Why save them? Let them die off naturally.
People are stupid to be poor? Did I read that right?

Nazism has its place, I suppose, but in America?


I agree that there is no health system in the world that is perfect, and perhaps we can all learn from each other. However, where a nation knowingly denies medical assistance to virtually all of its needy for fear of accidentally providing succour to the dregs of society, then that nation is unspeakably selfish, spiteful and cruel.

TO BE IN NEED OF HELP DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU DO NOT DESERVE HELP.

We who advocate "universal" health care supported by taxation are not saying, let's give all the tramps, hobo's, spongers, cheats and liars a free ride at the expense of all the decent, hard-working, god-fearing citzens who know what a dollar is worth, but not what compassion is, we are saying, let's do our best to make sure everyone gets the medical treatment they need, rather than just the treatment they can afford.

Belapine's illustration makes the point for me (which may come as a surprise to her!). Her parents had worked hard and paid taxes in a society which doesn't take care of its citizens' well-being except in rigidly limited circumstances, means testing being part of the conditions for qualifying for help. As a consequence, when her parents needed help, they were denied it because they "earned too much".

If they had been UK citizens, they would have worked just as hard, and paid taxes too, some of which would have gone to the NHS. When her mother became ill (whether she was rich, poor or simply comfortable), she would have received all the help she needed without having to fear bankruptcy or impoverishment. And she wouldn't find herself surrounded by drug addicts, drunks and the work-shy on her ward either.

She might have been even better of under the French, Canadian, Austrian or some other system, I cannot say. But unless she lived in a place like Bangladesh or the Congo, she is unlikely to have been worse off than under the American system.


Final thought: I suspect America's government supported health programmes actually are used by the dregs of society more, because no-one else is allowed to.