@Drnaline,
I think it interesting that FUA keeps claiming those who oppose him have no debate skills, we are unable to think, yet he absolutely refuses to step into the debate. Both Freeman and I have offered data to demonstrate that the problem isn’t nearly the catastrophe that FUA paints, yet he offers no counterpoints. Now, who can’t debate the issue? Sir, I would offer that we are the ones doing the thinking, while you are simply emoting.
WV, I think your activities are commendable. We need more people like you. But let me offer some counterpoints, using your own life as the fulcrum.
First of all, look at the money you raise. When you raise that money, how much of it goes to the intended recipient? I’d guess that the very idea that you would keep any of that money would horrify you, and that every dime you raise goes to the person or agency for whom you raised it. Our government is not nearly as efficient. The last statistics I read said that for every tax dollar collected for social programs, only 40 to 60 cents went to those for whom the program was designed to help. The rest of the money went to government administrative costs. These costs include things like record keeping, employee salary, building costs, office costs, ad nauseum. The government cannot help but “empire build” and the way the government promotion system works, it actively encourages it. For most government employees, a large part of your GS rating, and as a result, your salary, depends on how many people you supervise. So, for the average employee, the bigger your empire, the bigger your paycheck. And that’s just one example of how this program is going to cost far more than anyone expects, and why are taxes are going to have to be raised, and raised dramatically. The point here is that private, non-government charities are far better at providing social help than is the government.
Next, look at the beneficiaries of your efforts. If I came to you tomorrow, and asked you to help me raise money for my house payment, would you at least look at whether or not I really needed that help? My guess is that you’re at least going to ask me why I need the help. If my answer is that I got hurt, and can’t work right now, you would probably help. But if my answer is that I had a great job, but my boss was kind of a horse’s ass, so I showed him and quit, you will probably tell me that I made my bed, now I have to sleep in it. In other words, those are the consequences of your own actions.
I’ve been in health care for more than 10 years, and in that time, I have provided care for literally thousands of patients receiving public aid. The vast majority are more than physically and mentally able to work, they simply choose not to. It is easier to live off the government than to get into the workforce and somehow be a productive member of society. Consider this, and I have seen this particular patient hundreds of times. A woman comes to the hospital to have a baby. She is in her mid-20’s, unmarried, and having her fourth or fifth child, often by the third, fourth, or even fifth father. She started having these children when she was 14 or 15. With her first child, she started receiving government checks. With each additional child, the size of this check has grown. She has absolutely no incentive to work, she suffers none of the consequences of her decisions. Now, you may tell me that she can’t work, she has to raise those kids. My response is she made the decision to have those kids, why am I, the father of none of those children, to be held responsible for providing her with the money to stay at home and not work?
You have told us all that it is unchristian to not want a national healthcare policy, but let me ask you a question: Does the bible not also speak to personal responsibility? Does it not also require us to be productive? If one is able to work, and work is available, yet one chooses not to work simply because it is easier to live off the government, is that not theft? Christ himself, when faced with a sinner, did not condemn her, but did admonish her to “go and sin no more.”
Finally, look at your means of raising money. Boiled down, you see a need, and you collect money to meet that need. In essence, you ask people for donations. Suppose you came to me asking for a donation. Based on my perception of the need and my ability to donate, I might give you $5, $50, $500, or even $5000. Or, I might not give you anything at all. That decision could be based on my perception that the need is not that great, or that I have other charities I would rather donate to, or simply that I am unable to give you money and still meet my own needs. If you take money from me by force, even if you give all that money to those whom you see as needy, you have committed robbery. I am the victim of a crime.
When such a program is given government force, the ability to make that decision is taken from me. If the government ends up taking so much of my paycheck that I can no longer afford to pay my own bills, too bad. Guess you will have to file bankruptcy, or sell what you have, or even go to jail. I have no say as to whether I consider the government program worthy or not. I have no ability to make my own decision as to how much I should donate, and cannot factor in my own responsibilities. I have been robbed, just as surely as if you pointed a gun at my head to take my wallet.
Frankly, I see more negatives to governmental involvement in healthcare than I see positives. Based on what I know of the government, and based on the track record our government has administering social programs, I believe they are the LAST agency who should provide any kind of healthcare coverage. I’m tired of being told that I am greedy and a sinner because I want to see that my hard work to get where I am provides some benefit to me and my family. Frankly, I’m tired of being robbed by my government to support people, the vast majority of whom are more than able to support themselves.
