Posted on 10/17/2004 2:17:55 PM PDT by Jim Wilson 1
There is no getting around it in my opinion. The Republican position on health care is a weak one. I recommend that the president steer clear of making statements on the issue and seriously consider pulling his ads on it. Although an alternative to a government run health care system (as envisioned by the Democrats) would be desirable, just letting the current situation fester with virtually no government regulation is getting us nowhere fast. In her study of the health care industry, Hillary Clinton refused to address the issue of doctor greed, probably because many liberal doctors are among her most ardent supporters and friends. She placed all the blame for rising health care costs on hospitals, drug companies, and the insurance industry. President Bush, in contrast, has singled out trial lawyers and fraudulent malpractice suits as his personal whipping boy. Neither of these views, I believe, is honestly addressing the basic problem we are facing.
Doctors should not be in it for the money. They should be drawn from idealistic stock who want to help people, just as was envisioned by Hippocrates. It has gotten so bad these days that catastrophic health issues are no longer the major concern. You can't even have a minor procedure done without having to go back two or three times, paying through the nose for each visit until the doctor has made enough off of you to finally fix the problem. These guys have gotten to be no better than your average cynical auto mechanic who is out to nail your butt anytime you face the misfortune of a broken down vehicle that you are unable or unwilling to fix yourself. True, today's doctors simply reflect the state of our society, in general, where in the name of the unregulated free market, anything goes. As such, I've never been a big fan of businessmen or business interests for this very reason. The cost of living keeps going up and up largely because of this attitude that you should try to get the most for your goods or services regardless of what is truly a fair price. No doubt there are dozens of people on this forum who will argue the position that the marketplace alone should be allowed to determine the price of things, but this is precisely how we got into the fix we are in with regard to the skyrocketing cost of health care, and health care must be seen as more important, too important a commodity to be dealt with in the same manner as most everything else.
The American Medical Association limits the number of new doctors that are graduated each year and controls the mindset of those who are admitted to medical schools. Trust me, idealists who want to help their fellow man are discouraged in favor of those with comfortably bourgeois attitudes. In a society where money equals power, it was decided long ago that the more money the medical industry brings into its coffers, the better for all concerned. Who pays for this "pragmatic perspective?" Why, the American consumer, that's who. I think the health care industry absolutely MUST BE SEEN as a critical industry where government regulation of pricing, at the very least, is demanded. Dishonest doctors who are manipulating their patients for material gain rather than curing them as quickly as possible for the lowest possible price should be fined or have their licenses pulled. There is no need to sue everyone in sight for malpractice. Just get rid of the bad apples to begin with by taking the profit out of the game.
Thanks for that, little girl. How long have you been a genius? Ah ha ha ha ha!
Frankly, newbie troll, I don't need to establish my Republican bona fides here. It is quite clear from your post that you are a socialist in the grand tradition, that you know NOTHING about medicine or conservative politics, and that your vanity is nothing but a socialist screed which you, no doubt, couldn't get published as a letter to the editor.
FR is used to tricks such as yours. Or did you think you were unique?
All my life.
Your moronic, hate-filled response to my thoughtful post doesn't warrant any significant reply. You're an ass. Face it.
Frankly, snotty little brat, you have no "Republican bona fides" with anyone but your childish little friends. That you hang out on this silly little forum for gutless wonders who can't face the music out in lefty land speaks volumes. I know far more about medicine AND politics than you ever will, you simple-minded, heel-clicking little twit. You honestly think you are a genius? If FR is so used to people like me, how come you are so twisted up in knots about my politics? Are you so threatened by anything or anyone who dares to wander an inch from your pathetically insecure ideology?
Jim, you've jumped the shark. Swim for your life!
Whatever that means. I wonder if W will return all the money I've sent him cuz he didn't realize I was a socialist in disguise.
Your original post was the first hate spewed on this thread. Your high-powered emotions have convinced your poorly educated brain that you are totally correct, not because of facts, but because of your percieved righteousness. That righteousness motivates you to spew ignorant hate at doctors, and is offended by dissenting opinions. Your leftist politics are betrayed by the totalitarian arrogance that your percieved righteousness have given you. You are one of Stalin's 'useful idiots'. Have a nice day...JFK
Nobody is threatened by you.
We're laughing at you.
There is a difference.
Cultural idiot, q.e.d.
Did I say you were a socialist in disguise? My mistake, if so. There's no disguise in use at this time.
If all you want is a flame war, go back to Usenet, and your "thousands" of posts.
Oh, and Welcome to Free Republic!
There was no hate spewed at doctors. I am critical of their behavior, their values, and the way they have betrayed what I consider to be a sacred trust. I have a Masters in Biology, sonny, and my "poorly educated brain" has had at least enough training to understand "i before e, except after c." I picked that up in grade school, but apparently you did not. Perhaps collaborative learning had something to do with your failure in this regard. As for my "leftist politics," you silly little moron, you obviously haven't been alive long enough to know the difference between the left, the right, and the center. You're a frigging idiot, kid. Don't embarrass yourself any further.
You misspelled "weak" earlier as "week."
Did you learn that in grade school, sonny?
Nah, you're obviously threatened. It's quite evident.
Evidently your "poorly educated brain" neglected to read the guidelines here at FReeRepublic. Flaming people as you have done on this thread isn't acceptable behaviour.
I did, Judy Judy Judy? Hmm, I think I know the difference. A typo is one thing, but when somebody spells perceived "percieved" more than once, apparently they don't know how to spell it, eh.
Ta-ta! Now you can go back to your Usenet group and spew more!
AND when someone posts a plan for socialized medicine on a conservative bulletin board and tries to pass him/herself off as a conservative Republican, apparently s/he doesn't know anything about medicine, conservatives, or Republicans.
But such a person manifestly knows a lot about socialism.
Looks like it's back to posting on alt.i-hate-the-free-market.zot
Equivocating them with fraudulent auto mechanics was a term of endearment perhaps?
JFK
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