Health Insurance

[Magda Hassan]

I once heard an argument - from an "ordinary" worker - "Why should I pay [through higher taxes], because I am employed, for healthcare for some bum who can't be bothered to get a job?" Is that still a common view among voters in the US?

Individualism is a view that is pushed and promoted and propagandised everywhere there and which permeates every level of US society. It is basic to the continuance and survival of an unjust and oppressive system. Divide and rule. Us and them. Me me me me me. I me myself and I. You can become president. You can be a millionaire. American exceptionalism. You to are exceptional. And if you don't make it it is because there is something lacking in you and not the system. Individualism versus individuality. It is unhealthy and stops people seeing the common humanity of others. Libertarian politics wallows in this. As does most American mythology. It is all about separating people into isolated manageable atoms. The biggest fear of TPTB is an effective organised opposition to their continued scamming. Billions of $ go into diverting that rage. Promotion of individualism pays off very well. Keeps every one suspicious of each other instead of looking at the bigger picture.

[Tracy Riddle]

My question to American members is this: Why is a large part of America so firmly against a centralised, fully funded health system? How would you have funded my scenario above if it happened to you?

Actually, I think that a large majority of Americans would support a Medicare-for-all single-payer system. But every time health care reform comes up, opponents (people who are making a fortune from the current system) start a scare campaign to make the ignorant public think it will be a horrible thing. It is VERY easy to scare the shit out of low-information Americans (which is about 60-70% of them). This is why we keep ending up in stupid, unnecessary wars, why we can't repair highways, bridges and water mains, why our school system sucks, and a lot of other things.

But I think there is a slow awakening going on - look at Bernie Sanders go! $15 million he has already collected, thousands of people coming to his campaign events.

And they would probably shoot him if it looked like he might win the Presidency.

[Lauren Johnson]

And they would probably shoot him if it looked like he might win the Presidency.

Probably more like a call from a "concerned citizen" worried about a grand child or something like that.

The suspicious side of thinks that his huge crowds are enhanced by Rent-a-Crowd paid for by opponents wanting him to win the nomination.

[Magda Hassan]

But I think there is a slow awakening going on - look at Bernie Sanders go! $15 million he has already collected, thousands of people coming to his campaign events.

And they would probably shoot him if it looked like he might win the Presidency.

Yes, I've been enjoying watching the Bern. The best thing that's happened to US politics in a long time. A nice change from Bush Clinton Bush Clinton. If Warren joins him even more interesting. And I do hope he has good security.

The suspicious side of thinks that his huge crowds are enhanced by Rent-a-Crowd paid for by opponents wanting him to win the nomination.

There is definitely a rent a crows at their rallies. https://bgr.com/2015/06/24/rent-crowd-se...president/ Manufacturing consent.

[Lauren Johnson]

There is definitely a rent a crows at their rallies. https://bgr.com/2015/06/24/rent-crow...ice-president/ Manufacturing consent.

The question is whether a political opponent would rent crowds to pump up a preferred candidate? Someone would have awfully deep pockets.

[Peter Lemkin]

Sanders is far from perfect [especially on foreign policy], but he is absolutely fantastic from anything that has come down the road in decades.... Sadly, I don't believe he has a chance - but might be able to show the disillusionment and actual sentiments of a large and unrepresented mass of the public. If he were to position himself to win, he'd meet with an accident or a lone-nut assassin for sure. The powers in control could never work with him, because they couldn't control him. It won't happen under the current system, sadly. The size of the 'protest vote' might be interesting, but I think that is all it will be in the end. We will get one of the two CIA/MIC/Bankster-chosen candidates - as we always do - more so since JFK was assassinated.

[Martin White]

Sanders is far from perfect [especially on foreign policy], but he is absolutely fantastic from anything that has come down the road in decades.... Sadly, I don't believe he has a chance - but might be able to show the disillusionment and actual sentiments of a large and unrepresented mass of the public. If he were to position himself to win, he'd meet with an accident or a lone-nut assassin for sure. The powers in control could never work with him, because they couldn't control him. It won't happen under the current system, sadly. The size of the 'protest vote' might be interesting, but I think that is all it will be in the end. We will get one of the two CIA/MIC/Bankster-chosen candidates - as we always do - more so since JFK was assassinated.

Funny how almost every popular, pro-peace, pro-democracy figure who threatens to really shake things up inevitably meets with a deranged, lone-nut assassin.

[David Guyatt]

I once heard an argument - from an "ordinary" worker - "Why should I pay [through higher taxes], because I am employed, for healthcare for some bum who can't be bothered to get a job?" Is that still a common view among voters in the US?

Individualism is a view that is pushed and promoted and propagandised everywhere there and which permeates every level of US society. It is basic to the continuance and survival of an unjust and oppressive system. Divide and rule. Us and them. Me me me me me. I me myself and I. You can become president. You can be a millionaire. American exceptionalism. You to are exceptional. And if you don't make it it is because there is something lacking in you and not the system. Individualism versus individuality. It is unhealthy and stops people seeing the common humanity of others. Libertarian politics wallows in this. As does most American mythology. It is all about separating people into isolated manageable atoms. The biggest fear of TPTB is an effective organised opposition to their continued scamming. Billions of $ go into diverting that rage. Promotion of individualism pays off very well. Keeps every one suspicious of each other instead of looking at the bigger picture.

I so much agree with you Maggie, it's alarming. It's one of the things about the US that is so obvious once your eyes are attuned to these things. The US is radically anti society and, as a consequence, anti human.