those who don’t work? This “let them all die” plan of yours is seriously fucked up.
We get fucked up the ass in so many diverse ways already, why should we stop here? After all, we let plenty of people take a free ride on the national defense working Americans pay for.
That could mean all sorts of things, depending on how one interprets it.
No, i don’t. But under your system, those productive people i mentioned will miss out too, and i firmly believe that they constitute a majority of those needing help.
Maybe i have too rosy a view of humanity, but i believe that the majority of people who don’t have a job are, in fact, looking for work and would take work if the opportunity presented itself. In the current economic climate, can you honestly say you believe otherwise? I know it feeds the conservative worldview to believe that everyone without a job is a slacker bum who’s just waiting for the lottery to fall in his lap, but i don’t believe this to be the case.
I fully accept that there are some people out there who are nothing more than lazy, and i support a system that would monitor such people, and require some sort of contribution from them. But, right now, i believe that allowing a few bums too mooch off the system is a far lesser evil than leaving a broken system to continue limping along, and i don’t want to penalize all the honest, hardworking people who are struggling just so i can feel good about sticking it to a few lazy bums.
But that’s just me.