On top of this, there is a lot of misinformation and scaremongering about. The most prominent example is Sarah Palin (remember her? If you don't, lucky you. She was the Republican vice-presidential nominee in the last election. She didn't get in.), who stated that a government run healthcare plan would include 'Death Panels' to decide who lives and who dies, based on societal worth. She used her baby, who has Downs' Syndrome, as an example of someone who would be killed. She does, of course, completely miss the fact that insurance companies already have "death panels": claims adjusters who will find any way they can to cut off your insurance if you become unprofitable.
Conservatives also like to point to that popular boogieman, taxes. "Obama wants to raise our taxes!" is an easy debate killer in some circles; people totally miss the fact that a government system will most likely cost less, will not turn you down, and that the increase in taxes will most likely be small compared to the saving made by not having to pay insurance companies.
Opponents also point to problems with other countries' universal systems, particularly Canada's, as a way to scare the ignorant; They completely ignore the fact that Canadians love their system and rank it as one of the things that make them most proud to be Canadian.
Roger Ebert wrote a wonderful column that summarises a lot of the reasons for reform. I'll finish with a quote from the column:
"I believe universal health care is, quite simply, right. It is a moral imperative. I cannot enjoy health coverage and turn to my neighbor and tell him he doesn't deserve it. A nation is a mutual undertaking. In a democracy, we set out together to do what we believe is good for the commonwealth. That means voluntarily subjecting ourselves to the rule of law, taxation, military service, the guaranteeing of rights to minorities, and so on. That is a cheap price to pay."
No comments:
Post a Comment