Rod Speed writes:

: Uh, the fact of the matter is that we don't do things that way here,

You do. Its just not universal, you only do it with a subset of
the population, most obviously with Medicare.

Universality was the "way" that I was alluding to when I said we don't
do things "that way" here.


: Sammy Socialist.

You wouldnt know what a socialist was if it bit you on your lard arse.

What makes you think my arse is lardy? And more to the point, why
would you care if it were?

You advocate socialized medicine, therefore you're a socialist.

"Quack quack, quackitty-quack-quack-quack!" If it quacks like a duck...


: And our doing things differently than other countries do them doesn't
: _ipso facto_ make our way "wrong."

No one ever said it did.

Yes, as a matter of fact someone did. *You* did.

You wrote, regarding the idea that "all health care should be provided
by the government of the day":

"[...] the US is the only modern first world country that hasnt actually
got a clue about something as basic as that.

Now what is one to infer from that, if not that you believe the U.S. is
wrong because it doesn't follow in lockstep what other "modern, first
world countries" do ? Do you snack on dog**** because eighty gazillion
flies can't be wrong?


But when the cost of adequate health insurance is completely unafford-
able for so many, particularly those who work for themselves etc, and
when you fools **** an immense amount of money against the wall in the
mindless bureaucratic system you use instead, to get a worse outcome
than most other modern first world countrys do in average life expec-
tancy etc, even a fool like you should notice the problem.

My disagreeing with you hardly makes me a fool. Why are you liberals
unable to engage in political discourse without being nasty and insulting?
What do you think that says about the emotional development of your kind?

(Yes, I called you a socialist. But that not only wasn't an insult, it
had the added benefit of being true.)

People who can't afford healthcare because they work for themselves have
no one but themselves to blame. It wasn't "the system's" fault that they
decided to go into business for themselves, and so deny themselves the sort
of healthcare that corporate employees have. Whatever happened to personal
accountability in our culture?

I explained all this to an acquaintance of mine who's a small businessman
(in both senses of the term) in my hometown. A new father, he was be-
moaning the lack of universal medical care. He didn't appreciate being
told that he essentially screwed himself and his new family out of proper
medical care because of his choice of livelihood -- but then, it was no
less true for that. "You pays your money and you makes your choice."

And speaking of which, I don't "**** away" money. The amount of money I
pay toward my healthcare coverage is so small as to be completely painless
(my employer pays the rest). Why is it "****ing away" money if I pay an
HMO through a payroll deduction, but not if the money is taken from me by
the government through taxation, to pay for socialized medical care?

And my HMO is not a "mindless bureaucratic system" but a very well-run
enterprise. Indeed, you know nothing whatsoever about my health coverage,
apart from the fact that it's an HMO. So on what basis do you presume to
dismiss it as a "mindless bureaucratic system?" We all know how efficient
and responsive to individual needs government-run enterprises tend to be,
don't we?


: Ever heard of the Bandwagon Fallacy? As Marge the Palmolive Liquid
: lady used to say, "You're soaking in it!"

Even you should be able to do better than that pathetic excuse for
mindless bull****.

Obviously not.

I'm afraid that insults are poor substitutes for cogent and compelling
rebuttal...speaking of a "pathetic excuse for mindless bull****."


: It's the responsibility of the federal government to print money,
: deliver the mail, provide for the defense of the nation and its
: people, and keep bird **** off of the statues. That's all.

Mindless pig ignorant silly stuff.

Yet another insult, eh? No bloody wonder nobody takes you socialists
seriously. You come across like a bunch of gradeschoolers arguing on
the playground at recess.


Its the federal responsibility to do whatever the voters decide it
should do. You get to like that or lump it.

I'm afraid things aren't quite that simple, my idealistic-yet-naive
friend. There's no such thing as a nationwide referendum.


: Don't like that? Then move to Sweden or some other European
: socialist paradise.

So stupid it hasnt even noticed that even Canada has managed to get
a clue.

Um, when did I say that Canada _didn't_ have socialized medical care?
Canada has it, therefore Europe doesn't? Or was I supposed to mention
Canada in preference to Europe because Canada is closer to the U.S.?
What exactly is your point?


And that the US has that too. The only problem with the stupid US
system is that it isnt universal and only applys to the geriatrics etc.

If endless variations of "yer stupid!" are the only sort of discourse
you liberals can come up with, you may as well put guns into your
yammering pieholes and paint the walls with what passes for your brains
right now. And I mean, the sooner the better.



Geoff

--
"Kwanzaa bells, dashikis sell, Whitey has to pay
Burning, shooting, oh what fun on this made-up holiday!"