# I am Pitting the stupid question: Do you want to cancel Medicare? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 28, 2009, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079 "2009-08-28T20:36:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/121 "2009-08-29T04:32:01Z")
I swear, you Freeper rightards are truly a bunch of cry-babies. I personally survived eight yeas of Bush, eight years of Reagan and eight years of Nixon. 'Course, took a lot of drugs during Nixon, I wanted to stay sane and sober, but I had to choose… But you guys! What, seven months of Obama and you’re whimpering like you got fucked by a rhino. Its democracy, and it ain’t for the weak. We of the left, we lose, you bet we lose. We pick ourselves up, cuss some, check for loose teeth, and come right back at you. Because it doesn’t matter what the scoreboard says, the game ain’t over till we win. Now, if you guys have had enough, want to curl up with your bankies and pout, so be it, we won’t miss you, we’ll just start in arguing with each other. ---
**Author:** ![wierdaaron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/eada6e/32.png) [@wierdaaron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wierdaaron)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/122 "2009-08-29T05:25:47Z")
God, I’d completely forgotten about the teleprompter thing. Thanks for the reminder. Classic. Try to take down a president regarded as well-spoken because he uses a teleprompter, when every president since before Reagan has used teleprompters for major addresses. Yeah, logic checks out there. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/123 "2009-08-29T05:26:18Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > I swear, you Freeper rightards are truly a bunch of cry-babies. I personally survived eight yeas of Bush, eight years of Reagan and eight years of Nixon. 'Course, took a lot of drugs during Nixon, I wanted to stay sane and sober, but I had to choose… > > But you guys! What, seven months of Obama and you’re whimpering like you got fucked by a rhino. Its democracy, and it ain’t for the weak. > > We of the left, we lose, you bet we lose. We pick ourselves up, cuss some, check for loose teeth, and come right back at you. Because it doesn’t matter what the scoreboard says, the game ain’t over till we win. > > Now, if you guys have had enough, want to curl up with your bankies and pout, so be it, we won’t miss you, we’ll just start in arguing with each other. We lose an election and we post on websites, go to meetups, write letters to the editor, donate to candidates, organize, and register voters. They lose an election, and they get out their guns. ---
**Author:** ![wierdaaron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/eada6e/32.png) [@wierdaaron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wierdaaron)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/124 "2009-08-29T05:31:46Z")
Yeah, but when we lose elections, it’s to Americans. When they lose elections, it’s to Muslim socialist communist totalitarians. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/125 "2009-08-29T05:52:27Z")
Muslim socialist communist totalitarians _with death panels_. Don’t forget the death panels. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/126 "2009-08-29T06:02:42Z")
Only the Musllm Socialist Totalitarians have the correct party line. The Muslim Communists are revisionist splitters. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/127 "2009-08-29T12:32:22Z")
I propose that, in the future, we institute a test whereby anybody who wants to post on the Dope must be able to demonstrate an ability to count to 11, while wearing both shoes and pants. That should keep other Freeper trolls out when this one inevitably gets showed the door and tries to continue this little mini board war. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/128 "2009-08-29T13:22:30Z")
> [@freedumb2003](#): > > I am including employer contribution – use .09 Why? If you’re getting back your contribution then why shouldn’t they get theirs back as well? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/129 "2009-08-29T14:24:55Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > why shouldn’t they get theirs back as well? Because he hates corporations? ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/130 "2009-08-29T14:29:17Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > BTW, one thing not considered in our friend’s calculation is how much private health insurance would cost at age 65, let alone age 90. Are we going to force insurance companies to take old people? To not drop coverage when they get sick? If we do, who makes up the loss in profit? Will insurance costs for younger people soar? > > And what about those people who wouldn’t be investing 3% of their incomes at 8% (though you have to be pretty naive and unaware of the law of supply and demand in the labor market if you think people would get the additional 1.45%) People don’t save enough for retirement now. What if they are about to lose their house? I also notice that inflation is not taken into account at all. That would knock 2% off the return, perhaps. > > Pretty shoddy argument. Actually insurance companies do not insure many old people. Medicare is there to keep them from taking the risky patient pool. Then the nice companies do everything they can to get rid of the ill people they sold insurance to. Then they fight giving the care they contracted to provide. If that makes sense to you ,help defeat the health care bill. The concept is wrong, if you care about the health of the American population. The fact is insurance companies do not. They care about profits, which means they do their damnest to get out of paying anything. Doctors spend a lot of valuable time and money fighting with insurance companies. What a stupid system we have! ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/131 "2009-08-29T16:42:30Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > Because he hates corporations? _American_ corporations, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/132 "2009-08-29T17:09:35Z")
> [@freedumb2003](#): > > Your ability to repeat talking points quickly is pretty amazing. Yours is pretty good, too, except that you seem to always pick the dumbest and shittiest talking points. “Furhrer-puppet”?? What a maroon … :rolleyes: That “furhrer-puppet” line reveals you to be a grade-A, 100% certified MORON. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/133 "2009-08-29T17:37:09Z")
> [@freedumb2003](#): > > My Pit point remains unchallenged – and all you can do is sniffle and run to someone (mommy, daddy?) and break into tears with "he- he- he-s a CONSERVATIVE! Make the bad man go away!) Except for the fact that your Medicare payroll tax contribution is 1.45%, not 9% or 6% or 3% or any other number you’d prefer to use, and that even if the _median_ ROI is 8%, some will earn an awful lot less than that- and some may earn nothing at all. Makes the market a pretty shitty vehicle for self-insurance, really. Of course, even assuming our hypothetical “liberated” old person ends up with $700,000 at age 65, they can quite easily find themselves unable to purchase private health insurance at any price. Thus, we end up coming back to the need for a government safety net of some type, presumably funded by taxes. Perhaps we could fund it using a minimal payroll tax- say, 1.45%? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/134 "2009-08-29T17:38:10Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > Ah. > > And rather than “_mind exploding_”, it appears the _actual_ CP rebuttal is “Yes! I can do better than the government, through the magic of capitalism!” I’m still hoping for an answer as to why the magic free market can’t supply me with Diet Coke, let alone anything more complicated. ETA: Son of a gun, I didn’t know this was multiple pages. Yoinks. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/135 "2009-08-29T17:40:51Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > We lose an election and we post on websites, go to meetups, write letters to the editor, donate to candidates, organize, and register voters. Sometimes we do also price airline tickets to Canada… but then we remember it’s effin’ cold up there. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/136 "2009-08-29T18:03:26Z")
> [@freedumb2003](#): > > Capitalist for many many years. I think that it is appropriate to refund the employer contribution to the employee who worked to create it. Maybe they would, maybe they wouldn’t but if the politicians and lefties are going to hold up Medicare as “Government Health Care That Works” then they need to look at the entire alternative. It’s cute how you think that any extra money your employer gets has a good chance of ending up in your pockets. Helps me understand Free Market Capitalism a little better - the companies we work for will take care of us! That 1.45% savings is going right to China, dude. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/137 "2009-08-29T19:11:52Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Now, if you guys have had enough, want to curl up with your bankies and pout, so be it, we won’t miss you, we’ll just start in arguing with each other. Wait, we need a _reason_ to start arguing with each other? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/138 "2009-08-29T19:26:05Z")
Oh, Christ, **Frank** , don’t start that one again! Of course we do! We of the genuine left already _have_ reasons to argue, you guys on the Republican Lite Clintonista “moderate” wing just need something to cave in to. All they gotta do is whisper sweet nothings like “third way” or “Free Market solution” and they can have their way with you. Again. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/139 "2009-08-29T20:27:58Z")
Lefty fight! Lefty fight! ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079/140 "2009-08-29T21:00:43Z")
> [@freedumb2003](#): > > I am not asking for banning – as I said, I think this is a fun place. > > But I see you have 2 choices: > > 1. Report me for violating some rule > 2. go away and quit whining like a little girl There is another option, you know: 1. Read your posts, read the responses, decide you’re most likely wrong. You seem to think that you’re going to be reported or banned simply for being “too right-wing” for this message board. I doubt that, but I agree with the assertion that you just might be hoping for it to happen. I think I may speak for a few here when I say you’re perfectly welcome to stay around and be your right-wing self. Just realize that many of us will point and laugh when you use terms like “gummit” and “TOTUS”. The tone set by that sort of thing tends to undermine whatever actual points you may (or may not, in my view) be making. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-pitting-the-stupid-question-do-you-want-to-cancel-medicare/508079.md?page=8)