socialized medicine

[Guest guest]

HI and Jerry and SamT,

All of your responses are very thought provoking. I hope too that

the revolution is coming. I have often said this in the last three

years or so but I never connected the unrest with the idea that

aging baby boomers were going to be the catalyst. It makes

sense....and using FDRs programs as a template for action is

also something that may be appropriate. We were so lucky to

have a president like him at that time of our history. People tend

to overlook his social programs because of the war and his

reactions to that. No doubt, something needs to be done and

hopefully this time, it will be supported by the people. The right

government will have to figure out the right program.

Sam I am interested in the fact that you are working on a

program that skips the middleman (insurance companies). I

suspect that you are not only forging new paths, but running the

risk of being shown great ire from the insurance companies. I

hope that what you accomplish will be an example for other

employers and health care providers. I am quite interested in

how this will all work out.

- I am not familiar with the health care systems in the

countries that you mentioned (other than Canada). I would be

interested in learning how Greece and Yugoslavia provide care

to the people. I am aware that the history of both of these

countries is very colorful (with the types of governments seen)

and am wondering if this makes the people more ready to try

new things. I think maybe change isn't so scary for them as it is

for us. Also, they are not so entrenched in capatilism, I would

think. I think that we are a good example of capatilism taken to

the extreme - that it has become as evil as any other

governmental system that we have been taught to despise (there

are some exceptions of course, those tyrannical dictators that kill

everyone in sight). I often wonder about Cuba too. Although

Castro is a dictator, you never hear of him being that madman

that kills just for fun or on a whim. Although I am sure he has his

moments, for the most part he seems to be a benevolent leader

(like the olden day monarchs in the UK? maybe?)

Oh well, musing again about things in ways that may not make

sense or may be too controversial for me to go on.....It is just that

I love to engage in philosophical debate.

Laurie