The Conservative Case for Publicly Funded, Universal Health Care
"We are having a major health care debate in the USA. I was strongly opposed the pre-Obamacare system as I am opposed to most aspects of Obamacare. It is incredibly complicated and albatross around the neck of business. Unfortunately one of the reasons it is so complex is because the right-wing essentially has taken single payer off the table and vowed massive resistance against it. Single payer, whatever its drawbacks may be, is still far simpler and more straight forward than the massive maze Obamacare has set up.
As I see it now the only people who benefit from American health care are those directly in the health care industry, especially hospital administrators and health industry executives, and the people independently wealthy enough to never have to worry about cost. The other 90% of us, insured or uninsured, are getting the short end of the stick. Even if you like your insurance, it is an objective fact that if you live in the USA no matter how good your insurance may be you are paying the highest prices for the lowest return. American health care is not the worst in the world in terms of quality, however in terms of cost effectiveness it is undoubtedly the worst, even below Ethiopia in the sense that Ethiopians get what they pay for on a dollar a day salary, whereas the USA would charge a hundred dollars for Ethiopian quality care by comparison if we are measuring on cost effectiveness, like we charge tens of thousands for what other developed nations get for mere thousands, and hundreds for what they get for tens.
Here are ten key conservative reasons to support single payer:
1. First, it is simpler than Obamacare.
2. There is always going to be rationing and paperwork anyway.
3. Government is accountable to the people, big health insurance companies are accountable to their shareholders.
4. Government regulation of health care already exists and is not going away.
5. By holding costs down, it will save you more than enough to make up for any tax increase.
6. Ideologues are the main thing holding us back, and true conservatives ignore ideology.
7. We have a religious moral imperative to do something about the uninsured, and charity is not adequate.
8. The rest of the world is doing fine, including nations often touted by conservatives.
9. Around the world, conservatives are at ease with national health care.
10. The number one reason; it is competitiveness, stupid."
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