Political divide in the US

Discussion in 'United States' started by mihapiha, Jun 29, 2017.

  1. mihapiha

    mihapiha Active Member

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    Since Trump's election to the US presidency there is a noticeable increase in the divide between right and left wing, which no longer is based on ideology or various facts or views, but rather in political teams opposing the other side more than anything else.

    I find myself full of questions in that regard. For Europe or specifically for Austria, I'd be considered and am a conservative. In America I wouldn't know where on the political spectrum I'd possibly fit in. But I wish to understand the political divide, which seems to be ruled by misinformation.

    Looking from the other side of the pond, it seems that a third of the American electorate on either side will never look to criticize their own people and rather blame the other side of the aisle independent of the issue. This is especially interesting with people who clearly oppose or support something but will vote Republican or Democrat even if their vote contradicts their personal opinions.

    Because all three branches of government are now controlled by Republicans it seems fitting to talk about Republican policies since the Democrats are the opposition party and don't have any. And since the current topic happens to be health care, I propose sticking to that issue, because it is in our media as well and I at least get some background information. Also I think the misinformation might be more limited on that issue.

    According to what I've read so far, the USA is one of the last industrialized countries not to guarantee universal health care to her citizens.

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    (source: https://www.theatlantic.com/interna...-health-care-americas-still-not-on-it/259153/)

    The American health care system based on a free market also makes the USA citizens pay a fortune for their health care coverage.

    [​IMG]

    (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_total_health_expenditure_per_capita)

    The only more recent ranking that I found of the US' health care vs. other countries was this: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...re-system-ranks-as-one-of-the-least-efficient

    It is obvious that the government wants to act on health care. Compared to us in Europe Americans do pay a fortune and cover less people. To top it off their coverage is on average often worse.

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    (source: http://data.worldbank.org/indicator...ions=US-AT-JP-EU-GB-DE-FR&start=2014&view=bar)

    The proposed health care bill in the house and in the senate apparently will knock about 20 million more people off health care and reduce spending on Medicate/Medicare by about 800 billion Dollars over the next 10 years. Also it will grand huge tax brakes to the richest Americans who can already afford their health care coverage and spike the health care costs significantly for those who have a hard time affording it now.

    It seems that most of the electorate has heard or knows about this and it is reflected in the 17% approval (if I recall correctly) of that bill.

    This to me is an issue where the misinformation plays a minor role since apparently most of the electorate understands that it will bring them a disadvantage. However, and this is the astonishing part from a European perspective, independently whether the bill passes or doesn't pass, the 17% who approve will get more than doubled on election day. That means that at the next election at least one in two will continue to vote against their own wishes.

    Can anybody, preferably a Republican who opposes the health care bill but continues to support Republicans every election cycle, explain this to me?
     

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