Fallacies of the Democratic Socialists of America, part 9 | Forum

#1

Part 9: "What We Fight For" Healthcare for All

"Guarantee universal healthcare at no cost to individuals, including complete access to reproductive and gender-affirming care. Expand healthcare access and quality by investing in new public hospitals and clinics. Make all medical education and training public and free." - DSA https://program.dsausa.org/

I remember a time when healthcare was financed between my parents direct to a physician, period. No hospital involvement, but for my mother birthing children. I was the last of three. No insurance policy, no co-pays, and no insurance companies vying for medical care coverage. My father, mother, brothers, and me, and a doctor who made house calls and became a family friend. Why couldn't that system continue? Not due to our population increase, because physician count has risen with population. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physicians_in_the_United_States

Insurance is one of the flies in the ointment. Virtually non-existent in the 50s, the dawn of the 60s began an insurance revolution, and now absorbs a big percentage of medical cost to patients.

Another fly is not watching what we put in the pie hole, and elsewhere for entertainment, beyond nourishment. The food industry discovered freezer food and processed food, neither of which are as healthy as fresh food, which grocery stores tend to put on the outside walls of the store. Consume healthy food in moderation quantities; lessen obligation to medical treatment.

Limiting over-eating, and eating healthy would reduce the incident of our most lethal diseases. Cancer would be reduced up to 50%. Heart disease and Type 2 diabetes would reduce up to 90%. https://newsroom.clevelandclinic.org/2021/09/29/90-percent-of-heart-disease-is-preventable-through-healthier-diet-regular-exercise-and-not-smoking

In other words, why pay a doctor - or an insurance company - anything when our own self-control and attention to what goes in the pie hole can reduce those costs significantly? Don't need socialism, or frankly, capitalism, to do that. We just have to admit we've been personally irresponsible, and have to change. Don't need to change the Constitution to do that. Don't need any politics to do that. That is true, virtually free healthcare for all, isn't it?

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Part 9: "What We Fight For" Healthcare for All "Guarantee universal healthcare at no cost to individuals, including complete access to reproductive and gender-affirming care. Expand healthcare access and quality by investing in new public hospitals and clinics. Make all medical education and training public and free." - DSA <a href="https://program.dsausa.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://program.dsausa.org/</a> I remember a time when healthcare was financed between my parents direct to a physician, period. No hospital involvement, but for my mother birthing children. I was the last of three. No insurance policy, no co-pays, and no insurance companies vying for medical care coverage. My father, mother, brothers, and me, and a doctor who made house calls and became a family friend. Why couldn't that system continue? Not due to our population increase, because physician count has risen with population. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physicians_in_the_United_States" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physicians_in_the_United_States</a> Insurance is one of the flies in the ointment. Virtually non-existent in the 50s, the dawn of the 60s began an insurance revolution, and now absorbs a big percentage of medical cost to patients.Another fly is not watching what we put in the pie hole, and elsewhere for entertainment, beyond nourishment. The food industry discovered freezer food and processed food, neither of which are as healthy as fresh food, which grocery stores tend to put on the outside walls of the store. Consume healthy food in moderation quantities; lessen obligation to medical treatment. Limiting over-eating, and eating healthy would reduce the incident of our most lethal diseases. Cancer would be reduced up to 50%. Heart disease and Type 2 diabetes would reduce up to 90%. <a href="https://newsroom.clevelandclinic.org/2021/09/29/90-percent-of-heart-disease-is-preventable-through-healthier-diet-regular-exercise-and-not-smoking" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://newsroom.clevelandclinic.org/2021/09/29/90-percent-of-heart-disease-is-preventable-through-healthier-diet-regular-exercise-and-not-smoking</a> In other words, why pay a doctor - or an insurance company - anything when our own self-control and attention to what goes in the pie hole can reduce those costs significantly? Don't need socialism, or frankly, capitalism, to do that. We just have to admit we've been personally irresponsible, and have to change. Don't need to change the Constitution to do that. Don't need any politics to do that. That is true, virtually free healthcare for all, isn't it?

We tell God what to do and then blame Him for our errors.

- Dr. Pet Dragon of Sorbonne University

(Last edited by SkepticalOne on )

#2

@fauxlaw

You completely overlook that in the 1950s a 6 day stay in a hospital to give birth cost, no joke, about a $100. Today, it cost close to 20 grand, and, even with insurance, young families will be on the hook for ~$3000 of that (which is still double the 2026 equivalent of what your parents paid out of pocket without insurance in the 1950s (?)).

Is it any suprise more and more people are starting to wonder why public funds can't do more to help the public rather than the corporations that take advantage of things like medical needs.

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Take the risk of thinking for yourself, much more happiness, truth, beauty, and wisdom will come to you that way. - Christopher Hitchens

#3

@SkepticalOne

Birth;

Poppycock, in some cases, like mine. In 1977, I was a process engineer for Ford Motor Company. Our daughter was born in December, and our cost, after insurance benefits, was $0. That was even after an extended stay in the delivery room of 37 hours, because our daughter was giving most of the signals of "ready for birth," and even some administration of birth inducement, but she resisted birth. She has been confident and headstrong ever since, a very independent lady who is the joy of my life, other than my bride of 53 years. By the way, I was born in '49, and my birth cost my parents, I was told, virtually nothing. My father was the hospital assistant administrator, an "inside" job.

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We tell God what to do and then blame Him for our errors.

- Dr. Pet Dragon of Sorbonne University

#4

@fauxlaw

I am happy to concede your birth cost $0 in 1949. This only strengthens the point.

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Take the risk of thinking for yourself, much more happiness, truth, beauty, and wisdom will come to you that way. - Christopher Hitchens

(Last edited by fauxlaw on )

#5

@SkepticalOne

I thought that might be your happy reply if I didn't tell the whole story. There's another factor I did not reveal that makes a huge difference. Not all breadwinners in the late forties were career officers in the military. A lot of enlisted men, but my father was a full-bird colonel and asst, administrator of the hospital where I was born. That's why it was free. Free was not typical, even then. So, no, your point remains weak.

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We tell God what to do and then blame Him for our errors.

- Dr. Pet Dragon of Sorbonne University

#6

@fauxlaw

You've done nothing to refute the facts that make conclusions of OP dubious.

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Take the risk of thinking for yourself, much more happiness, truth, beauty, and wisdom will come to you that way. - Christopher Hitchens

#7

@SkepticalOne

Healthcare should be a universal right. Trump rolled back health care programs.

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#8

@Debby

Healthcare should be a universal right.

You'll get no argument from me.

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Take the risk of thinking for yourself, much more happiness, truth, beauty, and wisdom will come to you that way. - Christopher Hitchens

#9

@SkepticalOne

Trump should follow Canada’s example and make healthcare universal.

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#10

@Debby

Trump has no interest in implementing policies that benefit the average American. His policies are focused on self dealing and his oligarch buddies.

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Take the risk of thinking for yourself, much more happiness, truth, beauty, and wisdom will come to you that way. - Christopher Hitchens

#11

@SkepticalOne

Then why does Trump want Canada as the 51 state. If he cannot afford healthcare for Americans.

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