Do You Want Universal Healthcare?

[DanFNP]

I know this topic has been discussed before on this site..but, I was curious for an updated response. How many of you would be willing to pay more taxes for universal healthcare? I find it egregious that the US has put a cost on maintaining/saving ones life! I traveled to Europe and the thought of them having to bring their checkbook to the hospital aroused literal laughs. It's the same notion that we'd have to whip out our debit card to firefighters before they turned the hoses on our burning homes. It's sad. I think the overall costs of UH would be beneficial...in fact, the raised taxes would still probably be lower than our rising premiums every 2 weeks! Thoughts?

[CuriousMe]

Puhlease,

every school in this country gets provided with free breakfast and free lunch for kids. There are so many free redundant give aways in this country there is no need to even have a parent around to raise a child. This fallacy of soup line America is just that a fallacy. I guess that's why their is an epidemic of obesity in poor neighborhoods because of the lack of nutrition. We spend about $22,000 per student in the DC school system that has a dropout rate of over 50%. To say that these schools are impoverished is absolutely absurd.

Those children didn't make a poor choice to be born that way, but their parents did and it is not my responsibility to pay for their poor choices. Odds are these children will grow up making the same poor choices. Their is nothing stopping YOU from breaking out your checkbook this minute and writing a check to the federal government to pay for these kids lunches and books that you claim they do not have.

My sister student-taught 3rd grade in North Philly(at an inner-city school). They had one math book for the class of 36 students (teacher's edition) my sister wrote their homework problems on the board and they copied them down so they could do them at home, their American History textbooks arrived just after Thanksgiving...but unfortunately were on World History and they had no science resources (as a student teacher she spent her money on a globe, maps, beakers, test tubes, etc). Yeah, sure....these kids have the same shot as every other 3rd grader in the country /sarcasm off

Oh and while there may be plentiful calories in poorer neighborhoods, I would challenge the fact that there is plentiful nutrition. (I know my school system considered ketchup a vegetable).

It's foolish and naive to think that everyone in this country has the same opportunities.

Peace,

CuriousMe

[RN1982]

My sister student-taught 3rd grade in North Philly(at an inner-city school). They had one math book for the class of 36 students (teacher's edition) my sister wrote their homework problems on the board and they copied them down so they could do them at home, their American History textbooks arrived just after Thanksgiving...but unfortunately were on World History and they had no science resources (as a student teacher she spent her money on a globe, maps, beakers, test tubes, etc). Yeah, sure....these kids have the same shot as every other 3rd grader in the country /sarcasm off

Oh and while there may be plentiful calories in poorer neighborhoods, I would challenge the fact that there is plentiful nutrition. (I know my school system considered ketchup a vegetable).

It's foolish and naive to think that everyone in this country has the same opportunities.

Peace,

CuriousMe

Totally agree with you. Its the same in Detroit. Poor budget management has led to several schools being shut down, no funds for updated textbooks. I attended 8th grade in Southwest Detroit and the school didn't even have doors on the girls' bathroom stalls.

[Atheos]

I Big Brother a kid. He is in a foster home with 8 other kids. I have to feed him before school, I had to buy all of his supplies and I take him to school because in SE DC you get shot for waking up.

It's pathetic...

[CRNA2007]

Stanley,

Who runs these schools? It ain't conservatives. With all the free giveaways that DC gets it should be a utopia to modern liberalism. But, according to you it is not. Why is that? Could it be that liberalism is a failure and all it has done is decimate the Black family? Liberalism is the most extreme form of racism to the poor.

How on one hand can you say these children get no breakfast but on the other hand you feed them every morning? The fact is all these schools offer free breakfast and free lunches which is paid for throught the federal government with subsidies.

First off they haven't gotten it yet. Do better Google research. Secondly most of it goes to bureaucracy and not spent directly on students. Thirldy in the first district wide report required by the No Child Left Behind act less than half of DC public schools (68 of 158) passed in both reading and math. High schools are particularly bad: of the 50 secondary schools in the district only 11 met the requirements for reading 7 met them in math.

Children make the poor choices they are taught. Violence is high, poverty is high, schools are failing. What choices do you think these children will make.

BTW - I do give money to DC book and clothing charities. There are never enough. I also work at shelters that feed these children before school...

I only make 35$, rent a room, pay for school and still find money to help these kids...

[Atheos]

Stanley,

Who runs these schools? It ain't conservatives. With all the free giveaways that DC gets it should be a utopia to modern liberalism. But, according to you it is not. Why is that? Could it be that liberalism is a failure and all it has done is decimate the Black family? Liberalism is the most extreme form of racism to the poor.

How on one hand can you say these children get no breakfast but on the other hand you feed them every morning? The fact is all these schools offer free breakfast and free lunches which is paid for throught the federal government with subsidies.

So are school supplies apparantely. **ROLL EYES**

Seriously, my eyes are starting to hurt...

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

stepping up on the admin :spbox:

:typing terms of service

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[Atheos]

My main point on Universal healthcare is this. Everyone has a right to healthcare. Everyone.

Of course there are different people in this country.

Some make billions, some are highly successful, some are comfortable, some are barely hanging on, some make one mistake and lose everything, some suffer mental illnesses (like PTSD from war) and are homeless, and some are irresponsible, some have no choices, some have no help.

Who gets to decide which of those are WORTH our tax dollars? People make bad choices because they are taught them. Who is going to teach them otherwise. Who is going to stop the cycle?

Someone earlier quoted JFK. Don't ask what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country.

Ok, time to ante up! I don't need my country to do anything for me. I don't need universal healthcare and I have no problem chipping in for someone else to have healthcare. You guys most likely don't need universal healthcare. Who is going to step up and volunteer to do something for their country. Who is going to help the other Americans? I have done a lot for my country. What are you doing?

America isn't about greed... Everyone talks about the good old days when neighbors were neighbors. Communities helped out and raised children. Families were large. Morals were better...

Ok time to improve it. Help your neighbor. Quit being greedy (most of the people against this have already espoused their 'religious' beliefs and greed is contraindicated :) ).

A couple people said America was failing because of lack of responsibility. It is failing because no one wants to take responsibility. You are responsible for your country and fellow Americans. Whoever told you that you weren't lied. Soldiers fight and die because they take responsibility for other Americans safety. If those soldiers and Iraq and all the veterans (some of which you would exclude due to poor choices) can give their lives for YOUR safety you can give some money for everyone's health.

Just a thought...

[coolpeach]

Of course the poor liberal couldn't help but reference the poor suffering children, and attack the "rich" CRNA. Go back to your playbook, and look up....your children aren't my responsibility. Maybe your neighboorhood is struggling because you don't pay taxes, contribute to society, or show any leadership. The increasing number of out of wedlock, and fatherless children in your neghborhoods are part of the problem. No family structure is surely contributing to the down fall of society. And these are the people who think they shouldn't pay taxes and owe nothing to society, or anyone else for that matter. So don't take my tax dollars to pay for your lack of responsibility, let alone your healthcare.

Wow.....Are you a nurse? Where did the compassion go? What about the women who find themselves in abusive relationships and flee in the middle of the night with nothing but their children? You could say they made a bad choice in picking a husband, but they certainly didn't make the choice to be nearly killed repeatedly. You say no family structure contrubutes to the downfall, and I agree. Lets talk about that. A young girl who herself grew up fatherless, and her mothers is maybe a undependable drug addict. She grows up in a bad neighborhood being molested by uncles, neighbors etc. She ends up marry young because its the only way out she can find. Because she cannot afford health care, and her wonderful husband refuses to wear a condom or takes them off after the start without her knowledge she ends up with more than a few kids. She can't leave him because she can't afford to support the kids on her own. Then just like her father he takes off leaving her and the kids without a husband/Dad or support. She can't even afford daycare or transportation. Did she make poor choices considering that they were the only choices available to her at the time?

I think it's all about perspective. I have several choices because I have family to help me, a way to get a little money if needed, and a good educational background to help me make informed decisions. Others are not as lucky as I am. They do not have the educational advantage that I do. They do not have access to funds, or family who can help or life experiences that can lead them in the right direction. Some people or often forced to pick one of two bad choices just to get away from a third more awful situation. They do not have the choices that we have.

You must try to get in touch with your empathy and experience what it is like from someone elses perspective. While the sky the limit from a mountain top its hard to see the stars from under someone elses boot. Try volunteering for a domestic violence shelter, homeless shelter, or childrens home to get some different perspectives. I can't imagine that quality of care can be provided without empathy and compassion.

[coolpeach]

Curious me,

Yes, here in Texas ketchup is considered a veg on the school menu. This started while my oldest was in middle school during Bush's first run. If I am not mistaken it was one of the things he did to trim the budget.

First let me say that a tomato it a fruit not a veg and ketchup is a condiment. The students used to get a tomato with their burger, but now if they get 2 ketchup packets they lose the tomato. Very sad???

And its also true what you said about nutrition. All the healthy foods are more expensive (fresh fruits and veggies have all went up terribly). Your preprepared, boxed, fatty foods not so much. When a family is on a tight budget they can often afford to eat, but not healthy. This is why the poor neighborhoods have had an increase in weight. Its not because they eat more its that they eat less expensive high fatty foods that they can afford. Time just did this story a month or so ago.

[missjennmb]

man dont even get me started on school systems and their failures. I am homeschooling my 13 yr old and selling my house to move to a better school district because there are so many problems with the school districts and how funding for them is distributed in this area. I would private school him if that didn't come with a "mandatory Christian household" component".

[Jolie, BSN]

My sister student-taught 3rd grade in North Philly(at an inner-city school). They had one math book for the class of 36 students (teacher's edition) my sister wrote their homework problems on the board and they copied them down so they could do them at home, their American History textbooks arrived just after Thanksgiving...but unfortunately were on World History and they had no science resources (as a student teacher she spent her money on a globe, maps, beakers, test tubes, etc). Yeah, sure....these kids have the same shot as every other 3rd grader in the country /sarcasm off

It's foolish and naive to think that everyone in this country has the same opportunities.

According to th following website, the Philadelphia public school district spends $11,078 per pupil. That is more than enough for breakfast, social studies text books, and every other educational necessity.

If these items aren't available to the students, it is because school administrators aren't spending money wisely.

If opportunities for inner-city students are not equal to those in other areas, blame the bureaucrats and administrators who are responsible, not the taxpayers who provide more than adequate funding.

http://www.thenotebook.org/editions/2007/summer/schoolspending.htm

[Jolie, BSN]

Curious me,

Yes, here in Texas ketchup is considered a veg on the school menu. This started while my oldest was in middle school during Bush's first run. If I am not mistaken it was one of the things he did to trim the budget.

First let me say that a tomato it a fruit not a veg and ketchup is a condiment. The students used to get a tomato with their burger, but now if they get 2 ketchup packets they lose the tomato. Very sad???

And its also true what you said about nutrition. All the healthy foods are more expensive (fresh fruits and veggies have all went up terribly). Your preprepared, boxed, fatty foods not so much. When a family is on a tight budget they can often afford to eat, but not healthy. This is why the poor neighborhoods have had an increase in weight. Its not because they eat more its that they eat less expensive high fatty foods that they can afford. Time just did this story a month or so ago.

If one is dissatisfied with the quality of school lunch, why not simply pack a lunch from home?

This is yet another example of the poor quality we get when we trust the government (in this case the public school system) to take over yet another function of parenting. In this case, feeding our children. Any parent can do a better job, and should.