One of the defining issues between the Republicans and Democrats in this presidential election is the issue of health insurance for Americans. It's an issue that needs to be addressed and actually resolved. By wide margins the polls all show this is an important issue for voters. Reluctantly, the Republicans have come up with a token plan and have been forced to campaign on this issue. A quick contrast of plans reveals that Obama's plan centers on making health insurance available to all Americans, while McCain's plan centers around a tax break for employers.

Currently there are 47 million Americans without any health insurance. That's a shameful statistic, and effects all of us. It's a compelling reason to actually discuss this issue, and resolve it. During the debate on this topic, Republicans frequently make several claims, which are unsupported by the facts. We've heard them insinuate that this is "socialized medicine". That's totally false. It's insurance. Health care providers would not become employees of the government. It's insurance!

We've also heard Republicans claim that this change in health insurance coverage would destroy our health care system. Pure hogwash. It's insurance. It wouldn't "break" anything, it only involves all Americans being able to afford health care that would be paid by an insurance plan. It only involves providing a safety net for Americans, avoiding a financial disaster brought on by a major health crisis. It's insurance for all Americans.

Republicans have frequently expanded that claim and stated that our health care system is the best in the world. We do have the "best health care system in the world", except for the 36 nations ahead of us. We're only one notch above Slovenia at #38, followed by Cuba at #39, but lagging behind Malta at #5, Iceland at #15, Colombia at #22, Chile at #33, even Costa Rica at #36.

The category where we do rank first in the world is in spending. The U. S. health system spends a higher portion of its gross domestic product than any other country in the world, but ranks 37 out of 191 countries according to its performance, which was published in a report issued by the World Health Organization.

Here are the rankings issued by the World Health Organization of the world's health systems:

1. France
2. Italy
3. San Marino
4. Andorra
5. Malta
6. Singapore
7. Spain
8. Oman
9. Austria
10. Japan
11. Norway
12, Portugal
13. Monaco
14. Greece
15. Iceland
16. Luxembourg
17. Netherlands
18. United Kingdom
19. Ireland
20 Switzerland
21. Belgium
22. Colombia
23. Sweden
24. Cyprus
25. Germany
26. Saudi Arabia
27. United Arab Emirates
28. Israel
29. Morocco
30. Canada
31. Finland
32. Australia
33. Chile
34. Denmark
35. Dominica
36. Costa Rica
37. United States of America

http://www.photius.com/rankings/who_...lth_ranks.html
http://www.photius.com/rankings/healthranks.html

On this issue, addressing the shameful fact of 47 million having no health insurance available to them, the Democrats have the superior position. It's past time for America to resolve this problem. All surveys have indicated that Americans want this measure. Republicans want to cut taxes for employers. Democrats want to provide health insurance for Americans. It's a simple choice. It's one more compelling reason to help create a change in direction for America. It's one more reason to vote Democratic in November.

Vote Democrat!

We'll give you free health care, all you have do is pay for it with your taxes that we're increasing!

You thought 26% of your check was bad? Wait till we get a few new government run programs off the ground. Woot! I personally cannot wait to have my taxes increased, I love working for other people who don't/won't.

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Amen!

I can't believe some people actualy vote for people when they say they will increase taxes.

HEY KIDS YOUR NOT MAKING MUCH MONEY NOW, BUT YOU WILL, THEN YOU WILL KNOW WHAT TAXED TO DEATH MEANS.

i love how people think things are free if you pay for them with taxes.

If we could climb out of our $9 Trillion debt and into a surplus, then we can start talking about spending more.

The problem with Universal Healthcare is its price tag. To pay for it, we either raise taxes, or we raise spending. If we raise taxes, we take even more money out of the economy, and your pockets. Bad. If we raise spending, we decrease the value of the dollar even more than it is. And it's very bad right now.

That's the practical problem. The philosophical problem with Government Paid Insurance is that it bends us even closer to socialism.

When only 50% of the people in the population pay into the system, it's no wonder they think it's free.

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Ahem, we're paying for national healcare already.

First, you're paying high premiums to for-profit companies who may or may not cover you and can drop you anytime they wish.

Second, through government or higher hospital bills, you're already paying for the uninsured.

How much better for business will it be with they don't have to deal with the nightmare of providing it's employees with healthcare? ....There's a huge raise in pay right there.

How nice will it be for us that we don't have to stay at jobs we hate "just for the healthcare"?


Ask a Canadian if they'd like to switch to a private plan.

No democracy has ever voted to go back to one.

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Obama/Biden 2008

Exactly, I can barely make ends meet now. I can't wait till I have to pay for all the lazy mother(*)(*)(*)(*)ers in this country to get a check up at the doctor.

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"I've never lived closer to danger, but I've never felt safer. I've never felt more confident, and people could spot it from a mile away. And as for this, the violence? I gotta be honest - it grew on me. Once you've taken a few punches and realize you're not made of glass, you don't feel alive unless you're pushing yourself as far as you can go."

-Green Street Hooligans {2005}

McCain | Palin 08'

Can we move this to the Humor section, or create a new one called lies and BS?

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Not many people know this, but I'm really famous!

That's 13% of the population. I'll be willing to bet that your "statistic" includes the 10MM illegal aliens in this country. Now we're down to 10%. Now, let's factor in the unemployment rate, and you've got 5% of working citizens without insurance. I can live with that.

My next question is: Where in the Constitution or Declaration of Independence does it say that the government is responsible for your health?

Whenever you rob Peter, to pay for Paul, that's socialism. Truth hurts.

You're right. They won't be employees. More like "tools" or "slaves." They'll be incredibly oppressed by overwhelming governmental regulations. Somehow, I think that after Obama's socialist plan goes into effect, universities will see a lot less medical students.

Yeah...'cause social security and medicare have been SO effective, right?

No it's not. It's insurance for the losers of society. The dregs who would rather spend their money on creature comforts, instead of health insurance. The losers who abuse themselves with alcoholism, drug abuse or cigarette addiction. I think if you would ask successful citizens if they want to spend their tax money on these losers, you'd get a resounding "no." Whenever you hear stories about this socialist health insurance, or read polls, look closely to whom they get their information from. I'll tell you, it ain't gonna be from anyone in the middle-to-upper class. It's gonna be from the losers.

Those studies are tragically subjective. I forget who blew them up earlier, but I think it was Java or Stekim.

Basically what you're saying is that democrats want to put a band-aid on the problem (short term solution), and the republicans want to rehabilitate it (long-term solution). I'm for the long-term. Mainly because I'm not a loser, and I can see the necessity of health insurance over something trivial like a cell phone bill.

Thank you for re-affirming my position in loathing democrats. I needed that refresher course.

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"It's the rich people's fault they earn more." - Makedde