Comments on: The Damage We Can Expect from Obama’s Rush to Universal Healthcare http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/the-damage-we-can-expect-from-obamas-rush-to-universal-healthcare/ Whiskey and Gunpowder features articles on gold, oil, currencies, emerging markets, energy, and more. Sat, 26 May 2012 14:03:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: t i p http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/the-damage-we-can-expect-from-obamas-rush-to-universal-healthcare/comment-page-1/#comment-20926 t i p Wed, 15 Jun 2011 21:10:13 +0000 http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/?p=5845#comment-20926 b u e n o b u e n o

]]> By: Isle of Man Gold Angel http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/the-damage-we-can-expect-from-obamas-rush-to-universal-healthcare/comment-page-1/#comment-8422 Isle of Man Gold Angel Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:50:40 +0000 http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/?p=5845#comment-8422 Hmm.... The people who profit from our demise by reinstating the "death tax", are the same ones who are entrusted with our health care?? Sounds like a conflict of interests... someone call my broker! Hmm…. The people who profit from our demise by reinstating the “death tax”, are the same ones who are entrusted with our health care?? Sounds like a conflict of interests… someone call my broker!

]]> By: Gun Totin' Wacko http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/the-damage-we-can-expect-from-obamas-rush-to-universal-healthcare/comment-page-1/#comment-4507 Gun Totin' Wacko Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:52:23 +0000 http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/?p=5845#comment-4507 "Healthcare reform" has been an issue in dire need of reasoned debate for at least 20 years. Where were all the clowns calling for reasoned debate before the present time????? Where were you?? “Healthcare reform” has been an issue in dire need of reasoned debate for at least 20 years. Where were all the clowns calling for reasoned debate before the present time????? Where were you??

]]> By: Bill Simmons http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/the-damage-we-can-expect-from-obamas-rush-to-universal-healthcare/comment-page-1/#comment-4437 Bill Simmons Sat, 05 Dec 2009 19:38:36 +0000 http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/?p=5845#comment-4437 Dear Elitist Scum Your health care solutions are just what the doctor of our constitution ordered. Your vision can become reality. Expected improvements in self-diagnostic technology and better education in regard to self-health care could eliminate many unnecessary doctor and hospital visits thereby saving enough to fund affordable catastrophic insurance plans. Americans can and should become more self-reliant in their health care as well as in many other areas now controlled by Big Government. Bill Dear Elitist Scum

Your health care solutions are just what the doctor of our constitution ordered. Your vision can become reality. Expected improvements in self-diagnostic technology and better education in regard to self-health care could eliminate many unnecessary doctor and hospital visits thereby saving enough to fund affordable catastrophic insurance plans. Americans can and should become more self-reliant in their health care as well as in many other areas now controlled by Big Government.

Bill

]]> By: Linda Brady Traynham http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/the-damage-we-can-expect-from-obamas-rush-to-universal-healthcare/comment-page-1/#comment-4306 Linda Brady Traynham Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:28:21 +0000 http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/?p=5845#comment-4306 Dear Mr. McLaren: You make one excellent point: the USA spends far too much on administration, a common result of government intervention. Quite frankly, 2% of your gross income and $2,000 a year for your family of four does not strike me as a reasonable sum for sensible people in normal health to pay; it is certainly no bargain. I would suppose that cervical fusion would be covered under a catastrophic care rider since it is not at all a common need. I read all of the articles and comments on W&G every day and I cannot recall anyone reporting costs of $100,000 for a fractured arm. Americans do not say "in" hospital; that is British, Canadian, and Australian usage. We say "in THE hospital." I am shocked that you had to pay cab fares, but pleased that you got such expensive care so late in the year. In general we are told that funds tend to run out in Canada by August...how long were you on a waiting list? I am very glad that you are pleased with your system, but ours is a family feud, and we prefer to muddle along in our quaint colonial way, thank you. LBT Dear Mr. McLaren:

You make one excellent point: the USA spends far too much on administration, a common result of government intervention.

Quite frankly, 2% of your gross income and $2,000 a year for your family of four does not strike me as a reasonable sum for sensible people in normal health to pay; it is certainly no bargain. I would suppose that cervical fusion would be covered under a catastrophic care rider since it is not at all a common need. I read all of the articles and comments on W&G every day and I cannot recall anyone reporting costs of $100,000 for a fractured arm. Americans do not say “in” hospital; that is British, Canadian, and Australian usage. We say “in THE hospital.” I am shocked that you had to pay cab fares, but pleased that you got such expensive care so late in the year. In general we are told that funds tend to run out in Canada by August…how long were you on a waiting list?

I am very glad that you are pleased with your system, but ours is a family feud, and we prefer to muddle along in our quaint colonial way, thank you.

LBT

]]> By: Elitist Scum http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/the-damage-we-can-expect-from-obamas-rush-to-universal-healthcare/comment-page-1/#comment-4305 Elitist Scum Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:08:46 +0000 http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/?p=5845#comment-4305 You want a solution to the costs of health care? Get rid of insurance! THAT is what drove all the prices up, from a combination of "free" care, the incredible number of forms that have to be filled out by expensive clerical help which serves no medical purpose, and government interference. Let's make "single payer" mean personal pay-as-you-go. Compare what an office visit cost in 1955 to modern dollar equivalents, and one should cost $35.00. It doesn't; OV usually run between $110 and $150, as a direct result of increased clerical costs and the taxpayers funding the privileged classes (If "entitled" doesn't mean privileged, what does it convey?) and law breakers. Here's a challenge for you: when you do your income taxes add up everything your whole family spent on medical services...and compare the total to what your insurance cost. Unless one of you suffered severe injuries or contracted a terminal illness, the chances are overwhelming that what you paid far exceeded what you got. Health care is not a RIGHT. It is an obligation only because the Statists insist it is. It is humorous that those who mock Christians insist that we have to be our brothers' keepers. Where do they think that idea came from? "Free" health care for everyone who goes to the Emergency Room with the sniffles is why a visit costs YOU $2,000. The government has been eating our cake for years and now it is working on the hamburger buns--in addition to insulting us and playing the guilt and race cards. A catastrophic care police is a good idea for those who fear being put on dialysis or undergoing chemotherapy or multiple by-pass surgery, some day,. Insurance is not meant to cover routine expenses; it is...well..."insurance" against the possible but not likely. My home insurance does not replace a hot water heater or recarpet the house if I want a change of color. It protects the house from fire, tornados, and hurricanes. We cannot provide all things for all people who do not pay taxes and there is no reason why we should be forced to do so. Charity is a voluntary act; "free" health care, housing, food, utilities and so forth paid for by extorting vast sums from the rest of us is neither charity nor common sense nor ethical nor rational--and the flat truth is that we can't afford it, any more than we have ever been able to afford foreign aid, quixotic rescue attempts (some currently known as "overseas contingency operations"), or the utter fallacy of legislating that every citizen "make" a living wage. Worse than not being able to afford the Nanny State, we have passed the point where we could pay for it. Charity begins at home and spreads to churches and clubs formed for that purpose. It is not the responsibility of governments or even a proper function of government. Don't bother to call me "mean-spirited" and cold. Show me where I am wrong. To how many decimal places? By what accounting system? By whose ethical system? You want a solution to the costs of health care? Get rid of insurance! THAT is what drove all the prices up, from a combination of “free” care, the incredible number of forms that have to be filled out by expensive clerical help which serves no medical purpose, and government interference. Let’s make “single payer” mean personal pay-as-you-go. Compare what an office visit cost in 1955 to modern dollar equivalents, and one should cost $35.00. It doesn’t; OV usually run between $110 and $150, as a direct result of increased clerical costs and the taxpayers funding the privileged classes (If “entitled” doesn’t mean privileged, what does it convey?) and law breakers. Here’s a challenge for you: when you do your income taxes add up everything your whole family spent on medical services…and compare the total to what your insurance cost. Unless one of you suffered severe injuries or contracted a terminal illness, the chances are overwhelming that what you paid far exceeded what you got. Health care is not a RIGHT. It is an obligation only because the Statists insist it is. It is humorous that those who mock Christians insist that we have to be our brothers’ keepers. Where do they think that idea came from? “Free” health care for everyone who goes to the Emergency Room with the sniffles is why a visit costs YOU $2,000. The government has been eating our cake for years and now it is working on the hamburger buns–in addition to insulting us and playing the guilt and race cards. A catastrophic care police is a good idea for those who fear being put on dialysis or undergoing chemotherapy or multiple by-pass surgery, some day,. Insurance is not meant to cover routine expenses; it is…well…”insurance” against the possible but not likely. My home insurance does not replace a hot water heater or recarpet the house if I want a change of color. It protects the house from fire, tornados, and hurricanes. We cannot provide all things for all people who do not pay taxes and there is no reason why we should be forced to do so. Charity is a voluntary act; “free” health care, housing, food, utilities and so forth paid for by extorting vast sums from the rest of us is neither charity nor common sense nor ethical nor rational–and the flat truth is that we can’t afford it, any more than we have ever been able to afford foreign aid, quixotic rescue attempts (some currently known as “overseas contingency operations”), or the utter fallacy of legislating that every citizen “make” a living wage. Worse than not being able to afford the Nanny State, we have passed the point where we could pay for it. Charity begins at home and spreads to churches and clubs formed for that purpose. It is not the responsibility of governments or even a proper function of government.

Don’t bother to call me “mean-spirited” and cold. Show me where I am wrong. To how many decimal places? By what accounting system? By whose ethical system?

]]> By: Niall McLaren http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/the-damage-we-can-expect-from-obamas-rush-to-universal-healthcare/comment-page-1/#comment-4292 Niall McLaren Thu, 26 Nov 2009 11:24:27 +0000 http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/?p=5845#comment-4292 The US spends 31% of its health budget on administration, Canada spends 16.7%. The US spends 16.4% of its GDP on health, projected by the President's Council of Economic Advisers, to reach 34% in 3040, while Australia spends 8.4%. The standard of health in the US is not higher than either Canada or Australia. Canada and Australia have universal health care with optional private cover. In addition to my compulsory Medicare levy of 2% of my taxable income, I pay $2000 a year for top private health cover for a family of four. This includes dental, optical, physiotherapy, etc. A writer in this column reported recently that a day in hospital with a fractured arm cost him $100,000 with various bills still to come. I spent 8 days in a private hospital recently for a cervical fusion. Total cost to me, including airfares, was two taxi fares. If the US can't sort out universal health care for its population, while reeducing the total cost to the community, then you aren't trying. Either that or you've got a bad attack of Uncle Joe Stalin's disease, ideology. The US spends 31% of its health budget on administration, Canada spends 16.7%. The US spends 16.4% of its GDP on health, projected by the President’s Council of Economic Advisers, to reach 34% in 3040, while Australia spends 8.4%. The standard of health in the US is not higher than either Canada or Australia. Canada and Australia have universal health care with optional private cover. In addition to my compulsory Medicare levy of 2% of my taxable income, I pay $2000 a year for top private health cover for a family of four. This includes dental, optical, physiotherapy, etc. A writer in this column reported recently that a day in hospital with a fractured arm cost him $100,000 with various bills still to come. I spent 8 days in a private hospital recently for a cervical fusion. Total cost to me, including airfares, was two taxi fares.
If the US can’t sort out universal health care for its population, while reeducing the total cost to the community, then you aren’t trying. Either that or you’ve got a bad attack of Uncle Joe Stalin’s disease, ideology.

]]> By: Linda Brady Traynham http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/the-damage-we-can-expect-from-obamas-rush-to-universal-healthcare/comment-page-1/#comment-4287 Linda Brady Traynham Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:01:39 +0000 http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/?p=5845#comment-4287 Commenters 6-11, if it weren't 2:59 a.m. I would respond to each of you individually as you deserve. (To know you aren't shouting down a well, that is, not that I'm the Grand High Poo-Bah, or anything.) Tomorrow for sure. Why do I take it upon myself to do that? Because very, very few who write articles respond to the comments they get, something I think so dumb it makes me wonder if they eat the icing on their birthday cakes. I eat sweets very rarely, but on birthdays I'll have two slices, thank you, both corner pieces if I can get them. Hey, the responses I get are far more enjoyable than writing articles, and I'd rather write than shop in Neiman-Marcus with unlimited use of Bill Gates' Platinum card. Feel free to try me on that one, Mr. Gates, in the extraordinarily unlikely event you read W&G, given your leftist ways. Signature chuckle...I both write and shop extremely fast and efficiently! I am thankful every wonderful day of my life, but today I'm taking time to thank you Shooters and W&G for the incredible joy I get from being allowed to write for and to you. You add so much breadth and depth to my life that I feel like a kid who has Christmas at least several times a week. My very best to all of you, and somebody ask Samoset what else we can bury when planting corn besides fish! Linda Brady Traynham Commenters 6-11, if it weren’t 2:59 a.m. I would respond to each of you individually as you deserve. (To know you aren’t shouting down a well, that is, not that I’m the Grand High Poo-Bah, or anything.) Tomorrow for sure. Why do I take it upon myself to do that? Because very, very few who write articles respond to the comments they get, something I think so dumb it makes me wonder if they eat the icing on their birthday cakes. I eat sweets very rarely, but on birthdays I’ll have two slices, thank you, both corner pieces if I can get them. Hey, the responses I get are far more enjoyable than writing articles, and I’d rather write than shop in Neiman-Marcus with unlimited use of Bill Gates’ Platinum card. Feel free to try me on that one, Mr. Gates, in the extraordinarily unlikely event you read W&G, given your leftist ways. Signature chuckle…I both write and shop extremely fast and efficiently! I am thankful every wonderful day of my life, but today I’m taking time to thank you Shooters and W&G for the incredible joy I get from being allowed to write for and to you. You add so much breadth and depth to my life that I feel like a kid who has Christmas at least several times a week. My very best to all of you, and somebody ask Samoset what else we can bury when planting corn besides fish! Linda Brady Traynham

]]> By: Linda Brady Traynham http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/the-damage-we-can-expect-from-obamas-rush-to-universal-healthcare/comment-page-1/#comment-4286 Linda Brady Traynham Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:50:11 +0000 http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/?p=5845#comment-4286 Bill, Honey, I had to laugh. January a year ago I went in for my regular check up and joked to my marvelous young TAMU doctor (still paying off six-figure loans) that the time would come when he and I had to meet in an alley at midnight, he with his stethoscope in hand, me with a chicken in mine. He replied grimly, "I'll take the chicken!" LBT Bill, Honey, I had to laugh. January a year ago I went in for my regular check up and joked to my marvelous young TAMU doctor (still paying off six-figure loans) that the time would come when he and I had to meet in an alley at midnight, he with his stethoscope in hand, me with a chicken in mine. He replied grimly, “I’ll take the chicken!” LBT

]]> By: Ken http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/the-damage-we-can-expect-from-obamas-rush-to-universal-healthcare/comment-page-1/#comment-4277 Ken Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:21:19 +0000 http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/?p=5845#comment-4277 B.O. will be the Robert Mugabe of the USA B.O. will be the Robert Mugabe of the USA

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