**cooler-headed addendum at bottom**
These institutions,Police
EMTs/Ambulance
Firefighters
Post Office
Highway/Roads/Department of Transportation
Public Schools
Public Libraries
are all run on the socialist style of government. So if you complain about any other institution and how terrible socialism is and about the dangers of allowing "socialists" into any public office, maybe you should think twice about using any of these services.
Sorry about the rant. I just finally hit my limit today.
**Addendum here:
Okay, sorry about that.
In all of my listenings to right-wing and left-wing radio, watchings of right-wing and left-wing TV stuff and speeches and readings of right-wingers and left-wingers, I hear this all too often:
"Those ultra conservative, extreme right-wingers are nothing but neo-fascists."
and
"Those liberal, left-wing democrats are going to stop at nothing but a socialist/communist state."
The reason why people say these things is because fascism is *supposedly* the extreme version of Republicanism and communism is *supposedly* the extreme version of the Democratic party.
When people use or buy into either one of these tactics, it frustrates me (obviously), stifles (suffocates?) our government and pushes us away from the truth and getting anything small thing done.
So I'm not frustrated at one party or the other, at one political leaning or the other, but at people who don't use the truth to portray their argument. Rather they run up to you yell, "BOO! The sky is falling! Wolf! Wolf! Slime! Putrescence! Boo! Boo! Rubbish! Filth!"
If your truth can't stand up to a situation, kindly sit down.
There. I'm done again.
10 comments:
And they're all underpaid... and largely undervalued... and while some of these "socialized" institutions run more smoothly and effectively than others, they all require time for any policy to change in order for necessary changes to take place... and while I know you're pointing out that it's a broad generalization to say "I don't like socialization," I still don't want socialized medicine ;) (You asked for it by blogging about it) ;)
(But I _do_ want an overhaul / restructure / down-with-corruption-of-insurance-companies, though...)
yeah, i knew i was asking for it. and i'm fine with people not wanting socialized medicine. i know that there are differences on this.
some programs work better than others (inevitablity?)
but i feel like giving a big heel click whenever i hear anyone say no to socialized medicine and know the history/what they're talking about.
i know it's a pie in the sky dream, my feelings behind the blog. [sigh]
but i did like your comment :D
:)
I liked the addendum.
As per the socialized medicine: I don't know. Maybe there's a way to make it work. But I've spent multiple years living in European countries where medicine is essentially socialized, and it's been very interesting to observe / talk to the people about it... and I still prefer private care. But then, I've never been uninsured etc... but even when people can't afford it, they still get medical care...
well you've managed to get me going, haven't you!
As time goes by I'm surprised to discover just how conservative I am (especially b/c most of the Utah people I consider to be cool, or relate well, to are "liberal" (for Utah, anyway--it's all relative).
But anyway, I also tend to get embarrassed by the FAR right OR left (you know, those neo-fascists and communists...)
"still prefer private care" meaning that talking to people here and learning more about it validates my concerns about it, and reinforces my dislike of it.
:)
I can't help but think that this post was a response to my own post and the comments that followed. I don't know if that's a good thing or not. I generally align myself with the republican party...probably not a surprise...because there are some fundamental beliefs that the democratic party perpetuates that I don't agree with. However, HOWEVER, if we are separating things between parties, there are some "democratic" ideas that I like. For instance, though I don't believe in universal healthcare for all, I do believe in universal health care for children. I think children shoudl be given that advantage, and then, when they are older and have the ability to work and make decisions for themselves, they can deal with it (said lightly, I know). I think health care for children would be a preventative measure and in the long run may help our health care problems and spending. When I was in Hungary, I saw so many problems with their healthcare -- socialized. It took extremely long to get to a doctor/specialist if there was a real problem. That was just one problem. (This comment is getting long) I, unlike Lili, am surprised how liberal I am becoming the older I get...though still fundamentally conservative...few of my non-mormon friends would consider me liberal. In fact, they would laugh if I even suggested it. But, my parents are always registered Independents b/c the taught me it was important to study the issues, decide what you believe, and work from there. I'm grateful for that example. Time will tell what will become of all of this...but I really don't think that either one of the canidadtes will be the downfall of the USA, which is comforting.
Passionate Venom - I like your style:-)
Riss--Thanks. I think the passion is a byproduct of the nickname
Jenny-The post wasn't actually a response to your last two blog posts, which I enjoyed immensely. There was a comment from someone else that had me irked, I'll admit it. But the post came from pent-up frustration about attitudes that bug me. I think that the difference in your celebrity post and other comments about the subject that I've heard are that you aren't using this as a reason to vote/not vote for someone. It can be annoying because we really want to know what will happen to the person, not what Paris Hilton thinks.
It's so much easier to throw out some false claim rather than discuss policy and come to the best option for everybody. I mean, it's hard to deal with these issues and sometimes that's all we hear. It simply is the easy way out.
Your celebrity post, then follow-up dealt with the real problem that it's hard to hear what's really going on because it's all fluff, fluff, fluff and useless meshugas thrown at us.
Man, long response, sorry.
Nationalized health care does cause certain problems, I know. I imagine some of the difficulties you saw in Hungary were the ones that I saw in Brazil. I really think that there's gotta be a way to get the health care system working better, though. Obama's plan isn't socialized health care, by the way. For everyone who wants it, he thinks there should be a way to get it. I still struggle with the best way to get there. Got any ideas?
I have a lot of friends who have mentioned to me that they or their parents have found themselves getting more liberal. I've noticed, though, that a lot of them haven't moved as much as it's the White House Republicanism that has moved more to the right than most of the country would have them be. It's been a long time since there was a Republican in the W.H. that really stuck to the GOP's core ideals about $$, taxes and non-involvement militaristically. We're going back to Hoover here.
Okay, I'm done now. I hope you didn't really think that my post was because I was frustrated with you or anything. Mostly it was aimed at talking-head pundits.
Nah, I like you and think you're thoughtful.
Lili--Yeah, there are those problems with socialized health care that seriously cause huge problems, and for however much I'd like this great, ideal world where everybody got health care, no questions, I know that's it's much more complex. We're so entrenched in our HMOs, anyway, that I don't know what we'd do.
The horrifically frustrating thing is that part of the reason why health care is so expensive, too, is because the costs of going to the doctor/hospital also have to cover the emergencies that come in when people don't have the $$ or the insurance. We end up paying for it anyway in the end and it becomes more expensive.
Being uninsured is scary. I have no insurance right now, and have had the luck to not need a doctor. I work almost 40 hours each week (38ish) at UVSC(U) teaching and at Distance Ed, doing what I absolutely love. But I've got no insurance so I might have to look elsewhere sometime soon.
I really think there's gotta be a better way than what we've got.
Well, my shady internet just deleted my long, intelligent-sounding post. So here's a short version.
My stepdad (who's in government) always says our political system wasn't designed for two-party politics. I've not studied a lot, but what I HAVE read makes me think he's right. We need to get somebody to fund us starting our own! Hooray for dissent...
As to the socialized medicine thing, my favorite observation on it is from my friend from Spain...he said that with health care here "si tienes dinero te curas y si no te mueres." He's right.
The idea that even people who can't afford it still get health care...you might be surprised. We looked into enrolling my little one in public insurance, because (both of us being students) we qualify. It only covers emergency care. No vaccinations, no well-baby visits, nothing that would be useful for a young child. You can tell it gets my dander up!
It sure would be nice to have a system like the old days where the RIDICULOUSLY INFLATED cost of procedures didn't make insurance a necessity for basic, every-day things. Back in the day, the dr. came to your house, delivered your baby, and you gave him $50. That's pretty awesome.
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