Many of my friends, Democratic and Republican alike, are planning on voting for Hillary simply because she is a woman. A lot of them don't even like her...she's too far left, she's too far right, whatever. Personally, I'm not a fan of Hillary, for a variety of reasons, but most notably I just don't trust her. Way back in the day, I voted for Bill Clinton. I was in my mid-twenties, I didn't have health insurance, and I was wooed by their Universal Health Care plan. As the details came out, however, I realized how deceptive she'd been in her presentation of the plan. In a nutshell, that plan made health insurance mandatory, just like car insurance is. NOT having health insurance would be a crime...the government would provide health insurance/care for you. BUT IT WASN'T free...it was, if I recall, $1,500 per person per year (at that time I had looked into purchasing insurance and it was about $1,000, so it's not like the gov's insurance was any type of a deal). If you were found to not have insurance the fed gov would assign one to you, fine you by charging you double the regular cost, and garnish your wages to pay for it. If that meant you lose you home, so be it (and yes, that was written specifically in the document that health insurance took precedence over mortgage payments).
When I was in medical school, my preceptor was a rural physician who often accepted as payment for his family practice services things such as quilts, haircuts, babysitting services, even chickens (this is in the mid 1990's, I'm not that old!). If Hillary's health care plan had passed, this physician and his patients would be felons. Why? Tax evasion. Punishment? Up to 5 years in jail and a $5,000 fine...for both doc and patient. Doesn't sound too kind to me. My opinion of the Clintons changed after researching that plan. I just don't trust them. Of course, the fact is that I just don't trust most politicians, either side of the aisle. Politicians suck.
And who can get rid of a kitty because the photo ops are over? The Clintons can. Poor Socks. Maybe this is bugging me because we're trying to find a home and our pets are quite the barrier.
(P.S: I'm waiting for them to release the details of Hillary's new plan to come out, but so far it sounds suspiciously similar.)
Very interesting post. I'm not exactly political, but I remember the plan. Thanks for letting me know the rest of the story...
ReplyDeleteModerate conservative, here.
ReplyDeleteHowever, even if I was a democrat I would never vote for her for the exact same reasons- I don't trust her.
(Pity that her plan sucks, though. As I said, I come down on the conservative side of the line a lot but as far as health care I am a huge, bleeding heart liberal. It's probably the cause of the most heated debates between myself and my Libertarian husband!)
good post. Very interesting. I didn't know they got rid of Socks...crazy Clintons. I will go on the record that I will grow a furry tail on my fat white ass before I vote for a clinton again. Bill or Hillary. I don't trust either of them or their daughter.
ReplyDeleteGood research.
ReplyDeleteI'm a bleeding heart Dem and Hilary doesn't do it for me either...for so many different reasons. Nice blog.
ReplyDeleteOh dear! We live in Aus., where the health system is stagnating but it's not quite at the scary state of the U.S. system (at least as we see it on ER). The Hilary plan sounds mean but dumping an animal - cruel. My heart stopped cold at this.
ReplyDeleteOn your peanut entry a little while ago - surely it's not really a 'sacrifice' to avoid peanut butter for a few hours a day. Are there no other condiments in these people's lives?
Good Post. As a doctor you can speak with expertise on the subject.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of voting for her because she's a woman is like drying your hair with a blowtorch because it is handy!
Congrats on the house!
all I can think of is the movie Sicko and how she sat with the same people she was fighting against years later when she needed them on her side.
ReplyDeletesicko is the movie to see about all of this. Yes, he is one-sided but it's an important side to see. The healthcare issue is scary. My daughter was very sick last year and we were in and out of hospitals. I can't even fathom not having insurance. But the bigger problem can often be HAVING INSURANCE! I just got a bill for over a grand and I pay such high premiums too. I wish beyond democrat or republican I wish for a fucking revolution where everyone is afforded the same coverage. Might be tough for the drug companies to have to take a paycut.....
I guess I'm a communist? Socialist? Pinko?
I can't even label myself correctly.
Jennifer - this is just the beginning of the rest of the story, teehee. I held back BIG TIME.
ReplyDeleteLoralee choate - it does suck that her plan is inane...clearly the US health care system needs a HUGE overhaul, but turning things over to the government, IMO, isn't the best choice. I probably agree with your husband here! Insurance companies as a the third party payer system is so messed up and has really screwed the health care the past fifteen plus years. Universal health care, the way it's generally understood, is simply another third party paying (AGAIN, that's they way it is generally understood...HillaryCare of '93 was a different story). I don't like insurance companies telling me how my doctor can treat me; I didn't like insurance companies telling me how to treat my patients. Similarly, I don't want the government telling me how my doctor can treat me. Same story, different third party payer.
Kara - the Socks story is why I started this post. The health care thing just grew out of it! Tell me more about why you don't trust her daughter...I need the juice and I'm clueless!
mrs g - that's the thing...so many people on both sides of the aisle DON'T trust her. Why is she the forerunner? I don't get it!
Kris - I would LOVE to hear more of your understanding of the US health care system. I find it fascinating to hear about what others think about it, and to learn about how health care systems (and everything, frankly) are working in other countries. It's great when we can share info person-to-person rather than rely on advertising driven media conglomerates (I am not nearly as paranoid as that last sentence sounds!).
Fussy - lol. You know me loves you.
Candace - There, IMO, will never be a system where everyone has the same coverage. Plenty of wealthy people throughout the globe come here to pay out of pocket. Even some not so wealthy ones...living in Detroit and working in medicine I saw patients all the time who came over from Windsor and beyond because they didn't want to wait in line to be seen by their doctor. They weren't all rich, believe me.