Is America becoming a Third World Country?

[Amy Probenski]

Health Insurance In Canada

Whenever I meet people from a country with a national health insurance program, I make a point to ask them whether they are satisfied with the health care they receive. Over the years, I have heard foreigners gripe about their health care, but I have yet to meet anyone who rejects the idea of national health insurance as such.

When we were in Toronto this summer, I quizzed several Canadians about the Canadian program. Canada’s system is especially important for Americans to consider, even though it is routinely misrepresented by the lobbyists of large American pharmaceutical companies and attacked by American politicians who are in the pockets of these companies. The Canadian program, they tell us, is “socialized medicine” at its worst.

If that’s so, why are Canadians so proud of their system? A survey was recently conducted asking them what makes Canadians proud to be Canadians. The first choice of most Canadians was their health care system itself, a onepayer system in which the government itself covers nearly all costs.

Canadians realize that, like medicine in the United States, their health care system has its shortcomings. But the problems they see are not the ones we hear about in this country. Most Canadians are not overly concerned about having to wait a few months to get a knee replacement. (Recently, the wait has gone down to five and a half months. People with urgent needs are “bumped up” and put at the head of the line).

Another problem is that each province has its own system. This, however, does not prevent the system from operating effectively at the national level. If a woman from British Columbia breaks her hip in Montreal, the BC plan pays for everything — ambulance, surgery, hospital bills and drugs.

A more serious problem is the shortage of doctors. To a great extent, this is a selfinflicted wound. A few years ago, Canadian authorities reduced the number of students admitted to medical school in order to reduce costs. This, coupled with the emigration of many doctors and nurses to the United States (where they could make more money), created a shortage of doctors.

Most Canadians think that the discrepancy between health care received in cities and that in rural areas is a more serious problem than wait lists for elective surgery. A woman I know who moved from Toronto to Niagara-on-the- Lake was unable to find a new personal physician for five years. Now that she has found her own doctor, she is quite satisfied with the care she receives. I should point out, however, that if she had become ill during these five years, she could always have gone to the emergency room for help.

To deal with the doctor shortage, Canada has now increased the number of students graduating from its medical schools. Canada also makes use of qualified doctors, nurses and pharmacists from other countries. Routine physicals are performed by nurse practitioners and midwives take charge of uncomplicated deliveries. Well, why not?

Another problem is the rationing of costly experimental treatments for serious diseases such as cancer. The only difference between the Canadian and the American systems on this score is that in Canada, the Ministry of Health makes these decisions, while in the United States they are made by insurance companies concerned about their own bottom line.

Medicine is cheap nowhere. Someone has to pay for it. To help pay the bills — and avoid the demographical trap of an aging population that has countries like Japan in its grip — Canada has turned to immigration. About 400,000 people immigrate to Canada every year, 8,000 of them going to Toronto alone. (Another three million are on the waiting list). New Canadians help to keep the system viable for older Canadians.

Most Canadians are willing to pay higher taxes so that health care will be available to all. Canadians used to pay about 42 percent of their income in taxes. Recently this has gone down to 37.5 percent. That’s higher than most of us pay in this country. But Canadians get something for their tax dollars — not just new prisons, more military bases and one war after another.

I haven’t done the math, but it seem to me that if you add up what Americans pay in taxes for Medicare and Medicaid, pharmacy bills, health insurance premiums, co-pays, payments for items not covered by insurance plans, and surcharges demanded by physicians-on-the-take, there probably is not much difference in the total cost whichever system you choose.

The real difference is that in Canada health care is considered a community responsibility and a personal right. Since care is based on need and not the ability to pay, a medical misfortune does not have to turn into an economic disaster. That is an achievement for which Canadians have reason to be proud. We can learn from their experience.

[Wise One]

According to Christopher Hitchens, it has become America the Banana Republic.

He makes some good points.

We have to turn this around!

[Uji]

Wonderful Atlantic piece by MIT (and former IMF) economist Simon Johnson: "Silent Coup"
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/print/200905/imf-advice.

An excerpt...

In its depth and suddenness, the U.S. economic and financial crisis is shockingly reminiscent of moments we have recently seen in emerging markets (and only in emerging markets): South Korea (1997), Malaysia (1998), Russia and Argentina (time and again). In each of those cases, global investors, afraid that the country or its financial sector wouldn’t be able to pay off mountainous debt, suddenly stopped lending. ...This is precisely what drove Lehman Brothers into bankruptcy on September 15, causing all sources of funding to the U.S. financial sector to dry up overnight.

... But there’s a deeper and more disturbing similarity: elite business interests—financiers, in the case of the U.S.—played a central role in creating the crisis, making ever-larger gambles, with the implicit backing of the government, until the inevitable collapse. More alarming, they are now using their influence to prevent precisely the sorts of reforms that are needed, and fast, to pull the economy out of its nosedive. The government seems helpless, or unwilling, to act against them.

If O is not just another empty suit, his administration will need to attack this issue directly. The new regulatory bill is a good start. The question for me is whether or not O will stand up to the oligarchy (who will no doubt try to gut the bill -- all in the name of "free-enterprise" and in defence against creeping "socialism" of course)...

[Wise One]

Limbaugh Conservatives who think only in terms of the United States, the rest of the world be damned, and the "good old days", when everything was somehow "better", would do well to reflect on this:

[youtube]cL9Wu2kWwSY[/youtube]

[Neck-aint-red]

And it's getting worse.

In the 1800's Americans engineered and manufactured the equipment, cheap Chinese labor installed our railroads.

Now, the Chinese will engineer and manufacture the equipment, cheap American labor will install our railroads.

Damn decent of those Chinese to share their advanced technology with us dumb guys.

[VoiceCryingOut]

According to the latest issue of The Hightower Lowdown:

*From 2002-2007, the wealthiest 1% of U.S. families (those with incomes averaging more than $400,000 a year) hauled in 2/3 of America's total income gaines -- their largest share since the 1920s.

*By 2007, the top 1% owned 34% of all American wealth (cash, stocks, bonds, real estate, cars, toys, etc.), and the next richest 9% owned 38% -- i.e., a total of 72% of our nation's wealth was concentrated in the hands of the richest one-tenth of us.

*The entire bottom half of America's population (people who are middle or low income)owned only 2.5% of the nations' wealth.

*In 2007, the richest 400 American families had an average income of $345 million each, more than double their take in 2001, in this time span, their income-tax rate was slashed from and average of 29.4% to 16.6%, allowing them to pay only half the rate paid by their chauffeurs and gardeners.

So, I guess it's not a matter of "becoming" a 3rd World country: we're already there.

[Uji]

*In 2007, the richest 400 American families had an average income of $345 million each, more than double their take in 2001, in this time span, their income-tax rate was slashed from and average of 29.4% to 16.6%, allowing them to pay only half the rate paid by their chauffeurs and gardeners. So, I guess it's not a matter of "becoming" a 3rd World country: we're already there.

Whoa, Voice, you nailed it with that one. Why does anyone listen to this tea-bag nonsense about too-high taxes? It's clear who's paying the piper and calling the tune. (And it ain't the bottom 95%!)

[VoiceCryingOut]

Uji:

Yes, that whole issue is full of interesting facts (not myths) about our economy. The link to the whole issue is:

http://www.hightowerlowdown.org/

There are facts about executive pay, the minimum wage, unemployment and much more. I highly recommend reading it.

[fangz1956]

Sitting around the table at the bi-weekly supervisor's meeting this week, a colleague commented on his recent Florida vacation. Nope, not talking oily sea water and tar ball covered beaches here. We are talking about lay-offs in the healthcare industry.

For the longest time (as long as I can remember in my adult life) friends and family have always commented about the "job security" in the healthcare field. "People don't stop getting sick so you will always have a job". I believed that when I was much younger and a lot less wiser. Looking at the big picture today, that job and career is a lot less secure and we are no more likely to escape the chopping block than anyone else working in any other field. I think the only folks with job security these days are the Wall Street fat cats and those nimrods inside the Beltway. The rest of us are tying knots in the end of our ropes and hoping to hang on for as long as we can.

People seem to have forgotten a few facts here. Folks who do not have jobs do not have health insurance.......and likely no hidden stashes of cash with which to pay medical bills. Industry in this country is just about as dead as a door-nail. I've pondered that quite a bit over the last few days. I look around this place where i live and am disheartened by all we have lost......bit by bit and piece by piece. There used to a tannery here......and a couple of meat packing businesses(Valleydale is long gone and so is Green Hill)......they have battened down the East End shops of Norfolk Southern........the Kroger bakery is history.......the large lumber yards that were locally owned are all gone.......the textile mills and sewing factories are gone.....and Roanoke Mills is history, too....GE is a shadow of its former self.......all of these businesses that actually made and produced things are gone from here.

But oh me oh my, we needn't complain. Just look at what we've gained...ghost malls, whole neighborhoods without a grocery store or market, at least 4 Walmarts, countless CVS drug stores, an art museum, a dying farmers' market, more fast food joints than you can shake a stick at, 3 mega cineplexes, "limited" public transportation, shuttered schools.....and the largest employers are hospitals. How long will that last one last as the economy sputters and stalls and with jobs are on the horizon? Who will fund the healthcare bill after the middle class is successfully crushed?

Healthcare cannot be provided if there is nobody to pay the bills........it's just that simple. Hmmmmm....that must be waaaay too simple for the idgits on Capitol Hill.

Done ranting. Here are some things for your reading pleasure:

Fiercehealthcare

Kindred Healthcare

Jackson Health

Fierce Health Finance

[Wise One]

This says it all.

Fundamental decisions about where we invest our resources matter. America has chosen to throw its money and people resources down a rat hole, rather than to plan and invest for the future.

[fangz1956]

Perhaps we are falling flat on faces by forgetting the things that grew this country. Perhaps we should follow the example of our German friends. How sadly funny that we were one of the nations who tried to persuade them not to follow the path they chose. Who's laughing now?

How Germany Got It Right On the Economy

[Sam]

Who will fund the healthcare bill after the middle class is successfully crushed?

Healthcare cannot be provided if there is nobody to pay the bills........it's just that simple. Hmmmmm....that must be waaaay too simple for the idgits on Capitol Hill.

Ok Folks, I figure after the middle class is crushed as Fangz would point out, the there will be nobody to pay the bills. I have to say, I came from a poor family, had problems due to my racial background, yet worked hard in order to get a good paying job and retirement benefits. My parents brought me up with the notion that I could only rely on myself and I have. Let me see Folks, we are a country getting too dependent on government. Once government has us under its thumb so to speak, they control us. I gotta say I scratch my head and ponder all these young folks who figure the government owes them. I hear it so much from my grandchildren and their friends. Makes me wonder where our great country is headed. Oh Lord have mercy on our country cause I see us headed for a big downfall. Maybe I will be around to see it and then maybe I won't.

[crux]

Here is an article today. http://www.wmctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13833438

90 pregnant H.S. girls... 20% of the female enrollment. It reminds me of the one below in 2009.

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local-be ... 34832.html

115 out of 800 or about 15%.

"We have a problem Houston..." Chicago...Memphis...

Reflect on the ECONOMIC aspect of the decision these young black girls are making. Try not blaming the wealthy, conservative talk radio, big corporations, the Republicans, hate speech, Palin, the Tea Party and THINK.

crux

[crux]

http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cf ... e-Day-6753 Enjoy...

[Wise One]

That is an interesting piece.

This one published today is a sober view of our decline.

[Trend Setter]

Thanks for giving us that take on our sad state. I hate to depress further, but reality is what it is.

This is the best and most accurate assessment I've seen of the mess we are in. Stiglitz did a great job but it is not pretty. Our country has been taken by ideologues and misers to a world of hurt that can only end badly for all of us.

[crux]

Let's just lament the wealthiest 1%. Let us just be victims of our envy. The rich, like the poor, are a fact. Pick a country and tell me it isn't so. GO AHEAD. There will be both groups. This country will allow an individual to succeed or fail. Do not mistake the fact also that folks will move into and out of economic strata. The poor today, are not the poor of tomorrow. The grow, they work, they learn and gain skills and experience....

c

[fangz1956]

Two things are abundantly clear:

1. Crux is very far removed from reality.

2. Crux has zero reading comprehension skills.

[crux]

No I understand quite well... Every day there are many many millions of folks in this country who are working hard to LEARN, GAIN SKILLS, and yes acquire wealth. Will they ever be in the top 1%? Most will not. A few will. Those that are poor today, whether children or adults, will in many many circumstances not remain poor for their lifetimes... THEIR children may or may not be poor, as one's economic status is not necessarily advantaged or disadvantaged by that of their parents. Surely you understand my meaning, "NOT NECESSARILY"? Is one MORE inclined toward wealth, or poverty, or a love or an apathy towards say, education, or capital formation? SURELY... OF COURSE.

Acculturation is a powerful force. Obstacles can not be overcome by all. We can not all be wealthy, or doctors or teachers, etc.

...do you know folks who have moved into, or out of economic strata? Do you know of a country where there are not rich and poor?

I just make the observation that the left just bastes itself in the juices of class envy, of perceived economic victimization, and identity politics. I CHOOSE not to. I do not SEE the same reality you see in the same way you see it. Is it disturbing when a big business is run into the ground by a CEO asleep at the wheel who makes MILLIONS? Surely. It happens. Is there those few who don't have to worry about the food bill for the week or the price of gasoline so much?

I do not use as a crutch, the wealth, advantages, or successes of others to prop up my angry dissatisfied psyche in this life.
I have eyes to see.

[Wise One]

No, there are two possibilities: you do not understand or willfully refuse to understand.

As usual, you are argue in opposition to points nobody has made. Nobody disputes that "folks in this country who are working hard", that always there are "rich and poor". Nobody here holds "juices of class envy."

If you only had courage to read and comprehend the referenced article you would find that it makes none of the points you argue against. It does not bemoan the fact that there are rich people. It decries the CHANGES from poor policies and rampant corruption that have grossly FURTHER enriched the rich while simultaneously decreasing the wealth and incomes of the poor and middle class. We are moving rapidly from a country where most enjoy a measure of wealth, to one where most are poor.

In your case I hesitate to predict that you would agree, but everybody else would say something is wrong if one person held 99% of the wealth of the Nation and the remaining 330 million people collectively hold 1%. They'd also agree that 2 people holding 99% is wrong. So the question is, how few people can hold that 99% before even you would admit there is something wrong?

It is not disturbing that there are some poor people. It is disturbing that poor and middle class people have seen their fortunes decline precipitously while the super rich have seen theirs improve.

This is bad for most people, bad for the country, poor for business, and only sets the stage for eventual disruptive revolution that will bite rich and poor alike.