(July 30, 2009 at 8:01 pm)padraic Wrote: AS far as I'm aware,private health treatment remains available in countries with universal health care. It's the case here and I'm pretty sure also in the UK. (ever heard of Harley St?) The wealthy notice no change.
Here our hospital emergency rooms (public AND private) operate on a triarge system. I was once admitted by ambulance. I was seen immediately (turned out to be a minor)
My perception is criticism of Universal health care seems to come from from two broad areas:
The HBO's screaming their tits off. I would have thought that would immediately set off alarm bells.IE if the health funds are agin it,Universal health care is almost certainly going to be a good thing for the public.
The other group are those to whom I refer as "the greedy middle classes". Some call themselves "libertarians",big on personal freedom,but small on equality and social justice. By far the larger proportion of this group are actually in favour of universal health care,and welfare generally. So long as THEY don't have to pay for it and are in no way suffer any personal inconvenience.
Such people seem too smug or too stupid to grasp that THEY may PERSONALLY become one of "the have nots" in a terrifyingly short time. It's in their best interest to make sure there are effective systems of health,education and welfare. I'm probably being simplistic, however,I suspect the US could be the envy of the world had it spent the money it spent on the Vietnam and Iraq wars on those things instead.
Thought for today: " Hell hath no fury like vested interest posing as moral principle" (anon)
Of course the wealthy can go private in the UK. EVERYBODY however has access to excellent healthcare through the National Health Service. It is " the envy of the world " to use that hackneyed phrase.
A man is born to a virgin mother, lives, dies, comes alive again and then disappears into the clouds to become his Dad. How likely is that?