Also, is it really in the interest of the common good to have millions of people in any society who have no protection against disease?

Interview is on Aug 24, 6PM

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Politics/Default.aspx?id=656670
“The former Colorado lawmaker says it is insulting and unacceptable for the White House and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) to proclaim that the House healthcare reform bill does not cover illegal aliens, while continuing to support language in the bill that does give them eligibility through the back door.”

“If they think that it’s not going to be available to illegal aliens in this country, why would they continue to use the number 47-million people uninsured?” he wonders. “Because even they know that about half of those people [of the 47-million] who they identify as uninsured…are non-citizens.”

“Tom TancredoTancredo, who now runs The Rocky Mountain Foundation, says there is also a section in H.R. 3200 which allows all family members to qualify if any one family member is eligible under the new plan.”
(…)

If a program is fully funded by the govt it is “socialized” by any reasonable definition despite any Rube Goldberg mechanisms designed to conceal the fact.

Something along the lines of the Swiss plan seems like the best option, but it would probably have to revised to adapt to the realities of an oversized, heterogeneous country like the US.
http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/bus/stories/DN-swisshealth_07bus.ART0.State.Edition2.21730ee.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/21/AR2009082101776.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

http://www.denverpost.com/recommended/ci_12523427

Based on my own personnal experience, I can vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in that article.

Yes, very perceptive! It’s hard to fathom that “National Socialism” had elements of socialism in it. Maybe that’s why it’s called National Socialism?

I would think that a single-payer system would reduce the potential for chaos, not increase it. Even if there were to be some chaos, wouldn’t that be preferable to millions of people being inadequately protected ?

The Canadian system is NOT nationalized. Services are paid for by the government, but they are offered by non government providers (individual practitioners, hospitals and clinics) who compete with each other just like in the US, albeit in a more regulated environment in terms of cost control. As a consequence, medical expenditures per capital in Canada is half of what Americans spend each year. Of the two, it is by far the least costly system in spite of the fact that the system covers ALL Canadians against ALL medical conditions (preexistent or not).

Please forgive my intrusion in your affairs, but if people are going to attack our wonderful Canadian system, it is difficult for a person like me who has been so priviledged to benefit from it to stand by and hear all the misinformation unanswered.

Aside for that comparing the nationalized system in Canada to a one in the US is apples and oranges. Canada has about the population of California, the US has 300+million people including some 12-20 million illegal aliens.The Dem plan(of which there are three or four floating around ) will most likely require applicants to sign a declaration of some sort that they are in the US illegally with no actual verification required.

The US plan will also require the hiring of hordes of semi-literate Affirmative Action clerks and bureaucrats with all the potential chaos that implies. .

Yes, of course. And also,I believe that the pursuit of happiness should include the hapiness of others.

May I mention another experience that our family is living through at this moment and is making us even more appreciative of our great system.

Last month, during a routine medical examination, an abdomidal tumour-like growth was found in our niece. Because of the complexity of the situation (she was 7 month pregnant), she was immediately (within hours) rushed by an air ambulance helicopter to a medical clinic in another city which had the appropriate medical services to deal with the situation. The baby is now born, and our niece is receiving attentive treatment for her condition.

For every case of ‘delayed service’ reported in the American media about our medical system, there are thousands of instances of positive experiences like ours that go unreported.

Many Americans suffer from what I call ‘Confederate Soldier syndrome.’ This is a condition that makes an individual fight for a cause in which he has no interest, or even more likely, in a cause whose ends are diametrically opposed to his own best interests. Personally, I think the hallmark of a free man is a man who can assess his own best interest and act accordingly. The rest are slaves and fools.

Barney’s been arrogant and high-handed with more rational and responsible critics, but I guess if the questioner’s crazy enough, we can forget all about that and pat him on the back.

Spoken like a member of the “it can never happen here”/what could possibly go wrong? choir. If that’s the best you got then you’ve basically agreed with that nutball’s point. My point being that, nutball though she was, hey, whaddya know, there’s a valid point there. Kinda like saying that drunk McCarthy was right! Which he was.

Thomas,
Thanks for the laugh. My town could use more town halls.