The following exchange is extracted from an e-mail discussion with a friend of mine who is in favor of Universal Health Care, as proposed by all of the current presidential candidates. I broadcast this because I'm shocked and appalled at how willingly we, as a country, are willing to abandon the free market system that has made this country prosperous and are embracing the socialist system that has been exposed as a flaming failure in every instance, including in the former Soviet Union, Cuba, North Korea, and all over Latin America, Asia, and Africa.
My friend wrote: "On universal health care you did not look at the successes of Canada, Sweden, France or Great Britain.....which has free health care, and some private you pay for doctors on the side. The people I know from Canada love their system and do not understand when American politicans attack their system. I have been told by Americans who have traveled in France that the health care is free even for tourist that the state takes care of everything. As for Cuba from what I have read their health care is one of the bests at least for the average Cuban. I do know the Soviet system was a total failure and you would know better about Boliva (however an American teacher here whose wife is from Boliva and they have a "large" home there and claims that all of his dentist work is extremely good but cheap. So I do not know what to say)."
To which I responded: "My uncle, from Canada, is the one who told me that Canada's health care system is "broken". He sent me the following link to a short video that details some of its shortcomings: http://www.freemarketcure.com/brainsurgery.php. In case you don't have time to watch it, what the video explains is that the healthcare system in Canada is overloaded to the point that people are dying while waiting in the queue for their turn to get required surgery from the overloaded but underfunded medical centers and so are coming to the US to buy their life-saving surgeries. I've read similar articles on CNN.com about the health care system in England as well.
And according to my many Bolivian friends who have been to, worked in, or were educated in Cuba, their healthcare system is horrific, the fictional movie "Sicko" notwithstanding. One Bolivian friend sent me the attached PowerPoint file with photos from Cuba's hospitals. They're truly nasty. (Sorry, it's not attached to this posting - let me know if you want me to send it to you - or you can check out some facts on the following website: www.therealcuba.com. In fact, the attached photo of one of Cuba's premier hospitals is from that website.)
As for Bolivia's healthcare system, it's two-tiered. There are the "free", public clinics that will remind you of those on the reservation (as I knew them in the 70's - maybe they've improved.) Anyway, in Bolivia they're really bad. BUT, for those of us who were relatively wealthy, we could afford to visit the very best private doctors in the country for a very reasonable fee and on very short notice. I remember taking my kids to the dermatologist - he was US trained, spoke English, was located right in my neighborhood, had all the latest equipment, and when I called for an appointment the receptionist told me that if it was an emergency we could get in that same day but otherwise we would have to wait a day or two (compared to here in the States where an emergency might get you in to the doctor that week, otherwise it'll be months away.) Anyway, for the $25 fee, we got the office visit, a couple of follow-up visits, and some medicine. It was great. But, you have to be "rich" in Bolivia to afford a $25 doctor bill. We had similar experiences with the dentist and pediatrician in our neighborhood too.
So, given what I've observed and read, I wouldn't trade our current free-market system with ANYONE in the whole world, certainly not anywhere in Latin America, Africa, or Asia, AND I wouldn't trade places with anyone in Europe. I haven't seen anything in my travels in Europe that I'd like to emulate in our country.
And I certainly don't think that the government should steal money out of my and my kids' pockets to pay for healthcare for all of the former juvenile delinquents who were too cool for school and chose not to study and work to enter a career that includes health insurance.
Further, given the (lack of) quality at the VA hospitals, I certainly don't want the government to provide me health care. If they can't take care of our veterans, they certainly won't take care of me or my kids.
So... feel free to enlighten me if you think I've gotten any of my facts incorrect.
My friend wrote: "On universal health care you did not look at the successes of Canada, Sweden, France or Great Britain.....which has free health care, and some private you pay for doctors on the side. The people I know from Canada love their system and do not understand when American politicans attack their system. I have been told by Americans who have traveled in France that the health care is free even for tourist that the state takes care of everything. As for Cuba from what I have read their health care is one of the bests at least for the average Cuban. I do know the Soviet system was a total failure and you would know better about Boliva (however an American teacher here whose wife is from Boliva and they have a "large" home there and claims that all of his dentist work is extremely good but cheap. So I do not know what to say)."
To which I responded: "My uncle, from Canada, is the one who told me that Canada's health care system is "broken". He sent me the following link to a short video that details some of its shortcomings: http://www.freemarketcure.com/brainsurgery.php. In case you don't have time to watch it, what the video explains is that the healthcare system in Canada is overloaded to the point that people are dying while waiting in the queue for their turn to get required surgery from the overloaded but underfunded medical centers and so are coming to the US to buy their life-saving surgeries. I've read similar articles on CNN.com about the health care system in England as well.
And according to my many Bolivian friends who have been to, worked in, or were educated in Cuba, their healthcare system is horrific, the fictional movie "Sicko" notwithstanding. One Bolivian friend sent me the attached PowerPoint file with photos from Cuba's hospitals. They're truly nasty. (Sorry, it's not attached to this posting - let me know if you want me to send it to you - or you can check out some facts on the following website: www.therealcuba.com. In fact, the attached photo of one of Cuba's premier hospitals is from that website.)
As for Bolivia's healthcare system, it's two-tiered. There are the "free", public clinics that will remind you of those on the reservation (as I knew them in the 70's - maybe they've improved.) Anyway, in Bolivia they're really bad. BUT, for those of us who were relatively wealthy, we could afford to visit the very best private doctors in the country for a very reasonable fee and on very short notice. I remember taking my kids to the dermatologist - he was US trained, spoke English, was located right in my neighborhood, had all the latest equipment, and when I called for an appointment the receptionist told me that if it was an emergency we could get in that same day but otherwise we would have to wait a day or two (compared to here in the States where an emergency might get you in to the doctor that week, otherwise it'll be months away.) Anyway, for the $25 fee, we got the office visit, a couple of follow-up visits, and some medicine. It was great. But, you have to be "rich" in Bolivia to afford a $25 doctor bill. We had similar experiences with the dentist and pediatrician in our neighborhood too.
So, given what I've observed and read, I wouldn't trade our current free-market system with ANYONE in the whole world, certainly not anywhere in Latin America, Africa, or Asia, AND I wouldn't trade places with anyone in Europe. I haven't seen anything in my travels in Europe that I'd like to emulate in our country.
And I certainly don't think that the government should steal money out of my and my kids' pockets to pay for healthcare for all of the former juvenile delinquents who were too cool for school and chose not to study and work to enter a career that includes health insurance.
Further, given the (lack of) quality at the VA hospitals, I certainly don't want the government to provide me health care. If they can't take care of our veterans, they certainly won't take care of me or my kids.
So... feel free to enlighten me if you think I've gotten any of my facts incorrect.
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