I know, I know, you're going to say I shouldn't have bothered in the first place. But when I saw the already infamous
Glenn Beck Meltdown(TM) I couldn't resist having my GF forward it to her Republican pal/former classmate.
1. My Original Email Sent To Republican 1A. Original Response From RepublicanSubject: Re: Glenn Beck Loses His Mind On A Caller About Healthcare
Yeah, he definitely went "exorcist" there but I agree with him so that lady sounded like and idiot to me and I would have said everything he did but without the freak out.
There are just too many reasons that I believe universal healthcare is not only a bad idea but a HORRIBLE idea. I will not list the reasons b/c we will just go back and forth, and this topic is just to close to home that I will get just as upset as Beck and I'm not willing to do it. It is already sooo hard not to write exactly what I believe will happen. Good, bad, or indifferent, it is going to effect our lives now that we are in the healthcare field.
2. My First Response To RepublicanSubject: Re: Glenn Beck Loses His Mind On A Caller About Healthcare
There is no reason to go back and forth with opinion on this because the facts are clear and undeniable:
1. The
World Health Organization ranks the US
37th in the world for our healthcare system.. Even Glenn Beck himself acknowledges this fact and sadly enough
he seems to be proud of it, probably because he's nuts.
2. Before you try to argue that the WHO is some crazy liberal organization that's biased, don't bother. The US health care system is not the best in the world. But don't take my word for it, instead look at the evidence provided by the
Business Roundtable Report On Health Care,
"which represents CEOs of major companies". Last time I checked the CEOs of major companies weren't stereotyped as super-liberal, socialist or biased in favor of government, etc.
From
MSNBC:
"...Americans spend $2.4 trillion a year on health care. The Business Roundtable report says
Americans in 2006 spent...at least two-and-a-half times more per person than any other advanced country.
In a different twist, the report took those costs and factored benefits into the equation.
It compares statistics on life expectancy, death rates and even cholesterol readings and blood pressures. The health measures are factored together with costs into a 100-point "value" scale. That hasn't been done before, the authors said..
The results are not encouraging.
The United States is 23 points behind five leading economic competitors: Canada, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom and France.
The five nations cover all their citizens, and though their systems differ, in each country
the government plays a much larger role than in the U.S.
The cost-benefit disparity is even wider — 46 points — when the U.S. is compared with emerging competitors: China, Brazil and India...".
Subject: Re: Glenn Beck Loses His Mind On A Caller About Healthcare
There is no question that the healthcare system needs change but by no means does what was said below prove that a government run system will work in this country. I do not want the government involved with my healthcare!!!!
There are facts that are clear and undeniable on the other side too.
Americans will still spend 2.4 trillion, actually more just not to our insurance companies but to the government, and they will spend it as they choose and will dictate when or if I get the surgery I want or need.
Only 3% of the population are chronically uninsured(cant count illegals, 20 somethings that chose not to be insured, temporary unemployed, people in grace period at new job, etc) don't overhaul the whole system b/c 3%.
Tom, I'm not doing this with you on this topic. I've listened to what the Dems want and their views and it sounds nice to want to help everyone and you’re a good person to want to pay for everyone else's healthcare but I want nothing to do with it. You pay and leave me out of it.
So again, I have a headache so maybe that is why I don’t feel like making a list of every reason why it is a bad idea, but I'm not gonna do it, I will just come to you the day it affects me in a negative way and you can explain all this to me again then.
3. My Final Response To RepublicanSubject: Re: Glenn Beck Loses His Mind On A Caller About Healthcare
(Name Deleted),
Those two huge studies prove quite clearly that in countries where the government plays a larger role, the cost is much lower, everyone is covered AND the quality of care is better overall. You can cover your ears and bitch about government all you want, but that conclusion is inescapable. Facts are facts and they aren't partisan.
1. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office said the Public Option will SAVE the government money.Report:
Early CBO Estimate Says Public Option Will Save Billions Over 10 YearsAnd the Public Option has nothing to do with covering everyone. Those are two separate issues. The insurance companies are fighting to cover everyone while keeping the same overpriced system we have now, and everyone should agree that's a terrible idea.
2. The current bill in the House is not for single payer. Single Payer is the progressive position, the Public Option is the moderate (not "liberal") position (
supported by 70-80% of Americans, hardly a "left wing" or "extreme" plan) compromise. And of course the Republican position is "give a few more tax cuts and leave the broken system in place". Public Option means you keep your current insurance.
A current tax increase being considered is for couples making over 1 million dollars a year. I know, I know, you love protecting rich people (who will
still be very rich even with an additional 4-5% tax BTW), but obviously this has 0% impact on you.
3. The number one cause of bankruptcy in America is medical costs and 78% of those people HAD insurance! Don't buy into bullshit talking points about how we'll have to pay for 'lazy deadbeats' and 20-somethings. We can't leave a broken system in place (the 37th ranked system that makes us pay more than TWICE as much as any other country) just because we're worried that a small percentage of the country might take advantage of it. That doesn't make any sense. A friend of mine in Ohio emailed me last night and said her deductible went from $500 a year to $10,000 this year! She's horrified and has no idea what she's going to do.
PS---Enough of this "government can't do anything right" nonsense, it's bullshit. It's not a fact, it's a generic right wing talking point and you're too smart to buy into it. If the government can't do anything right and everyone should take care of themselves,
we should get rid of the socialized police and fire departments. After all, if you walk into a bad neighborhood and get shot, why should *I* pay for the police to arrest the guy who shot you? Or to investigate the crime? And if your house burns down because you forgot to turn off the oven, why should *I* pay?
While we're at it, let's get rid of the socialized military we have. If the government can't do anything right, we sure as hell can't trust them to keep us safe now can we?
She (the Republican) sent an angry text to my GF saying that she can't argue with me because it has to be "his way or the highway and if you disagree with him you're automatically wrong". She added that she wished I would acknowledge that we both have some good points and that neither one of us is completely right, or something like that. And she refuses to respond to my email because she doesn't like my attitude.
In other words she wants me to put my well researched facts/points on par with her generic, poorly thought out Republican talking points and factoids. Keep in mind
her Dad has informed most of her political views, and he's a big Rush Limbaugh fan who thinks the Dems will tax his success, etc. Obviously I don't have a monopoly on truth, not even close. But it's obvious that she didn't put in 1/10th the research, thought and effort into her responses and she's pissed at having her long held beliefs and assumptions challenged.
