Now that we’ve finally jumped the big hurdle here in the US, and brought the largest remaining portion of our society out of the 19th century and into the 20th (we still have some catching up to do yet, but later), it’s time to express some gratitude where it’s due.
I can’t even start to name names here, but: Thanks to all the Canadians, Aussies, Yurpeens of all stripes, and anyone I’m missing who has taken so much time here to educate the more obstinate of us about what quasi-universal health care is, how it works, and how well it succeeds out there in the real world. The task has obviously taken incredible patience and no small amount of forbearance on the part of all of you who have helped here. You needed to control your incredulity and suppress laughter, and you managed to do so. Much, much ignorance needed to be fought, and still does, but you have fought it well, in the highest traditions of Cecilianism.
Sorry CW, no can do. We are proud of our Og-given right to whine, bitch and piss and moan loudly and in all forms of media, when even the least littlest thing does not go the way we want. And since we (as a nation) have multiple personalities, that means that some portion of us will always be bitching about something.
You … you guys had something going on about health care? The Devil you say! And it’s been so quiet round here. GD’s like the tomb! Although there seems to be some sort of gravedance party here in the BBQ - I suspect Goth teenagers…
I don’t understand what the non-U.S. citizens had to do with it, since American conservatives weren’t listening to them, particularly. If HCR had been presented as being “just like” National Health in the UK, or whatever they call it in Canada, Australia, etc., it wouldn’t have passed. IMO that’s not necessarily a criticism of those places, but just a recognition of a political fact in this country, regarding the way that proposed social legislation has to be presented.
The pity of is is that over time US healthcare costs will decline, healthcare provision will no longer be a tax on US employers, a certain amount of labour market inflxibility will be removed, it will be easier for smaller and innovative start up companies to attract the right staff, and you’ll probably end up reducing industrial costs and be more competitive.
Why couldn’t you have kept things as they were, escalating costs, makes it so much harder for the rest of us now, damn you, damn you all.
Nobody ever claimed that other nations’ healthcare systems didn’t have any problems whatsoever. But anybody who imagines that the existing American healthcare system hasn’t had plenty of the same sort of problems is kidding themselves.
Only an idiot would imagine that a non-UHC system is somehow magically superior to UHC systems when it comes to avoiding malpractice and failures of care.
This may be the most laughable, most pathetic, most stroke-seeking thread the board has ever seen. It oozes obsequiousness; reeks of desperation and the need for a hug. Pablum of the finest sort. Congratulations. and thanks for the giggles.
The only question is how long before you feel embarrassed by it.
It also would have been a lie, since what passed isn’t just like any of them. It’s ridiculous. Here we have all these health systems out there that give better results for lower costs than ours does that have been operating for decades, that have discovered by experimentation what works and what doesn’t. We had an unparallelled opportunity to cherry-pick the best of health care systems (including what is good in our current one) and we wind up arguing about death panels and communism. Sheesh.
Sometimes I think we’re the world’s stupidest country.
I hate to say it, but when it comes to debating UHC, it almost feels like I’m debating with a Flat Earther or a Creationist. Even though there are mountains of evidence that shows it works, no amount of evidence is going to be enough for those who oppose it. Now that the struggle is over, I should take a break for awhile just to preserve my own mental health. I don’t need to keep pushing this rock up a hill forever and ever like the legendary Sisyphus was forced to do.
What makes me happy is the knowledge that their numbers are doomed to dwindle over time. 50 years from now, the notion of abolishing universal health care will be a lunatic fringe position akin to privatizing the roads or abolishing Fire Departments.
We apologize for any inconvenience caused by our past backwardness and hope you’ll excuse the commotion as we attempt to approach the civility of the rest of the developed world!
These exciting improvements will help us become better neighbors,
and will result in a much higher level of service! (for ourselves, mostly)
JOIN US FOR OUR GRAND RE-OPENING
SCHEDULED FOR JULY 4, 20**!!
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*(**NOTE: Date is contingent on the die-off rate and/or emigration to Somalia/Iran/North Korea of the traitorous fools who have been sabotaging our improvements. *Check back often for updates!)
