Should the U.S. have universal healthcare for children?

[Decker]

I agree with you on this. Government should provide for those who truly can not take care of themselves.

But that does not excuse anyone who is able to work from getting health insurance through their employer.

What we should be tackling is how to make insurance affordable and fair - not more government programs that talk big but do nothing.

At the moment, only employers can offer remotely affordable health care.  Big Insurance will not allow anyone to reduce its bottom line just to save a few lives.  That's a matter of history.

The only way to tackle this is the way FDR tackled Big Business Corruption and that's through a governmental effort.

Remember, We The People are the government.

[Decker]

While I don't like your use of the word "socialist" for labeling programs like those, I completely agree with your take on the problem with effectiveness, and not getting the money's worth.

Capitalistic competition is key.

-Hedge

I don't think it's the key.  It's the problem.  One, Unmoderated capitalism results in monopolies.  Monopolies set the price of services/products.  We have a concentration of Insurance company ownership that could rightly be characterized as monopolistic.

Two, profit motive is driving the costs through the roof.  It takes money to fund pro golf tour events (Lincoln, Pacific Life etc.), pay executive compensation, pay golden parachute arrangements, pay for advertising, pay for corporate jets and luxurious corp. HQ, and still show a profit to shareholders.

[Hedgehog]

I don't think it's the key.  It's the problem.  One, Unmoderated capitalism results in monopolies.  Monopolies set the price of services/products.  We have a concentration of Insurance company ownership that could rightly be characterized as monopolistic.

Two, profit motive is driving the costs through the roof.  It takes money to fund pro golf tour events (Lincoln, Pacific Life etc.), pay executive compensation, pay golden parachute arrangements, pay for advertising, pay for corporate jets and luxurious corp. HQ, and still show a profit to shareholders.

The competition that comes with capitalism will lead to effectiveness and streamlining.

But there has to be thorough legislation, to prevent from monopoly and oligarchies, like the insurance company oligarchy structure currently present in the USA, where insurance companies are making profits, and there are no alternatives that will keep the prices down.

The legislators has to make sure the competition is fair.

-Hedge

[Decker]

The competition that comes with capitalism will lead to effectiveness and streamlining.

That ship sailed along time ago. 

The dynamic is this:  competition puts out a better service/product.  Soon we have mergers.  And more mergers.  Then we have behemoth corporations that either gobble up competition or destroy it.  There are anti-trust laws on the book but the Bush administration has no fire in it to see enforcement.

My favorite quote on this is the tape of Bill Gates telling the board of Netscape that he will destroy them if they don't join him.

But there has to be thorough legislation, to prevent from monopoly and oligarchies, like the insurance company oligarchy structure currently present in the USA, where insurance companies are making profits, and there are no alternatives that will keep the prices down.

The legislators has to make sure the competition is fair.

-Hedge

The insurance giants are writing the regulatory laws. 

It is difficult to have serious change when that happens.

[Laughing Sam's Dice]

That ship sailed along time ago. 

The dynamic is this:  competition puts out a better service/product.  Soon we have mergers.  And more mergers.  Then we have behemoth corporations that either gobble up competition or destroy it.  There are anti-trust laws on the book but the Bush administration has no fire in it to see enforcement.

My favorite quote on this is the tape of Bill Gates telling the board of Netscape that he will destroy them if they don't join him.
The insurance giants are writing the regulatory laws. 

It is difficult to have serious change when that happens.

Bump for the hearing the reality of modern-day capitialism.