Socialized Health Care: Are Democrats Right? Is This the Answer?

I don't believe the proposal is for a system like Britain's NHS. There would be no new government-run health care provider. However, there would be universal health insurance coverage, in the form of new plans providing affordable options. For many people that cannot affort health insurance the emergency room is their health plan. Providing affordable insurance will encourage preventative health care, which should bring down health care costs, as well as making for a healthier population. 'Socialized health care' is just a phrase coined by conservatives as a scare tactic. They would rather spend money on fences, bombs and tax breaks for their cronies.

First class medical care free at the point of contact is the mark of a civilised country all the best urban

You are not going to like my answer, but since this is a discussion forum I feel free to express my opinion. I find it totally shocking that the richest nation in the world cannot provide affordable health care for its citizens. I think Hillary and Edwards are on the right track. I also notice that in the state of Massachusetts it is now mandatory to carry health insurance. You say it has not worked in England. I am sure there will be glitches and pitfalls but there is a safety net for all people. Don't you find it odd that most Western countries such as Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway Sweden and a few others have a health care system and yet they are not communist countries. I live in Canada and we have universal health care, are not about to become communist, are your friendly neighbour and largest trading partner and do not feel our freedom is threatened because when we get sick we know our hospital and doctor's expenses are paid for. By the the way the Government does not tell us when to go to the doctor, in fact they are glad if we stay away because there are long waiting periods for some procedures which we can get done in a flash if we have the money to go to the USA and pay for it ourselves.

I'm confused about the socialized health care's details. Would this health care be required for everyone or would people who already have health insurance through their employer be able to keep that insurance. I have blue cross/blue shield state insurance and it is excellent. I wouldn't want to give it up for anything. I have my deductible that I pay if I ever need to go to the doctor (and I rarely do), I have an excellent prescription plan. I only pay $18/month for it (I teach in public schools) for myself. It's excellent, there's really no beating it. I wouldn't want to have to give it up for some crap job health care by the government. I want the choice to choose better health care for myself and my family, like BC/BS.

Since socialized health care is not working anywhere else except in Scandanavia why do they think it will work here? The plan Hillary has, will basically bankrupt the US if we aren't already. Medicare and Medicaid have been ripped off by other Government programs and been given IOUs which is ludicrous. Where do these geniouses plan to get the money to finance these medical wonders? It will just give the corupt doctors and hospitals that many more chances to rip off the system. HMOs are bad enough. Shalom~Adoniah

Socialism is an economic system where the means of production are owned by the society. Communism is a social organization where wealth is shared by the society. But these are petty sentences. Socialist is also used to mean for the people, rather than the private. Liberal can mean the movement against the stealing performed by the conservatives, capitalists, religious right, whatever. This is done with social programs designed to help the poor and the workers. The poor, those not bought by a pompous capitalist, are helped with programs that hand them money after taxing from the richer. The workers, who are shanghaied into ownership by a capitalist because of economic conditions, are helped with demanding better conditions, higher wages, and absolute benefits. The land, wealth, power, and the people's liberty was stolen a long time ago. Liberals are those trying to take it back. Like Anarchists are trying to take back that last one, most liberals these days are trying to take back the first three. I'm an Individualist Social Anarchist. I want to see the state go by evolution, not revolution sort of. I think all our revolutions have led us to a better world, so picture a spiral of revolutions going down to a point of a finally prosperous Anarchy. Socialism is inherently for the people. The socialist programs that distribute wealth properly are doing their job no matter what: taking back what was already stolen and is still being taken away. In that case if socialism must come, so be it. I know all revolutions are evolving us closer to a beautiful world in the future. Later we'll find that 1/535 control over our own life(at least 535, maybe add all those rotten capitalists), and with direct democracy at least 1/300million control, is just not enough. But I don't worry about that now. A little insight: We want universal healthcare, a better tax system(BTW the FairTax is going to be more stressful than what we have now), an improved social school system, and less corruption in politics. What order do you think the government bogies in Washington will do these in?

I don't like the phrase 'socialised medicine'. I think it's a phrase that was probably coined by a Republican, because socialism is a dirty word in the US. I'm not American but I think nationalised healthcare is a necessity for any democratic nation. This way no price can be put on peoples lives, and big insurance giants can't profit from people's wellbeing. I don't think it is at all necissary for people to have to go and see their doctor on any sort of regular basis. But I think the fact that if I wake up one morning feeling unwell, and I can go and see my doctor and he can give me a diagnosis just like that and I don't have to concern myself with any sort of costs is a big credit to my quality of life.

We could learn from Europe and Asia when it comes to caring for the medical needs of our citizens.