if you oppose socialized medicine, sign now to pledge never to use medicare - an interesting perspective.

[cyndromeda]

Okay, here is the deal. If you are attempting to stop healthcare reform for fear of SOCIALISM then I would like you to sign the petition I created to pledge your support to refuse to use the Medicare you already have or to promise to never sign up for it. That's right, Medicare is a government run insurance administered by private insurance (unfortunately) to private doctors and hospitals much like the evil public option in the healthcare bill will be. Not everyone seems to know this as, Rep. Robert Inglis (R-S.C.) told The Washington Post that, at a recent town-hall meeting, a man stood up and told him to “keep your government hands off my Medicare.”

I was once told by a family member who was complaining about his Medicare coverage that he had to sign up for Medicare and couldn't choose private insurance. Not being 65 yet, I took his word on it. I have since done some research and learned (that's right when you are told a fact you can actually take the time to ascertain its correctness) he was wrong. Medicare is entirely voluntary, although you will face a late fee if you sign up for part B or D after you are initially eligible. But since you are opposed to socialized medicine I am sure that you will never ever sign up.

Did you know that most of our medical research is also "publicly funded" i.e. socialized through the National Institutes of Health (NIH)? Much of our basic drug research is funded by….the GOVERNMENT! I guess you will also have to swear off using any drugs or receiving any service funded by the NIH, after all you would hate to use SOCIALIZED MEDICINE. If you have employer based insurance you pay your premium pretax which is obviously a form of government subsidization or SOCIALISM. I guess you should also demand the government stop subsidizing employer based health care via tax breaks. (For those not following…imagine if you didn't get the tax break and then when you went to the doctor the government covered portions of your doctor visit up to the amount that would not have been collected by taxes i.e. they are pay for your healthcare). This comes to almost 200 billion a year in government subsidies.
read more @
http://www.care2.com/causes/politics/blog/stop-socialized-medicine-...


this is pretty lengthy, but worth reading. an appeal to intellect, i suppose.

[Madhatterat60]

I watched part of the town hall sponsored by Claire McCaskill of Missouri. One of the more fascinating moments was when she asked the medicare recipients to stand up...about 25% of the crowd. Then she asked how many were willing to give that up...not ONE hand....

[Vernon Windsor]

Thanks for this.

[Daniel Blattenbauer]

Thanks for the information. I don't think they would refuse Medicare or Social Security themselves even. They just want things to stay as they are, THEY have the best health care system in the world, which does little for approx 45 million who have no health care insurance. I really think Obama has thrown a lot of his bargaining chips away to no avail. I doubt even one Republican will vote for any health care bill and Obama will have given away the public option which is the only thing that would compete with the greedy big pharmaceutical and health insurance interests. I think Obama needs to face reality and acknowledge the fact that the GOP really is not interested in compromise and/or cooperation.

[Dazzling Zoomer Gal Diana]

Excellent post C. The article is very informative. What shocks me is the backlash from many in the military - who do not have to pay for medical services, and this includes their children up to the age of 18. We pay for their medical services out of our taxes. What are they thinking? Oh - wait - they are not!

[cyndromeda]

??? what do you mean?

[Daniel Blattenbauer]

I wish some of those Rightwingers would get on here and sign this! Where are they? Suppose their parents or relatives might be on the Socialist medical programs such as Social Security, Medicare, VA health care, etc.

[Dazzling Zoomer Gal Diana]

*chuckle*

[Tina]

I somehow cannot wrap my heart or my mind around the thought that any American would condone another American to go without medical care, homeless, without food. Who are we? All change has a cost, all progression has a price to be paid. America is the land of opportunity of equal rights for all citizens. When has it ever been acceptable that any American citizen who be denied insurance or health care. Why would any human being wish this or accept this for another?

I cannot accept that now that we have the opportunity for a progressive change in obtaining health care for all American citizens, there are some who are afraid to pay the price. This has been a known fact for decades, that we needed a change on health care in this country, this is not something new. We knew there would be a price, there always is. If it were your child, Mother, or wife/husband who was dying or worse yet suffering because they did not have a way to obtain adequate heath care I truly believe all would feel differently.

Why do we fear a progressive change that will benefit so many who have been pushed aside, hidden away and forgotten for years? Why would we not support this? For the first time we actually have leaders who are actually trying to promote action, not just the endless talk that has produced nothing for those who are ill, suffering and in such need. I personally find it shameful that this great country allows our people to live as those of a third world country.
When did this become acceptable?

It has been "on the political table" for so long. The time for change is at hand, can we not embrace it, pay the price and move forward? There will be kinks, things to further change, but the initial change needs to begin, yesterday.
We can continue as we are and continue to fail ourselves and our people or we can get on board and support the changes needed to begin something new. The old has not worked, been fair or progressive.

These are my thought's, my opinions and my hope for our country. I for one am willing to take the chance for change. I love this country and I love those who are in it. Charity begins at home, progression costs, I think the care of Americas people is worth the price. To me it seems a step in the right direction. Blessings, T

[Daniel Blattenbauer]

Obviously you do not understand the mind of the "Conservative"! Everyone should pull himself/herself up by the bootstraps even if there are no bootstraps. Keep the minimum wage around $5, do not allow unions, do not worry about their health care, that is their responsibility. But allow CEO's to get huge salaries and bonuses, give tax breaks to people so they can create healthcare savings plans (with their $5 per hours jobs), also not extend unemployment benefits if they already exhausted the first 16 weeks that they should not have had to start with, stop capital gains taxes completely, etc. But of course be sure to be the most religious and compassionate political party in the USA.

[Tina]

There is much that I "do not understand", but thanks for straightening that out for me! LoL...I will just never understand those who wish to keep a fellow American down, I find it beyond sad.
I have read all of the arguments and heard a few in person. I do not know where these ideas of such seeming selfishness and disconcern come from. It truly makes me wonder if some of us were not raised by humans but a wild pack of wolves who had to fend for themselves in the wild wilderness.
Where does this thinking come from? I really should have gotten out more I guess...

Anyway thank you much for the quick update and small education, Daniel ! Have a nice week...

[Daniel Blattenbauer]

Tina, I doubt you learned anything from me and have seen that is basically the platform of the GOP. I forgot another thing. They are the political party of "family values" also. Of course you better ignore certain slips of judgement of Senator Craig in the Minneapolis bathroom, the ordeal of Governor Sanford making his trip to the "Appalachian Trail" which I guess is in Argentina now, the problem of the Florida Congressman sending intimate emails to his mail pages, etc. Frankly, I think most of the GOP appear to be pretty hypocritical in a lot of ways.

[Grace Linda]

that says it all