Thursday, April 13, 2006

Massachusetts Health Care Plan


I've been reading a lot about the Health Care plan in Massachusetts and it seems like a step in the right direction. Just a little one.

Requiring Health Insurance in the same way that you would require car insurance and then offering it to the poor if they can't afford it is, in fact, a very good step in the right direction. There's still a lot more work to be done. At the end of the day, we need universal health care.

The biggest step we need to take, and I know this will sound revolutionary, but we need to mandate that the Health Insurance industry is no longer a for-profit industry. It's a multi-billion dollar a year profit making industry. If were not-for profit, we could cover everyone who didn't have health insurance with the money that would normally line the pockets of the giant conglomerates that own the companies.

I know this seems radical, but it is, in my opinion one of the best next steps to make.

Of course the insurance industry will lobby hard against it, but we need to hold fast against their evil and greed. The point is, we should not profit from keeping people healthy. Especially when those people can't afford it in the first place. At that point, you're profiting from human misery and that is, in my opinion, morally objectionable.

The next big step to take is to convince people that Health Care isn't a privelege. It's a basic and fundamental human right.

Once people know that it is their right to have health care, then we can start moving in the direction of Universal Health care even faster.

3 comments:

Jack Tripper said...

Bryan,

Don't get me wrong here. I hate the money grubbing pharmacudical companies and so forth just as much as the next guy.

But this is the USA pal! They aren't going to back down. Never in a million years when there is money to be grubbed!

I would love it if they did back down but you have stock holders wrapped up in this for Pete's sake!

-Duckie

PS I'm not trying to piss on anybody's parade here. As you well know - Duckie calls 'em like he sees 'em.

Unknown said...

I know.

Everyone who gains power (or money) is afraid to lose it.

Even the Jedi.

Jack Tripper said...

Bryan,

Vader is so into dark power of pharmacudical Proportions that it is not even funny! Good call on that one!

Bryan, you have established yourself as a Vonnegut freak which is ok by me. I recently gave slaughter House Five a re-read and it's still funny as all get out.

I have read some of your short stories and dug them quite a bit. I have a couple of reccomendations for you then I'll shut my big fat mouth.

#1. "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole.

This book is one of the funniest things I have ever read. Just check it out. I promise it will be well worth your time. I heard several years ago that somebody had optioned the movie rights. But I'm still waiting. Oh well, they would probably screw it up anyway.

#2. "The Devil & Daniel Johnston" a truly moving documentary about a starving artist of sorts with demons beyond belief. If you ever find yourself rootin' for the underdog, (like I do) then I think you'll truly dig this Doc.

PS

I haven't posted the "Hot Tub" video even though I think it is funnier than crap. What in THEE hell was Steven thinking on that evening? Could somebody for Pete's sake answer me that? I consider you guys true friends and want to party online for years to come. So I have no plans on posting it anywhere, although it's quite the temptation on account of the hilarity of it not to mention Steven's constant screwing around with my name.

Duckie