Posted on 09/13/2007 6:00:28 PM PDT by Stoat
You’re making me thirsty.............
Agreed. Upon reflection, I remembered that I have photo evidence of Hillary spending her own money.
I’ve seen fungus with higher IQ then dumb ass McDermott.
"BykrBayb and pal defending America from approaching Socialists"
Will you look at the mugs on that lassie’s tray?
Only when it involves murdering unborn children, and in that case the child is not given a choice, only the 'woman'.
Thanks for the ping!
Two questions:
(1) Would it reduce mortality/morbidity rates?
(2) Would it consume a smaller protion of GDP than the current system?
Can anyone point me to any evidence either way?
I can't point you to any solid evidence supporting any beneficial effects whatsoever of Socialized medicine, or, as McDermott euphemistically terms it, "Universal Healthcare". The 'benefits touted by proponents instantly crumble under the most superficial scrutiny
Evidence against it, however, is easily found in any country that has tried it; and most who have dallied with it are currently exploring Capitalist reforms in an effort to save their healthcare systems from collapse.
. Here are just a very, very few recent FR threads outlining the state of Socialized Medicine....more can be easily found with a search on Free Republic or elsewhere.
Great Britain Morale terrible among doctors (poll of NHS Docs69% wouldn't recommend MD career)
Great Britain Patients leaving hospital 'with surgical instruments inside them'(Avg. 2 pts.-wk)
Mother forced to give birth alone in toilet of 'flagship' NHS hospital (U.K.)
U.K.'Too Fat' Patients Denied NHS Operations (smokers too; 6M people affected)
'Clean hospitals' code for patents(U.K. to reqiure patients to supply own soap and toiletries)
(UK)Dentists refuse to treat bad teeth (Socialized Medicine)
Woman gives birth to healthy son after defying doctors who told her to abort 'disabled' baby
UK Anger over NHS plan to give addicts iPods (National Health Service tries rewards scheme)
Terrorists 'May Have Access To Deadly Viruses In NHS Hospitals' (UK)
Patients Pay To Top Up 'Free' NHS [you mean health care really isn't free]
Wife's treatment in India better than Glasgow
U.K. hospitals seeing maternity 'crisis'
NHS 'Meltdown' Predicted By Government Bird Flu Report (UK)
UK NHS patients make beeline for Belgium
and the list goes on and on and on.
Essentially, the root problem of all Socialized Medicine schemes is Socialism itself, which fosters a culture of entitlement and instantly overloads any Government system with people who don't necessarily need the services, but avail themselves of it because they think that it's "their right" or that it's 'free'.
When a person shoulders even a minimal level of responsibility and is expected to pay for at least a portion of what they need, the level of consumption goes down.
A wonderful plan, and you masterfully recall one of the foundations of military organizational strategy, being that an army travels 'on it's stomach'.
Who would you suggest as our General, to lead us on our epic campaign to crush the Socialist Hordes to the North?
I would wish to nominate Libertina, as she has demonstrated flawless management abilities as Leader of the Puget Sound FReepers.
She could spur us all on to a glorious victory much like Joan of Arc.
BLINTZES --- where's the blintzes??????????
I can make them, but I so prefer having someone else make them for me.......
and I'm sure that we can find some qualified chefs to provide an unending supply of them
In related news:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1896536/posts
Smoker refused operation on broken ankle [UK National Health]
If Libertina wants the job, that’s ok with me.
I heard, though, that Joan wasn’t too fond of steak. Something about burning them???
By the way, we shouldn’t have to invade Canada. With their healthcare, most of them will come here eventually, anyway. That, and the fact that their dollar coin is a Loony. (Do they have Loony Stores up there?)
McDermott ought to be living in an 8x12 prison cell, and would be if Justice wasn’t such a mess.
With tuition and expenses running upward of $60K per year for the 4 years of medical school, and salaries for medical residents ranging from $30-35K per year for the 3-7 additional years of training post medical school, it is easily seen that an overwhelming debt is difficult, if not impossible to pay back. If one graduates from medical school with a $250K debt, and cannot pay but minimal interest payments during residency, the debt load could be substantial when the physician finally has some earning power i.e. $200K plus. It is difficult to start a family and buy a house under these circumstances, especially while working 60-80 hours per week.
Universal health care sounds terrific for those who have no medical coverage, but wait until you have the wonderful things like prioritization and waiting lists. There will no longer be "instant gratification" as Americans are used to. If you need an MRI scan, get in line and wait your turn. Likewise with cancer treatment and other medical necessities. The system is based upon the premise that while you are waiting in line, you will die and someone else will jump ahead.
I discouraged my own children from considering medicine, and interestingly enough, my daughter makes as much money with fewer hours and responsibility working as a retail pharmacist than some of my physician colleagues.
The debt load incurred by medical students is unconscionable and un-American, as the specter of such a mammoth financial debt will surely turn away many of the best and brightest students, whose only failing is that they don't happen to come from wealthy families. I'm not sure what the answer is, as I reject the notion of additional taxpayer funding of higher education and prefer Capitalist reforms whenever possible. My feeling is that at least a partial solution would involve Tort law reform and the reduction of legal exposure and associated lawsuits in the medical professions, but as long as the likes of John Edwards populate the litigious landscape I doubt that relief will occur anytime soon. I'm thinking that such reforms might at least slow down the escalating costs in medicine, which will inevitably trickle down to all areas of healthcare, including education.
As to "Universal Healthcare", my great wish is that some of it's most vocal proponents here in the USA would live for awhile (it may take them a generation or two) in any of the nations featured toward the right of your excellent chart. They would find your words to be true, and that they had chosen something far different than the Socialist Utopia that their ignorance had suggested.
It seems that a significant number of doctors in the UK are echoing many of your sentiments, as outlined in this FR thread:
Great Britain Morale terrible among doctors (poll of NHS Docs69% wouldn't recommend MD career)
The story of your daughter is surprising, as I wasn't aware that the earning levels of Pharmacists was at the level of some MD's.
Thank you again for your insightful post.....there's nothing quite like a truly informed perspective such as yours.
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