From: Tony Finch (dot@dotat.at)
Date: Thu Nov 16 2000 - 02:24:35 PST
Jeff Bone <jbone@jump.net> wrote:
>
>> When you are earning only just enough to live on,
>
>...you work hard and get a better job.
You don't have a formal job because there aren't any going.
>> even a minor illness can put you in dire straits,
>
>...and hopefully you've paid your *private* insurance premiums, or at
>least you hope that your employer did.
If you have enough cash to pay insurance premiums then you are earning
more than enough to live on. You don't have an employer.
>> Reducing the burden of caring for the elderly can help people to
>> save and therefore buffer themselves against financial problems in the
>> future.
>
>...this sounds great, but what does it really mean? How does paying for healthcare
>for the elderly in *any* way reduce *any* burden on those paying for it?
>Basically, if I parse your sentence properly, you're saying that my FICA
>contributions *encourage* me to save, somehow? Who brainwashed you? That doesn't
>make sense even on the face of it.
No, I'm saying that if you are on the bread-line then the introduction of
government-funded healthcare can raise you above the bread-line.
Obviously I'm talkking about commie pinko redistribution of wealth.
However, because the utility of money is vastly greater for someone
who has none that for someone who has lots, you don't even have to aim
for equality to provide an enormous improvement in the quality of life
of those in the greatest poverty.
Remember I was talking about the third world to make my point. Despite
the fact that SFO's civic centre looks like a shanty town and you have
corrupt partisan civil servants ensuring that your elections are run
fairly, the BRA isn't quite that low.
>Bullshit. I declare shenanigans. If you've got a "right" to
>healthcare that I pay for, then I've got a "right" to come and move
>into your house, live on your sofa, eat your food, maybe even sleep
>with your wife. Either makes about the same amount of sense.
You also have the right, nay! the duty, to walk past stinking beggars
every day.
>What's so godawful frightening about the idea of paying for one's own
>healthcare, or paying for one's own private insurance?
If you have no money you cannot pay for anything.
Tony.
-- en oeccget g mtcaa f.a.n.finch v spdlkishrhtewe y dot@dotat.at eatp o v eiti i d. fanf@covalent.net
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Nov 17 2000 - 16:40:01 PST