[ExI] Yet another health care debate

[Lee Corbin]

Spike explains

> [Lee wrote]
> 
>> Now one thing that simply amazes me is the tremendous 
>> interest evinced on this list by non-U.S. citizens that the 
>> U.S. should adopt socialized medicine for the U.S., i.e., 
>> provide health benefits without charge... Lee
> 
> Lee I will offer my admittedly cynical notion: the US would be an attractive
> destination to live and do business, if and only if an immigrant could get
> health care from the US government.  Otherwise, best to stay home.

Ah ha! So that's it! I owe you, fellah.

> The tax structure, climate, business environment, the other stuff
> is good in the US, but they will not take care of you if you get
> sick, won't even bury you if you die.  Unfettered capitalism is a
> double edged sword.

Well, "turn-about is fair play", as my elementary school teacher used
to say. So what if like a good capitalist, I saves me money and
then emigrates to one of those pay-all countries? Then, inversely,
I should have the best of both worlds: my greedy-capitalist loot, 
plus them footing the bill for my medical problems. Is that
a plan, or what!?

> That being said, I hafta wonder if our politicians realize there are
> *plenty* of yanks who work 9-to-5s mostly for the employer-provided health
> insurance.  If we could get the government to take on our health care
> expenses, there are tidal wave of us who would retire tomorrow with
> sufficient savings and assets to cover all the other expenses.

Ah, another great thought.  Lessee, I'm 60. If we get the socialists
elected, they pay for my health care, and I need to get frozen (from
my own funds) 19 years from now, will the system have already
collapsed or not?  What does your crystal ball say?

Yes---since belonging to a country that has a sound economy and
an instinct for self-survival  appears to be out of the question,
it looks like I should start defecting and vote in the socialists.
Like you, why should I work if my loot is, as you write,
"sufficient... to cover all the other expenses"?

> Can the system handle that cost?  I think it cannot.

Well, not indefinitely. But perhaps we need to think like those guys
who retired with their millions, "to hell with everyone else"? So the
question then reduces down to, "how long before the whole thing
goes bust?".

Lee