Yes, class. Do you see? Isn't that terrifying? That someone might not be a citizen and still have their basic human health care needs taken care of through the bureaucratic incompetence of a bloated federal government? Of course, measures could be put in place that could help minimize this, but that's not the point, is it? The point is to make people as queasy as possible about the dreaded Obamacare and immigration. Frighten them with fear of the undeserving other, and the possibility that someone may get a benefit that you worked for and they did not.
So, class, can anyone think of a what to replace that pesky Obamacare with, and still provide basic health care coverage to every true citizen of the United States? Bueller? Bueller? Anyone? Anyone?
No, Bernie, I didn't say you. When I said "anyone" I didn't mean to include you.
Yes, Bernie, a single payer system like Medicare For All would cover everyone, but that's socialism. And as an economics professor, I can tell you that socialism is an unworkable system that will lead to our inevitable destruction.
Yes, Bernie. I know you are talking about "democratic socialism", which works more as a check and modifier of capitalism than a replacement. But that's never worked anywhere.
Yes, Bernie. I know about the Scandinavian countries, and their successes with democratic socialism. But we're Americans! We don't want to eat strange fish dishes with eyeballs in them, and drive small cars, and pay exorbitant prices for gasoline. We don't want to pay higher taxes to insure medical care and free college. It is so much better to let the poor flood emergency rooms and for the middle class college students to take out student loans at high interest loans and be saddled with debt for the rest of their lives.
Yes, Bernie. I understand that in most other countries that have universal health care....what? Don't interrupt me, Bernie! I realize that virtually all other industrialized countries on Earth have universal health care and we don't. And I realize that we spend two to three times more per person on health care here than in those other countries. You have to think of all the jobs created by the layer of private insurance and hospital/doctor healthcare insurance facilitators, not to mention the lawyers and accountants we have to manipulate and game the system. We take pride in our healthcare con men and profiteers! After all, Florida elected Rick Scott governor of Florida, didn't they? He oversaw the largest Medicare fraud in our history while CEO of Columbia/HCA. Now if that bothered Floridians, why would they have elected him twice?
No, Bernie. There is a difference between government bureaucrats and private bureaucrats. Don't you see? We love the private ones - we honor their cleverness. But we hate government bureaucrats, whose malfeasance would actually be easier to catch if we used the proper oversight instead of letting our Congressman be bought out by the largest corporate and super-rich bidders.
I tell you what, Bernie. You like government bureaucracy so much? I want you take this form to the central office, and please, take your time.
Ok, now we can back to the real discussion. Can anyone think of ways, not including Bernie's ridiculous idea of Medicare For All, that we can repeal Obamacare and improve our health care system?
Bueller? Bueller?
Anyone?
Yes, class. Do you see? Isn't that terrifying? That someone might not be a citizen and still have their basic human health care needs taken care of through the bureaucratic incompetence of a bloated federal government? Of course, measures could be put in place that could help minimize this, but that's not the point, is it? The point is to make people as queasy as possible about the dreaded Obamacare and immigration. Frighten them with fear of the undeserving other, and the possibility that someone may get a benefit that you worked for and they did not.
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