Obamacare-Is it really Socialized Medicine? Or is this a desperate scare tactic?
With the Healthcare bill about to go to a vote on Sunday, the U.S. will all of a sudden care about politics. And they should because this bill will have an impact on most Americans. I have noticed a great deal of fear mongering and partisan rhetoric as the bill started to really become a reality. The word "Socialism" is used quite a bit by Tea Party members and opponents of the bill. As a Social Studies teacher, I wanted to examine the word Socialism more closely to see if it fit the definition that most people have applied to it.
According to Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (10th Edition) Socialism is: economic and political theories advocating collective or gov't ownership ; a system of society where there is no private property; means of production and distribution of goods are controlled by the state;according to Marxist theory, socialism is where you are transitioning from capitalism to communism-marked by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done. (are critics saying that socialism is the path to communism? I doubt it, many of these people think communism and socialism are the same thing.)
A Socialist is one who advocates or practices Socialism.
Socialized Medicine: medical or hospital services administered by an organized group (Gov't) and paid for with funds obtained by assessments, philanthropy, or taxation. (Really a manufactured term starting in 1938- widely used to scare people during Truman's 1947 foray into the Healthcare debate)
As a social studies teacher, I teach sixth graders about so called Socialism as it pertains to the former Soviet Union. They learn about collective farms and Five year plans and Stalin, etc. That's really a distorted form of communism dressed up to resemble Socialism!! (In fact there has never been a pure form of capitalism, Socialism, Communism, etc., these gov'ts are just based loosely on theories.) If you want to really know about socialism, ask a person who lived in Russia under a communist regime. Venezuela has a form of socialism under Hugo Chavez) We already have forms of Socialism in our Government: Eminent Domain,Medicaid/care, Social security, etc.) The Healthcare bill is something very different than what we are used to, but it is not Socialism. In fact, the Public Option was taken out. This is the only aspect that may have a close resemblance to socialism. So if you are going to criticize the Healthcare bill, at least use the correct terminology. If not you will look like an ideologue. (blind partisan advocate parroting talking points)
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How about these arguments against so-called Health Care Reform, teach?
~ It will be the first time in the history of our nation that our government forces its citizens to purchase a private service. This by way of a punitive fine enforced by the IRS. This without constitutional authorization or precedent.
~ Our nation currently suffers from a shortage of doctors and other medical professionals. The HCR Bill will mandate about 30 million new 'customers' be added to the rolls of the insured. Since we as a nation cannot currently provide care for the people we have, it does not help anybody when we increase the demand for healthcare ... Well, it helps no one except the future campaigning politician who can boast of theoretically helping some 30 million people, regardless of who was actually helped.
Is this not a simple case of pandering? (If 2000 pages, $1000 Billion, and over a year of Capital Hill dickering, palm-greasing, and back-room dealing, qualifies as simple.)
The plural of 'anecdote' is not 'data'.
There should be provisions in the bill to keep what works and toss what doesn't. I just want something that lowers premiums!! The people with the most to gain are going to try and cloudy up the discussion.
Good points Fair Enough.
Corey Washington (MED) www.plaintalk2010.com www.plaintalk2011.com www.nobodycagesme.com
"The HCR Bill will mandate about 30 million new 'customers' be added to the rolls of the insured. Since we as a nation cannot currently provide care for the people we have, it does not help anybody when we increase the demand for healthcare ..."
But doesn't increased demand mean that the market for doctors will increase, bringing in more money to that profession? Won't providing health care to 30 million people lead to the creation of new jobs in the health care industry?
I did not put that into my pros for the bill . I think people should realize that out healthcare system does not turn emergencies away. If you don't have insurance , then you are treated anyway and sent a bill later. Most times that bill doesn't get paid if you don't have health insurance. This is a burden on those that do have Insurance. If done correctly, I can see savings. Just like immigration , if you get everyone on the books and contributing taxes , then it lessens the load on the rest of us.
Corey Washington (MED) www.plaintalk2010.com www.plaintalk2011.com www.nobodycagesme.com
Quite true... people tend to forget that those without health care are not still drawing from the system. Since emergency care is (and should be) open to all regardless of insurance status those who are not paying in are free riders, benefiting from the system without having to carry the burden of it's costs.