americal dental: 2010

Monday, May 17, 2010

To all those opposed to health care reform and affordable health care..what should we do?

what should we do with working families that do not make enough to afford good preventative health care and dental care? which as we know is even more important than emergency care...for it is good preventative care that reduces major health problems.

So the question is ....ok..you are opposed to health care reform, but what would we do with senior citizens who cant afford to pay for all the medicines that they are taking, or a family of six, whose employers do not offer health insurance and the family has to go buy health insurance at $500 per month on a salary of $40,000 per year? or any other endless examples that say clearly that health care and health insurance costs are out of control...I am speaking not of bums who are not working, but working americans who are in a crisis. Plus the bums as you call them..what should happen to them? no health care at all? just let them die off in some street corner?

To all those opposed to health care reform and affordable health care..what should we do?
drinking water is a human right.

air to breathe is a human right

privacy is a human right

peace and pursuit of happiness are human rights

Affordable good preventative health care is a human right.

WE should have a sliding scale similar to this: Any family earning less than $150,000 per year qualifies for a tax credit for any insurance premiums they have to personally pay for, all the way down to families making at least $70,000 per year. Families making less than $70,000 per year get a smaller tax break, but also get a discount of up to 50% of the cost of their insurance. So they would have to go out and get their insurance and the insurance company can bill the fed government for the part the customer did not pay. Families or households making less than $25,000 per year, get free healthcare if they can provide proof of citizenship.
Reply:It IS affordable - - - health insurance is a few hundred per month, and dental insurance is a fraction of that (yes, I noticed you threw in dental there - - is vision next? How about a pedicure while we're at it?). Of the 45 million "Americans without health insurance" 20 million are illegal immigrants. That leaves 25 million - - - which out of a population of 305 million is hardly a "crisis."

And please "families who make minimum wage" - - - - about 1.5% of the workforce makes minimum wage and 70% of them get at least a 30% raise within the first six months. It's an entry-level wage - - - immigrants, teens, housewives and elderly people working 3 hour shifts at the local grocery store just to have an excuse to get out of the house make up more than 2/3 of minimum wage earners. Throw in ex-cons and you're up to 3/4.
Reply:How about the families who make minimum wage--rent and food and water comes before health insurance. If they don't need it, they're going to spend the money on something else they need. 200 a month is not affordable for families living in those conditions.
Reply:Give me a hundred bucks and I'll tell you. That's basically what your asking everybody else to do....hand over money to complete strangers because they "can't afford it." No problem..I can't afford it either. Just send me some money directly from you checking account and then we'll talk. But until then, you're just another hypocrite in Democratic clothing expecting everybody else to give these people a handout.
Reply:Question the quality of life while taking enough chemicals to kill a horse.

Stop having sex and making kids when you can barely afford one.

Maybe have some low level government sponsored health care that is availble to low income folks, but have it in no way on par (coverage wise) with private insurance companies. If I pay more for my insurance (assuming I'm healthy and am not paying extravagant premiums already), I want better service/support.
Reply:Let's look at these working people who say they cannot afford health care. How many of them have two new cars, a nice large home, TV/DVD/VCR in every room, multiple computers, Internet access, Cell phones, Eat out more than 4 nights a week or take out more than once? Most people can afford Health Insurance, they just choose not to. So your over dramatization that they will die on a street corner is just ridiculous and wrong.
Reply:I just do not want the government in control of my health care and health insurance.
Reply:So you think that giving the Gov MORE control over it will fix the problem???? If you'd like to donate your own money to help the cause that is your freedom and right to do so, I refuse to accept a policy that demands taxes out of my pay check to pay for other people...they already take medicare and social security which I will never see...what more do you want????
Reply:I doubt anyone is opposed to affordable health care, however socializing the health care system is not an option, it would ruin the quality of health care in our country. Tax incentives are certainly an option, among various other things, increasing private competition with smaller clinics for miniscule problems, instead of paying to see a doctor.

Don't forget about tort reform. That would help.
Reply:Bogus medical malpractice suits are the primary cause of the high cost of medicine. It takes the form of astronomical malpractice insurance premiums and massive legal staff required to defend and pre-empt these suits. Let's fix it!
Reply:It's a matter of priorities for us. I'm 56 and married and we are self-insured. That's important to us so we don't have a new car, don't eat out as often as we would like, don't travel as much as we want because our insurance is $700 per month and that's a great big chunk out of our monthly living expenses.
Reply:First I am not opposed to Health Care reform. I am opposed to Health Care for All By the Government or Socialized Medicine.

Guess what everyone pays for health care. If you have an employer then health care is part of you benefits package. You are paying for it instead of receiving the money.

For reform maybe the allowable increase should be capped. Or maybe once you have a policy then it is yours to keep.

If your employer does not offer health insurance the get a new employer. You may have to make 6 grand less a year but you get your insurance.

Your description is more about greed. The employee wants as much cash as possible. None of this cash is put towards a policy so why must taxpayers spring for this?
Reply:One of the earliest Senate plans was aptly named,"COBRA"?

I actually checked to see how much it would cost to keep my coverage between jobs...$560 per month! Doesn't sound too bad in 2007 but when one is earning a whopping $150 per week take home...this leaves about $40 for the monthly rent, car note and food. That was the last time I checked on "The Snake".

So I stay away from bungee jumping, skiing, and motorcycles.

And I take care of myself...eat correctly...mostly and if I get in a serious car wreck..."no oble engles" and I have amnesia for the other words!
Reply:Working families can try to get high deductible catastrophic health plans. This will protect them from financial ruin should cancer or something else happen. Most hospitals and doctors will allow you to make monthly payments as long as they get the bulk of their money from the insurance company. These same families drive expensive cars, have designer clothes and etc so why not be responsible with that money?

Senior citizens could afford more prescriptions if pharmaceutical companies were as interested in helping people as they are in making profits. Prescription markups can be as much as 4000 percent. Also, all the TV advertisement costs are being pasted on to consumers.

Universal Health Care will simply cost more in the long run. Taxes will be ridiculous and the government being involved in my medical decisions is quite frankly....terrifying! To have to wait 3-6 months for a CAT scan is a scary thought.
Reply:Did I miss something? Is health care now a "right" guaranteed under the constitution? Is the taxpayer of this country responsible for ensuring the health of everyone in this country? Sure, adequate health care is a problem, but allowing the government control over who gets what when is just begging for even more problems.
Reply:I am not opposed to healthcare reform! I am a single mom with no healthcare, because I work for a republican, %26amp; they keep electing those who will keep it for themselves! I just don't think we need to cover all the illegals! (my son is covered thru his father, so at least it would only be me! I don't smoke, %26amp; can't have any more kids %26amp; ame generally healthy!)
Reply:I love it. You don't want 'affordable' health care or health care reform. You want FREE health care. You want other people to pay for their health care AND yours. Quit polishing it up with bleeding heart stories. You're standing there with your hand out wanting folks like me to not only pay my taxes and pay for my families insurance (Currently it's over $1,400 a month), but to pay for yours as well so that you can have FREE health care. And I bet you'd call me greedy. I work and provide EVERYTHING for my family. I ask nothing of you or of anyone. I pay my way in all things and always have....ALWAYS...because I made the right decisions in my life and didn't have a family until I could afford one. Children are NOT a right, they're a responsibility! You, on the other hand, want me to provide for you and your family. You know what Moonbeam? I have enough dependents. I am not terribly amenable to picking up a few million more. Amazing.

So, to answer your question, you need to recognize that we are not immortal. That the cost of medical care today is the result of extraordinary and complex medicines and equipment that cost vast sums of money to manufacture and use. What you want is an 'affordable Rolls Royce'. People are no different today than they were a hundred years ago. We have the same diseases. Basic care and basic dentistry is not that expensive. Pay for it yourself and deal with it. But stay the heck out of my pocket you greedy, irresponsible, leech!
Reply:How will they pay for it? France has a 20% income tax and the UK's is 15%. If we use your number of $40,000 then you would be paying $667 in taxes a month for it. That is $167 dollars more than the $500 they pay with insurance.

Everyone wants something for nothing and everyone has good intentions on how to spend other peoples money. In the end though there is never something for nothing. If the government takes it over they will have to pay for it. If they pay what the insurance companies pay, it will cost more the Defense Departments budget each year.
Reply:I'm not at all apposed to heath care reform and affordable health care at all. I truly believe there must be a way to go about providing health care for everyone without breaking the bank! I'd like to see a system in place that is NOT operated by our federal government, a government that is not trustworthy when it comes to running things, in particular situations of this magnitude.
Reply:First off, to reduce the cost of health care in this country, remove liberal judges who make outrageous awards to "victims". Insurance companies are overburdened with these extreme punitive damage awards and thus have to charge more for their insurance.

As for those families who do not make enough to afford health care, find better jobs or take more jobs. Don't blame education or lack of training. If a person wants to better themselves, there is ample opportunity to do so. Heck the government can pay for most of it anyway. Further, if you can't afford the kids, don't have them until you can.

Finally, preventive healthcare? Give me a break!!!! You can't do that yourself? You can't brush your teeth daily? You can't push away from the table? You can't bring a healthy lunch instead of going to McDonald's? You can't walk around the block once or twice? Give me a Break!

As for each of your examples, there are clear, well thought out actions that would eliminate those "problems". First a family of 6, offer vasectomies and such to prevent kids being born to people who can't and/or won't be able to afford them. The elderly, what the heck is medicare, medicaid, and social security? The bums you speak of want to be so. Where are their families?

Don't present your sob stories because there are answers for each and every one of them.
Reply:Who's OPPOSED to affordable health care?

Some people have to make sacrifices for health care, but it is affordable. Going without a vacation in the alps or a flat screen TV for medication is not a health care crisis. If I got sick tomorrow I would sell my car, move someplace cheaper and streamline my life. Nobody wants to sacrifice, they want to maintain their life style on the government's dime. And, they want somebody else to pay more taxes to do it.

Should we all be held responsible for an unwed mother who has had six kids with four men? That's a curable ill.

Should we all be held responsible for the sexually promiscuous who, surprise surprise, get aids? Aids is curable, just keep it in your pajamas.

Should we all be held responsible for chain smokers?

Should we all be held responsible for people who never go for a check up, a breast exam or a colonoscopy. Most cancers are curable with early detection.

It would be more affordable if everyone was required to be covered.

The biggest obstacle to the current system is people who just walk into the emergency room, get treated and refuse the coverage counseling the hospital is required to give them. If they're not cured they get an ambulance chaser to sue a system they never paid in to.

As far as the bums go....the ones who are not insane, have made a conscious decision not to participate. Most of them are in major cities that have mobile programs funded by taxes and private organizations that bring the care to them and they still refuse it.

You can't force it on people. What would you do?

Do you really think that will change if you reform something?

Don't kid yourself.
Reply:im not opposed to health care reform... i'm opposed to universal health care... there would be just as many people die off waiting for treatment as there would be in the current system.. or wait 5 months to be seen. look, i'm one of those people you speak of... i definitely do not make 40k, and the insurance my company offers is expensive, so i do not partake.. but, i'd rather be able to pay a private practice and be taken care of if need be than to have my goverment (essentially the taxpayer) pay for a healthcare system that has proven to not be effective. there's a reason people from Canada and the like, come to the US for treatment and pay for it themselves... we need to do something about stupid malpractice lawsuits first of all... many do not realize that the insurance for malpractice is in the MILLIONS. and in turn, they pass that expense on to the patients they serve. this would drastically help. we live in an age of sue happy people, and liberal judges who find that there's always someone to blame for someone's misfortunes. the second problem, and the worst, is the pharmaceutical companies and their outrageous profits. i'm all for people making money, that's capitalism, but not at the expense of people's health.... so, universal healthcare is not the answer... that's borderline socialism. not to mention people wanna complain about government spending... and then we wanna tack another HUGE program on the fiscal calendar. something else that could help... let's try a flat tax system. get rid of SS tax and Federal Taxes. that should free up money for low-income families to afford what they need and it also will essentially and eventually make prices on products and services go down.
Reply:Sigh, why don't people like you ever listen or pay attention? Nobody is opposed to health care reform, we only oppose GOVERNMENT CONTROLLED HEALTH CARE.

Yes, there are problems with our current system, but those problems CAN NOT be solved by government, since government is the problem in most cases.

Nobody wants people to die in the street. But there is a better solution than becoming SLAVES in a government controlled system.

To be blunt, how stupid are you that the ONLY solution you can come up with is the government? There are millions of private companies and charities in the U.S. that can come up with a solution, but you're so dumb that the only thing you can think of is to create a monopoly run by professional liars (politicians). Don't you know anything about basic math or economics? MONOPOLIES ARE BAD!!!!

God help us all that people as ignorant as you are allowed to vote.
Reply:First, if you have a family of six on an annual income of 40K you must be pretty stupid. You should not have a jillion kids if you can't afford to support them. On 40K you could probably manage one kid so you would be a family of 3.

The first step in controlling health care costs is to control lawyers and their frivolous lawsuits. Next control juries who award outlandish sums of money to punish doctors who make honest mistakes. Punitive awards should be capped. Monetary awards should compensate victims for their loss and their pain and suffering. Lawyers should get no more than 10% of that. Incompetent doctors should lose their licence to practice. That's a start.
Reply:I would suggest that you have a certain income, then there are necessary expenses and health care should be one of those, and then there are the fun things, the non-necessary things. You have to live within a budget, everyone does, and that means you may not go out to dinner or movies, or go to sporting events or parties with your buds because you have to pay you necessary expenses first. To do otherwise simply means you are irresponsible and you intend on others paying them for you, which of course is WRONG.
Reply:The conservatives say screw em - let the families go broke trying to keep their loved ones alive or at least comfortable, let the seniors die, screw the homeless and incapable. I got mine - you get yours.

As I said before: Selfishness. %26lt;grin%26gt;

In other words the republican plan is: Don't get sick.

Should there be the opportunity in the US to allow illegal immigrants into our armed forces to become legal?

While I believe most illegal immigrants are working hard and doing their job in America, I'm wondering if anti-immigration folks would think it's alright to have illegals serve in the military, and after their service become legal citizens? You can't deny the need for soldiers, and the white yuppies wont be sending their college students to war, so why not send unemployed illegal immigrants? This is also a great way of keeping tabs of illegals and their families (through the military) and shows that if they are serious about coming to this country, they are willing to serve it. Not to mention, by joining the military these illegals can have the medical, dental all the stuff for their families. It seems like the best of both worlds to me - allowing the U.S.'s diversity to grow, having more people serve the country for good personal reasons, and possibly even creating a larger mass of patriotic Americans of foreign descent.

Should there be the opportunity in the US to allow illegal immigrants into our armed forces to become legal?
Actually there is a law that allows foreigners to serve in the military to gain thier citizenship..................... it happens all of the time. I know about 10 men who have done this personally. (I'm in the Navy.)

The problem is, this oportunity is out there and no one wants to take it. Most of the illegals in America have no desire to become citizens. They don't want to bear the true faith and allegiance to this country that is required to be in our military. (I also grew up in Texas and learned of this first hand as a child.)

There are ways to come to this country legally........ and get paid to do it. And anyone who has a natural desire to become part of and honestly contribute to this society needs only ask for it to become available to them.
Reply:I like the idea.
Reply:nahh..se how easy that was
Reply:That's not a bad idea. What better way to prove their dedication to our country and its f-ed up system? OK, I'll go fight your war for you to prove I'm here for more than just the social programs and welfare benefits. Yeah, why not?
Reply:many illegals do infact join the army and fight in wars because they get their documents when they return.
Reply:I say no way! What are the standards of letting people join the military if they don't even have to be citizens? What if imigrants united and formed a terrorist group within the military? I think it's a terrible idea. People that are in the military are generally very patriotic and we need it to stay that way.
Reply:I don't think I would mind too much if they joined and had to pull a 4 year duty. At least then I would know they had skills and language. And I am really against illegal immigrants I have to work around them every day. It's not fair I have to support them because they are illegal. So this would help by giving them skills.
Reply:AGAIN SAME QUESTION! WHERE IS BARNEEEEEEEEY?
Reply:no they don't want to be AMERICANS so why should we trust them to defend this country ?
Reply:Think it is a good solution.....To earn residency, if you can't buy your status, why not earn it?
Reply:Illegals can and do go to the armed forces.Legal immigrants can also go and at the end of their term they recieve citizenship.
Reply:Most anti aliens figure your average illegal couldn't find his a$$ with both hands and a flashlight...i don't think they're gonna sign off on putting an M-16 into the same hands.
Reply:NO....

ILLEGAL ALIENS Should NOT Be Given MILITARY Options For Citizenship

American Citizenship

Is NOT FOR SALE

At ANY PRICE

Not For Slingin Sod And Mowing Lawns

Not For Good Housekeeping And Dishwashing

Not For Cash Money

And Not For SERVICE's Of Any Kind

ESPECIALLY Military Service

Whats Next??

Rewarding The Coyotes

For Filling The Ranks Of The Military??

We Can Change Their Names

From " COYOTE's "

To " US MILITARY RECRUITER's "

What A Joke

Funny Thing Is

I'm Not LAUGHIN

What you describe is NOT

how illegal aliens are selected to stay in the U.S.

All illegal aliens should be deported

regardless of any value of worth or non worth

as an asset to the U.S.

They came here illegally.

They can return to their home country -

apply for U.S. citizenship -

show their worth to the U.S. in their application.

In Response To The " dumb b*tch " As You Called Her

bj Is 100 Percent Correct

I Guess That Makes YOU The " ignorant white trash "

sorry had to say it.

Heres The PROOF Of Your Ignorance

And Her Correct Assessment

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-...

Military and civilian police investigators

familiar with three major Army bases in the United States -

- Fort Lewis, Fort Hood and Fort Bragg --

said they have been focusing recently

on soldiers with gang affiliations.

These bases ship out many of the soldiers fighting in Iraq.

Of paramount concern

is whether gang-affiliated soldiers' training

will make them deadly urban warriors

when they return to civilian life

and if some are using their access to military equipment

to supply gangs at home, said Barfield and other experts.

"They're not here for the red, white and blue.

They're here for the black and gold,"

he said, referring to the gang colors of the Latin Kings.

They Are Learning urban warfare

Barfield said gangs are encouraging their members

to join the military to learn urban warfare techniques

they can teach when they go back to their neighborhoods.

"Gang members are telling us in the interviews

that their gang is putting them in," he said.

Barfield said a big concern

is what such gang members trained in urban warfare

will do when they return home.

A law enforcement source in Chicago said police see

some evidence of soldiers working with gangs here.

Police recently stopped a vehicle

and found 10 military flak jackets inside.

A gang member in the vehicle told investigators

his brother was a Marine and sent the jackets home,

the source said.

Barfield said he knows of civilian gang members

in the Seattle area who also have been caught

with flak jackets that he suspects were stolen

from Fort Lewis.

Any Other STUPID Ideas??

Or Questions From You Today???
Reply:yes, i think that's a great way for them to show they want to be American, if they are willing to join the armed forces (say serve a minimum of four years, then i think we should be proud to have them as citizens

British bad teeth?!!!!?

Why do so many americans say that us British have bd teeth?! It is SOO not true! Please I cannot see why you say this. We get NHS dental so we don't have to pay for health care whereas you do so why should we?

British bad teeth?!!!!?
It is true, My sister-in-law is from England and she was the one that told me . The US is ahead in teeth straightening,Her other complaint(not mine) every time a baby fusses they shove a "sweet" in their mouth
Reply:I didn't say it.
Reply:There are far too few NHS dentists, and far too many bad dentists practising in the UK.
Reply:British people get free health care, and the free health care system in Brittian is a lesser quality than our paid dental program in the United States.

I do see where you are quite offended here, because this is definitely considered a steretype. I will not say that all Brittish people have bad teeth, however I have seen some with bad teeth!

Not to mention, most people in the UK smoke. Despite the fact that people in the US smoke, people in the UK smoke much more!

JL
Reply:I've never heard that before. I don't think they have bad teeth at all. That's a bit judgmental.
Reply:Altho thats like saying americans live in mcdonalds because they cant fit through the door and they are so dumb they dont even know where england it.
Reply:When I see a lot of British people on TV, they tend to have bad teeth. One I remember seeing recently is Chef Gordon Ramsey. Jamie Oliver also has bad teeth. I wish I could think of more.
Reply:am I missing something here?, Im British, and I have to pay for my dental treatment,never heard about us having bad teeth
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Reply:There are alot of ignorant people around the world. Just ignore them.
Reply:Sorry but it is true. Their teeth are way better than ours. I don't think that the NHS inspires people to take care of their teeth.

I'm British BTW.
Reply:I have dual nationality and lived in the UK for a couple of years recently. I had an NHS dentist during that time. Now that I'm back in Australia, I've had to have most of the work he did redone - very poor quality. I don't trust NHS dentists.
Reply:It's just a stereotype. Most people know that.

Think of all the untrue and nasty stereotypes we have about us!
Reply:I would say both Americans %26amp; British have bad teeth.
Reply:I think it is true. Majority of the British people I met have either yellow teeth or crooked teeth or both. Yet, they make fun of our children here in the US for looking funny with their braces on. What's up with that? I'd rather look like a nerd wearing braces as a young person to set my teeth correctly rather than having crooked teeth as grown man. Yes you do have NHS dental, why the yellow teeth? Ever considered teeth whitening? I'm not saying this to have it super white, but post-it-notes-colored teeth doesn't look good. It's natural, but looks as if they were neglected.

web hosting plans

This is probably naive, but can US citizens buy land in China?

How would they go about buying land and building a home there? (Or is that wholly unrealistic?) Are they permitted to own/operate cars? Can they receive routine health/dental care? Receive treatment in hospitals when necessary? Are there jobs for non-Chinese speaking Americans in China?

This is probably naive, but can US citizens buy land in China?
Nearly 47 million hectares were redistributed between 1950 and 1953, affecting 497 million people.Now the situation changed to accept land transactions from upcountry investors.

Foreigners and locals now receive much more equal treatment. All land in China is currently owned by the government by default so what you're actually buying is a leasehold. In the past there have been problems with the authorities moving people out of their property because they want the land for something else. But these problems were there before and now new legislation has been introduced to protect residents' and investors' rights since Feb. 2004.It is safer to own property in China than ever before. New legislation protects the rights of private owners and investors. China is desperately keen to maintain the phenomenal growth that it has experienced over the last few years. This growth is largely domestic but also thanks to the huge inflow of 'foreign direct investment'. The authorities know that if they do not look after investors' interests, a large part of which is respect of personal property rights, then the flow of FDI will dry up and economic growth will be damaged. They have every incentive to look after foreign investors as looking after your interests is very much in their interest.

The other risks associated with owning property in China are no different to the risks associated with owning property anywhere: loss of tenants, unruly tenants, unforeseen maintenance requirements, etc. The best way to deal with these problems before they happen is to buy the right property, appoint the right managing/letting agent and find the right tenants.

If you want some latest information on the chinese property rights for foreigners please contact:

send email to FPRI@fpri.org. Include your name, address, and affiliation. For further information, contact Alan Luxenberg at (215) 732-3774 x105
Reply:Maybe.
Reply:I just got back from Beijing PRC and the place sucked. Pollution was so bad when we landed I couldn't see the runway till we touched down, no sh*t! The water is undrinkable, the food tasted like crap and toooooo many people.

Try Japan it has all the qualities you are seeking in that part of world otherwise stay home.
Reply:nrgounder is right. It is safer for foreigners to own land in China than ever before. Which doesn't make it terribly safe. I personally will keep my investments in countries somewhat less prone to nationalization of private property.

But then you know they are socialists when you invest there. It is sort of a worldwide warning label on investments in China. That does not stop companies from investing, they just require a greater return for the risk.
Reply:why in the hell would you wanna do that? there is no value, or natual resources there, why do you think america is what we are? OUR RESOURCES, so buy what everyone else wants, a piece of America.

What is the hole in our health care system that needs fixing?

I hear there are millions of working americans and their families that have no health insurance..due to employers not offering it.....which sounds like a very bad situation. But I also often hear that everyone in this country has access to free health care if they need it. I also know that in politics people will exaggerate things to make their case so they can have their way. Which is it, are millions of americans not getting health care? Are millions of elderly gettting healthcare but its not really adequate, and their prescriptions unaffordable? Is health care too expensive? Maybe we dont have a problem at all as others say.. Which is it? If your positions is that everyone has access to good free preventative health and dental care, then please be kind enough to explain how it works...does it vary from state to state? Are some states not providing adequate free health care for those who need it? So many questions....but I think you get the idea, please give good information

What is the hole in our health care system that needs fixing?
WOW, get ready for a can of worms.

No, everyone does not have access to free health care if they need it. There are Emergency Rooms for health emergencies if you don't have health insurance. They have to treat you for life threatening emergencies by law. If you go to the ER with strep throat because you don't have any insurance, they might hem and haw but they'll still treat you. If you have a chronic condition, they'll do the least possible for you to get you out of the ER. Hospitals have clinics based on a sliding scale for those who don't have insurance, you often have to wait a long time for appointments. The doctors in the clinic are often overworked, or newly trained. Again, people with chronic conditions do not get the best treatment possible, and frequently, even if they work hard or worked hard all their lives, are treated like dirt because they dont' have insurance. Quality care is not available for those who do not have insurance. Preventive care is non existant, the working poor often to not have enough money to spare for preventive care.

The elderly have medicare which gets cut further year after year, leaving many people to have to choose between buying medication or groceries. If the elderly don't eat well, they are prone to strokes or heart attacks. Often they have to live with other relatives to make ends meet.

I feel that the problem is the insurance and pharmaceutical companies lobbyists. They have far too much power. People say they don't want the gov't in our health care, well, it already is because of the power we have allowed them to have. We also have third party insurance which is through our employers...why do we need that? Why can't we get affordable health insurance on our own, like car insurance? Employer insurance came about during WW2 to attract workers to the unions. It's an outdated way of handling insurance, we need to look at that as well.

A really good book on this subject is "Uninsured in American-Life and Death in the Land of Opportunity" by Susan Starr Stared that really covers this problem in depth and shows that it's not a problem of the poor but crosses many cultures and classes. Great question, a star for you!

EDIT- thank YOU, Bert T for the compliment, I always enjoy your answers and you did it again this time. Let's hope we get somewhere with the new administration.
Reply:There is no hole in the system since there are hardly any uninsured in America. When lobbyists count the number of uninsured they are including the estimated 32 million undocumented foreigners in the U.S.. ( 32 million is the most accurate estimate.) There are hundreds of billions of dollars to be made off of the government by providing free health care to everyone.

Also, don't look to other countries for answers. Canada sends their patients to America when they need diagnostic PET scans (http://www.bio.davidson.edu/courses/geno... ), 64 slice CT scans (http://www.winchesterimaging.com/images/... , http://www.medgadget.com/archives/img/RS... , http://www.radiologyregional.com/imagesf... , http://bgh.kaleidahealth.org/images/64Sl... ), etc.. Those same scanners are available at HMO hospitals all across the U.S.. For some reason, they are not widely available in Canada.

Canadian cancer survivor: "There’s no question that going to the United States saved my life"

Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada - CCAC

http://www.ccac-accc.ca/news.php?id=53

"In Canada the average wait for procedures such as neurosurgery is more than four months; for cancer radiation treatment, over two months. The average wait for treatment after consulting a specialist for coronary bypass clocks in at up to 52 weeks, with four to 12 weeks for angioplasty. That’s the reality in our backlogged public health system, according to a recent survey by The Fraser Institute, a think tank based in Vancouver. In the United States, you can often be on an operating table within a week or two of referral to a surgeon."

Canadian government:

"Four years ago when Suzanne Aucoin was diagnosed with colorectal cancer, she had to travel every week to the United States to buy life-saving cancer drugs " Medical Tourism Boosted by Long Wait Times - Embassy - Newspaper

http://www.embassymag.ca/html/index.php?...
Reply:Greed.

Some states like Illinois offers some help for the uninsured. I live in Ohio. We basically have nothing for someone in my position. I am a 26 y/o male, I have a full time job, but my company is small and does not offer health insurance and I cannot afford my own policy.

At one time, I had a personal health insurance policy through SummaCare, a local hospital/health insurance provider. It cost me about $96 dollars per month. That's a little more than what I would cost an employer on a group plan. To make a long story short, individual plans suck. The insurance company knows that I am not backed by any government regulations because I'm not on a group plan, so they gave a crap about me. They would constantly deny my doctors visits knowing I couldn't do anything except pay the bill...

..which brings me to my next point. My doctor was nothing more than a disguised con-artist. He knew every way to bilk money from my insurance company. He knew what tests they probably would and wouldn't cover, and took every test he knew he would get paid on. Well, he didn't know I wasn't on a group plan. Every test I was given was denied, and an hour at the doctors office turned into a $659 bill in my mailbox. I had to fight and fight with them to pay it. It took 7 months, and they paid $580 and I still had to pay the rest. I canceled the policy thereafter.

When I stepped back to look at everything, I saw a money hungry machine whose primary focus wasn't to help people..it was to make money.. a lot of it.
Reply:A star fro me.

You can get free care but it is a long drawn out process.

And sometimes the care is minimal and many times even though Drs Take the Hipocratic oath - they do not do their best for the "Freebies people"

Every state has programs offering free care but you must file endless forms and that for most indigents is the problem.

On the most part they are the least educated and illiterate of our society and the least able to do such tasks

Medicare sucks and needs to be reformed and so does the SS system -- most poeple get under $1200.00 per month to live on - that is nearly impossible.....

But what do I know I am just a Bird

My nest mate and I are on SS and she just had a hip replaced, it costs us $990.00 for the two day stay in the hospital and the home care --- that is not bad. She gets her meds for $2.15 each from AARP. We live off of $1700.00 per month ( we got screwed by my companys pension plan ) we were living off my excellent salary of over $4500.00 per month - that is a culture shock )
Reply:Government doesn't have the balls to clean up the insurance industry.

edit:

Or the pharmaceutical industry.
Reply:Get more unions an make the compines pay 90% an you pay 10 an better pay these people have been makeing money hand over fist since reagan an the dumb *** bushes wake up get the unions rolling an you will see a more productive us an stop shipping the jobs to mexico an over seas
Reply:Doctors over-charging patients for treatment. Doctors not willing to accept whatever the health insurance is willing to cover. Those who have health insurance still have to pay for medical services simply because some doctors who treat a patient say in the emergency room are tier 2 of some insurance companies.

All doctors should accept whatever the health insurance covers for treatment as well as no one should be denied treatment.
Reply:There are MANY answers to that…

Mistakes on behalf of providers submitting and insurances processing claims costs A LOT of money,

Frivolous lawsuits instigated by people like Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards drives medical costs up.

People who never pay for ER visits drive up the cost for those of us who do. These are typically inner city poor (being poor is THEIR fault %26amp; no-one else’s), illegal aliens etc.

Bassackwards socialist governmental programs that pay very little to providers so, they have to recoup by charging those who can afford health insurance even more which causes the insurance company to charge more for premiums and the cycle continues.

Basically… except for the first answer liberalism is to blame.
Reply:Everybody's a "working family......"

Out of supposedly 47 million "Americans" 20 million are illegal immigrants, many of the rest are the children of same. As with minimum wage earners there are students, ex-cons and the like, and then on the other end it's possible that the Bill Gateses and Oprah Winfreys of the world, and the next strata under them, self-insure. And keep in mind ALL of these people get free emergency care.

You can whittle it down to probably about 15-18 million actual "Americans without health insurance" if you exclude these groups, and that's 5% of the population.....

There is no "decline in American healthcare availability" just like there is no "increase in American poverty" - - we just keep importing poor people who legally cannot get health insurance.

Pink "do the least possible" - - - right, they'll solve the present problem - - what do you expect, get your fever back to normal, get the infection under control and THEN a lapdance?
Reply:The decline in health care availability can be traced to the Medicare program. The more involved that the Federal and State governments have gotten in health care, the bigger the problem has gotten.

Since the 1960's, the constant tinkering with health care and health insurance by the government has increased the cost drastically for everyone.

If you understand that Medicare only pays about 50% of what doctors and hospitals charge, you begin to see that not only has that forced the health care providers to DOUBLE their prices in order to get paid what they need, but it has doubled the cost for those who are covered by insurance too. In addition, when Medicare pays half and big groups pay 75% of what the hospital charges, that has to be made up elsewhere. That has driven the cost for health insurance through the roof.

The number one problem is that at the same time you have a large number of people without coverage, you have the government forcing increased benefits down the throat of employers. That raises the cost even more and causes more employers to cut back or eliminate health insurance.

We are getting the cart ahead of the horse in thinking that getting everyone covered will solved the problem. The truth is that unless we get the cost of health care under control, we will not have any chance of increasing the number who are insured.

There are plenty of bad guys behind this problem. It starts with out of control government who lets big medicine and big insurance do what they want and pass the problem on employers. We are very near a complete collapse of our current system as many employers are close to the max of what they can pay to cover employees. Of course that has not happened in industries (or schools or governement) where those costs are just passed on in the form of higher taxes. The cost of health care is what is preventing our schools from having enough to operate....the lions' share of tax dollars to to teacher health care and retirement programs.
Reply:Alright, I work in a hospital in the US so I hope I can answer your question.

The problem isn't a lack of access, there are plenty of doctors and other providers, the problem is cost. So although by law anyone can go to an emergency room and get treatment for their problems, the ER will charge you an outrageous amount for the care provided. A recent visit for strep throat was over 500 USD and no tests were run and no meds given, this was just to look and do a 30 second exam.

The hospitals know that the majority of patients will not pay this, the ones who pay out of pocket are a rarity. The people with insurance will only pay a small portion of the charge and their insurance company will dictate to the hospital how much they will pay.

I know you don't wan't to hear this but yes lawyers are largely to blame for this. insurance rates have skyrocketed over the last 15 years resulting in not only much higher direct medical costs but more unneccesary tests (all very costly) ordered by physicians in order to cover their own liabilities.

Also, it is important to remember that health insurance is simply a way of sharing the cost of medical treaatment among many people, the majority of whom do not use as much as they pay for. Insurance companies are in the business of making money! If they have to pay for frivolous tests, proceedures and lawsuits, they will simply raise the rates of all their subscribers to make up the difference. Have no fear, the insurance companies will not loss out in this situation. I have seen patients cost their insurance companies upwards of a million dollars (the average 25 week preemie baby who has a better than 50/50 chance at survival for instance). How many of these can we, as a society, support?

In a slighty long winded nutshell, that is the problem with health care in the US today.
Reply:1. When a business is "FOR PROFIT", PROFIT is what they are interested in, not cures, not affordable healthcare, not the welfare of their customers. As long as the Healthcare Industry is profit-motivated, having a sick customer base is in their best interest. Therefore, our Healthcare System can NOT be in the business of curing illness or repairing broken organs and limbs. This is why the LAST disease cured in the world was Polio, over 40 years ago. There's no profit in cures.

2. Any employer with more than 12 (or 20 in some states) employees MUST offer some form of Healthcare plan to its employees. The CATCH is, it can be a plan which would cost the employee so much to participate (one such plan I personally saw would cost 115% of the employees' post-tax salary, to cover himself, his wife and 1 child, all nonsmokers and in fine health), no one WILL participate, and the employer still gets to say he has one available. This is why the kids this next 2 or 3 generations coming will have no option than to either go into buisness for themselves, or work for some huge corporation, with so many employees they can offer reasonable co-payments and higher benefits with lower premiums. Or, Nationalize the damn industry and make US anti Monopoly Laws MEAN something again. And of course hospitals and clinics and such are running monopolies. They are the hospital you HAVE to go to; go ahead and switch doctors and you gamble on whether your insurance carrier will honor payments for treatment from them. If they don't it's not THEIR problem, it's YOURS and the hospital or whatever will contact YOU, not the insurance co. for payment.

3. Many other countries have realized many of these trends BEFORE they became facts of life in their countries and this is why their nationalized, NON-PROFIT Health systems cost their GNP about 4 to 7%, (depending on country), while Healthcare costs in the US take up almost 14%, and both Health Insurance Companies and Drug Companies are posting huge profits each quarter, while millions of American citizens have no hope at all of ever finding an employer who can offer a reasonably priced healthcare plan, AS LONG AS THE US HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY IS FOR PROFIT. And just because a family can't afford employer-subsidized health insurance doesn't mean they can just walk into a hospital and demand treatment. First, the hospital ER WILL secure a promise of payment from you, whether you have insurance or not. And there are NO discounts for paying cash anymore either. They don't care, they're GOING to get their money. If you have a mailing address they will assault you DAILY with demands of payment, your credit will suffer for non-payment, etc. If you have a family and a residence, they will NOT consider you indigent and unable to pay.

Universal health care. Common sense or communisim? Check with the Aussies.?

Australia spends about 10% of GDP (60 billion USD) on health, private %26amp; public, with Medicare %26amp; Private Health Insurance Rebate Scheme. A two tiered payment system ensures a combination of ‘user pays’ with ‘tax payers pay’.

USA spends 15% of GDP on health with no universal health.

The Australian health pie is divided up:

public hospitals = $20.4b (25%) (17.34 Billion USD)

medical services = $13.0b (11.05b USD)

pharmaceuticals = $10.9b (9.2b USD)

private hospitals = $6.1b (5.1b USD)

residential aged care %26amp; dental = $5.0b (4.25b USD)

admin/research = $3.6 b AUD (6%) (3b USD)

America is 15 X Australia's pop. (21 mill) and has similar demographics, lifestyle, age etc. Americans fork out 5% more on GDP to keep healthcare companies rich and ordinary Americans sick. Australian ‘outpatients’ see doctors privately and choose who they see. ‘Inpatients’ in public hospitals may see an appointed doctor but it is free. Reciprocal health agreements with other countries are also a benefit.

Universal health care. Common sense or communisim? Check with the Aussies.?
As you can tell, the medical industry in the USA does a good job convincing Americans that all other healthcare systems in the world suck.

The fact of the matter is, Australia has the best healthcare system in the world followed by Germany then Canada. The US medical industry points to countries like Australia and say patients are lined up to get MRIs.

Big deal. People have been cure of illnesses long before expensive hi-tech testing like MRIs.

Just taking the profit and unusually high admin cost out of the US health insurance industry would drop insurance cost by over 40%. That's insurance cost, not medical cost. There is no reason in the world why the health insurance business in the USA must be a for profit industry. The medical industry can operate just dandy as a for profit industry with a non profit insurance industry.

Making the health insurance industry not-for-profit would have no effect on health care availabilty. As a matter of fact, a single payer system would cut down hospital's and Doctor's adminstrative cost, which would lower healthcare cost even further.

The insurance industry keeps throwing out the term socialized medicine. That term does not apply to a single payer healthcare system. It is not socialized medicine when the aim is insurance coverage only. Single payer systems do not put doctors on a federal payroll. Single payer systems do not make hospitals federal institutes. Single payer systems only provide affordable insurance in the event of illness.
Reply:"Single payer systems do not make hospitals federal institutes." If it's administered by the federal government, yes, they do. Report It

Reply:Actually, you didn't choose the answer with the most thumbs up. You chose the answer that fits your agenda. Report It

Reply:I don't get why this is such a huge issue for us in the USA, it just makes us look really realy greedy and shortsighted.

Is it a way I wonder to keep us Americans in jobs we hate, working ten to twelve hours a day while being paid for eight and constantly in fear of being fired just because we can't afford private pay health insurance and one hospital stay would put us in bankruptcy now that the bankruptcy laws for private people have been changed in favor of the creditors including medical?

EDIT - I'm past being scared, just trying to make the point - apparently very poorly - that the status quo is slanted against workers and if you lose your insurance, with our system you're screwed. System needs fixing and like I said I just don't get why it is such a problem here in the US; if you bring up universal health care you get called a pinko commie leftist whatever who "hates American way of life" and "is trying to destroy the free market" and so on. And someone says its okay because we have such great heathcare here -- but what good is the greatest procedures if you cannot pay for them? What if you can't even pay for the simplest life preserving things like your blood pressure medicine while you are in the "donut hole" of Medicare drug coverage? We need to look at the whole of our population not just me myself and I.
Reply:When was the last time you heard of people flying from all corners of the globe to Australia for medical care, like they do to the United States? Are the patients in Australia: on waiting lists to be treated?, being exported to other countries for treatment because of a shortage of doctors? Are the Doctors in Australia leaving the country for more lucrative practice elsewhere?

All one has to do to see the fallacy of government run health care is to look at the mess Canada is in. Don't listen to the leftist media reports who glorify anything and everything socialist, but look at the hard cold numbers. Look and see how many Canadians have died because of the waiting period for treatment. Why has the Canadian Government now come up with a health care option that allows you to receive better treatment if you PAY FOR IT YOURSELF, rather than wait months for the government to pay for it. Canada has sent thousands of it's citizens to the United States for treatment. I live in NY and can tell you this first hand.

TAXES!!!!!!!! Ask any Canadian how much they pay in taxes for their vaunted health care program, and then ask them if it is worth it.

The bottom line people is this, while our health care system is expensive, you ultimately get what you pay for. If you feel you life isn't worth it, then by all means please move to Australia or Canada.
Reply:That's great that you are happy with your country's health care. We (Americans) are discussing what we might do with our health care currently. What I don't understand is why Australians would really care enough to ask about it or much less get so angry like the one that answered. That's just weird. Is this a 'my father could beat your father up' thing?
Reply:Australia used the private sector to reform its public healthcare system. Almost 50% of Australians have private health insurance. Though the wait times are a little greater for surgery in Australia as compared with the United States, it's still much better than most other countries with universal healthcare. The big danger, of course, is that pure universal health coverage means that the government will have more control over its people. That's a major roadblock for people living in a free society.

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Saturday, May 15, 2010

About film SICKO, why we aren't protesting against government?

If you have seen the movie Sicko, made by Michael Moore

then why aren't you complaining?

If you haven't seen the movie Sicko, you need to go see it.

We Americans paid all of these TAXES, and our Taxes

go to this Iraq war.

But these taxes can help everybody in USA to get free health care...

When you go to the hospital, don't have to give out your SSN, just your name and birthdate. That is all.

And homeless people and everybody who are sick... even people who don't have jobs, people with low income...

EVERYBODY don't have to pay the hospital bills and dental.

CUBA... Castro is a good guy, Cubans get better treatment

than we do... they just pay taxes and government pay doctors

and hospital bills...

Look at us Americans... Hospitals dumped citizens on

the sidewalk cause they can't afford hospial bills.

Even the pharmacists are crooks.

Awww.... that is not fair... I'm moving!!!

About film SICKO, why we aren't protesting against government?
I TOTALLY agree! In the movie did you hear the people in France? They protest all the time and the gov. helps them because they are scared of them. We are all terified of the gov. This movie makes me want to gather some ppl and scream on the streets. I hope the ppl who answer this with something like "You are dumb" or "US DOES have good health care" must be one of the lucky ones who do have insurance. I haven't seen the doctor in YEARS. I (THANK GOD) am healthy but many people aren't. My mother has GERD and it may lead to cancer in her throat but she hasn't had an endoscopy because it's too expensive. People who are ignorant about health care shouldn't answer this question because they are lucky enough not to see pain and death.
Reply:I remember that part very clearly. That is how it is supposed 2 be. THE GOVERNMENT IS SUPPOSED TO WORK FOR US! however in this country, it has taken a gross opposite. Report It

Reply:Once Obamas in everythings gonna change

VOTE OBAMA!!!
Reply:While it would be nice, at this point in time we do not have the money to do it without raising taxes. Yes, the government could, but look at countries that do, such as Canada, where the income tax is something like 60%. If you'd like to give up more than half of what you make so others can have health care then donate it to a charity.
Reply:I havent seen the movie but I really want to/ I think its sad and disgusting. I was not aware that you dont have to give out your social..... is that why they excuse all medical bills on credit reports --- things that make you go hmmmmm
Reply:Susan M: You are absolutely wrong about everything, and I mean everything in your post. Instead of listening to the health care and drug lobby propaganda, try visiting some of these countries and find out for yourself.

JaJa: if you live in CA, check this out and sign the petition:

http://www.onecarenow.org/sb840.htm
Reply:Susan m. wrote:

" People in Cuba are dirt poor. They get lousy care unless they are among the elite.

Even in Canada and England, which are socialized medicine, people die waiting for their surgeries. It isn't a perfect system. People with no insurance get taken care of where I live. I'm in the USA. I don't want Michael Moore, or anyone like him, to make my medical choices for me."

It seems as though susan m. has good insurance and couldn't care less about other people. Susan, that's fine. Keep your insurance. No one should make choices for you. But we who don't have insurance want a national health care system. People who don't want to join shouldn't have to. For the rest of us we want a canadian style system. She spouts off about the canadian system and the European system being poor, yet I don't see them changing it in canada or europe. I guess they like it huh? Maybe susan has eaten too much propaganda?
Reply:Healthcare Never should be for Profit. The only outcome of being sick should be to get better. We are all human and must think of each other that way.

I think we as Americans are working to hard to obtain what little we have. Hence, time for protest has to be left to others. What is needed is a 21 century wat to protest. IMHO
Reply:I just saw it this weekend with some of my former co-workers (insurance billers, medical front office and a OB Gyn). Ooooh all the comments, all the clapping near the end. People got to talking after the movie, and I about dropped when one gal I was with said that the only way we as a nation could stop this is if we all drop our ins coverage. Which makes desperate sense; after all no money coming in and the beast hast to die.

I loved the point brought up that the doctor was paid based on the health on his patients, not the drug companies and insurance companies sending him kick backs. After all there are so many doctors in our nation who really don't care.

Unfortunately as a nation we are breed to follow not lead - therefore like now - we are easily fooled. **Hey Hey look at how bad to war is and ignore the fact we spent 8 billion shipping Nixion's dead body around the country** NO ONE NOTICED!!! Also how many of us truly believe that one person can make a difference. If we did believe it then movies like this wouldn't need to be.
Reply:I saw the clip on Canada's system, and this isn't a documentary, it is a comedy. The average wait time in my local emergency (large city) is now over 8 hours. I haven't been able to find a primary care doctor for over 10 years. Yes we pay lower for 'brand name' drugs, but we have to wait longer for the extremely cheap generics....oh and drugs aren't covered by government health....neither are ambulance rides. Traveling between provinces, there is a problem there too as government health care is PROVINCIAL not FEDERAL. Oh, and because of that, inmates in federal jail fall outside of the system and are given preferential treatment.....yup that's right, a convicted mass murderer gets treatment before you, even if you've been waiting for 2 years in the waiting list. (oh and don't forget about healthcare strikes....). Yup, don't look north Americans for the solution, as our healthcare system is managed worse then your DMV!!
Reply:Just saw the movie last night. The most disturbing part was the lady who was the Medical Director for that insurance company saying that she caused the death of so many people by denying claims based on technicalities etc...Shame......

No, i dont think Michael Moore showed the WHOLE truth about it all (like the high income tax rate of Canadians to pay for socilaized healthcare) but my goodness- we dump people who cannot pay hospital bills off on the street in front of homeless shelters on skid row?!?!?! .....And how is that $50 million for the volunteers that worked at ground zero being allocated??? The people in the movie didnt see a dime of it and they were clearly in need...And WTF? Prisoners of war- the same people who want all Americans dead (AND tried to kill a significant amount of us on 9/11)- are getting "top notch" medical treatment at Guatanamo Bay??? Thats just messed up!
Reply:mike Moore is a do nothing he has all the answers nottttttttttttttttttt its not that simple and anyone with a education would know that but he is just a sensationalist out for the money himself
Reply:People in Cuba are dirt poor. They get lousy care unless they are among the elite.

Even in Canada and England, which are socialized medicine, people die waiting for their surgeries. It isn't a perfect system. People with no insurance get taken care of where I live. I'm in the USA. I don't want Michael Moore, or anyone like him, to make my medical choices for me.
Reply:You are a brainwashed idiot. Do you believe everything that people tell you to believe?

Is there any affordable insurance plans I can get in NJ( South NJ )?

Particularly Dental Insurance. I am 20,a Part-time worker who also goes to college full time. I am not covered by my parents nor have I ever had insurance. I am one of the many Americans who do not recieve proper health care due to low income however I do need to get Dental Insurance, and Health Insurance. Is there any reasonable companies to look into?

Is there any affordable insurance plans I can get in NJ( South NJ )?
Hard to find....I have been on the lookout to

"Good Luck"
Reply:wow, i live in south jersey also and never thought of that. i would check the blue pages in your phone book to look for a state office that can help you. also you could ask your counselor at college for a recommendation. good luck
Reply:Pookie, have you considered personal responsibility for your own health? Preventive care is as important if not more so than medical/dental care after something goes wrong. I have been where you are right now, so I have an idea of your dilemma. There should be a plan that the school can get for you, have you asked them? Most schools do, so try there first. If not, ask the local Health Department to see if they can assist you. While you are searching for such aid, do look into self responsibility for your medical needs. Prevention helps keep money in your pocket, and out of the doctor's. Holistic medicine might be worth looking into as well.

If I seem some what unconcerned for those without medical insurance, to a point, I am. I can remember a time when such medical care as so many long for now, did not exist.

What do you do to support yourself and your family?

I am so tired of hearing myself and my fellow Americans being called lazy.Tired of hearing that Americans won't do the dirty work in this country.Tired of the illegal supporters using this excuse for their cause. I think it's time we put them in their place. Lets tell them what kind of dirty work we do! If you feel comfy sharing your personal stuff, lets tell them who flips the bill for our medical and dental expenses. As for me.....until recently this native/irish girl stocked shelves at a grocery store owned by Chaldeans, (a hard, dirty, back breaking job) min. wage, no benefits. Currently I work the front desk at a hotel for min. wage, no benefits, walk to work, pay all my own medical/dental bills, get no food stamps/welfare/medicare. I live just north of the border in Cal./ have resigned this job/ more than half the housekeeping staff at this hotel are illegals. Soon I'll be unemployed, beat out by illegals again. I'll go pick lettuce if the illegals would get out of the fields.

What do you do to support yourself and your family?
As a kid I worked in chicken houses (picking up eggs in baskets of flats, picking up dead chickens, grading the eggs), worked in the hay fields, helped in our gardens, cared for the animals,hunted like a man with my Dad and brothers. Later after I finished High School I worked on a sewing machine (making jeans, blouses, baby clothes, shirts, upholstery)for $1.25/hr min. wage, that was all that was available at the time,(telling my age) secretary in a Mobile Home sales center, cleaned houses and offices for about 6 months in between jobs, nursing assistant in a nursing home, secretary in the Civil Department of Magistrates Court, sales associate at Rich's, shipping department in manufacturing, got my CDL (w/haz-mat) drove an 18 wheeler for about a year, then got a truck driving job that was local (no overnight)had to load and unload my own truck, car parts mfg.(intermediate steering sub-assemblies and super chargers). Then I went back to school and got my associates degree and moved into Quality Assurance. Then my job was outsourced(to Brazil) and I got laid off, permanently. I now work for half what I was making when I got laid off. When I first started in manufacturing car parts: they started me off at $11/hr in 1980, the same job now starts off at $8/hr. That's 26 years and the wages went DOWN!! That lowering of wages is a direct result of illegal immigrants being hired into manufacturing. I still grow some vegetables even though I no longer live on our family farm. I have a small yard but it still accomodates a few tomato plants, some bell peppers, pole beans and squash. My brother raises some chickens(domestic) and I buy from him, I still mow my own lawn, clean my own toilets, do my own housework, cooking, repairs, even some of my own car maintenence. I was raised to do for myself, not to rely solely on commercial services. If I had to do everything on my own, I know I could survive, and I certainly wouldn't go running to another country looking for a handout.

We grow collards here and I pick that, not lettuce.
Reply:i agree with you i work hard and am sick of these lies ! i also work at a motel guess what i am a housekeeper i also have done factory work , fast food , any many more kinds of jobs i mow my own lawn ,clean my own house , my brothers used to be in the roofing field but its to over ran with illegals and the pay is not as good and that's all the companies want to hire anymore in my town a company got in big trouble for housing some illegals right in their shop they said they wanted to go out at night so they jumped the fence and got caught then claimed they were held against their will and they sued the company and won.
Reply:i have my own company
Reply:Right now, I work at a hospital filing loose paperwork. in the past ten years I've been a live in nanny, flipped burgers, worked as a cashier at a gas station that about two years ago got bought out by some middle easterners who fired everyone who worked ther and replaced them all with family, and spent three years doing garden maintenance until the owner closed shop and moved out of state. Just about all of these jobs have been taken over by illegals because it's cheaper to hire them than someone who actually was raised here.
Reply:I worked warehouse/shipping/receiving positions since 1987. Moved my way up through various different companies until I finally got a Supervisor type position.

I've paid for my Social Security.
Reply:I worked my butt off to pay for college. I am an Engineer. I am getting married to a farmer so I also do farm work. I have worked since I was 15. I have not gone with out a job since. But I am lazy. I worked fast food, nursing homes, and as a draftsmen. I am at where I am because I worked.
Reply:I still work for the same company, but the job I used to do, along with around 150 of my co-workers, was outsourced to Costa Rica. I still never know if I am going to walk in the door and find out that they decided to move everything there.

I used to wait tables and only made $2.01 an hour, plus tips, but I was taxed on 8% of whatever the total sales of the tickets that I wrote up that day, even on take-out orders which no one ever tips on and no benefits whatsover.

My ex is a plumber and literally has had to work up to his elbows in excrement before, work 7 days a week and be on call 24 hrs a day...he even had to work Christmas Day and evening on year and started out digging ditches for what was minimum wage at the time...$4.75 an hour.

My biggest issue with illegals are not paying taxes like we do, for goodness sake it seems like 1/3 of my check is gone before I ever see it, and getting benefits that the working poor (like yourself) are not entitled to.
Reply:Those oranges are still rotting in Florida...

So much for spoilt Americans wanting to work...
Reply:LOL helping unescorted Illegal alien minors reunite with family here in the states legal or illegal. How's that for justice? Our grants are from INS and we recieve our residents from ICE AND INS,and ORR
Reply:now there's an authentic irish gal for ya! We irish have a heritage that includes people that picked potatoes BEFORE it was stylish! LOLOL Good on u for having such a strong work ethic, don't believe a word of the soap opera they're pushing, Mexico's trying to sell us a rhetorical bill of goods. NO sale! LOL
Reply:Good for you gidget!! I think your great by the way!! Now back to the question, good for you who all have had jobs and work now! thats great you should be proud that you had the oppertunity to work. But oh yeah you live in America, so no sh!t you have a job. Now what if the tables were turned and you just happend to be born in lets just say Mexico, and the same question was asked of you. Your responce would be more like "I worked for a sexest pig who tryed to take advantige of me every day, I plowed fields with 1 muel and by hand 16 hours a day for 75 cents a day!
Reply:My husband and I run the family farm here in Northern Iowa that is now a century farm (same family for over a 100 yrs.) My husband has served as Cheif of police, held factory jobs, I too have worked in a Hotel as a housekeeper, clerked at the local grocery. We have done just about any and everything in the past to keep this farm running. Aside from all that we still mow our own 3 acre yard, maintain a lg garden, wash our own dishes, all those "jobs" that everyone is saying we Americans won't do!
Reply:Please spare us your sob stories. We all have to 'work' for a living. All of us share one common goal, including illegals, and that is to better ourselves. If your situation is so hard, why don't you get an education, instead of focusing how bad your situation is and how others are taking what you think is rightfully yours.

My question to you is, why do you blame illegals? You know for a fact your employer is hiring illegals, why don't you report them? They are the ones who are to blame, they take advantage of slave labor and you turn the other way? Get a life lady and stop moaning about your situation and do something to better yourself, instead of focusing on everyone else...
Reply:Illegals are not competition, EVERYONE is. You are obviously not a qualified worker if a non-native is taking your job. I'm tired of hearing people like you say that "doing the dirty work is the excuse for their cause." That's only part true, but I can tell your even to ignorant to research the cause before you write about it. You are more than welcome to go pick some lettuce....but will you - I think not.

I completely agree with 'colortx'
Reply:Good question. I do accounting for a construction company. I have been working since I was 14 and have never been out of a job. For several years I worked two jobs, fast food, and went to high school. After high school I worked at a motel front desk all night so I could go to college during the day, both work and school full time. I AM LAZY! Until I began laying it out for you, I thought that I worked hard to get where I am. lol Anyway, we Americans are strong, willing and capable of taking care of ourselves, so all you illegals can GO HOME NOW!!!

bunt- If you're so worried about some damn oranges in Florida, you go pick them. Frankly, if that farmer was so dependant on illegals to build his business, he deserves to go under. He should be prosecuted too. To hell with him, I am not worried about the damn oranges either.
Reply:I think Americans worked so hard they created a Great nation. Not by taking form others-but by working their butts off and doing every kind of job there is. We have had our hard times-but we worked it through without others.

I worked those fields in all kinds of weather.

Just my opinion---life is tough-get over it.
Reply:HOLD ON LET ME GET THE VIOLIN OUT. YOUR COMPLAINTS DONT MAKE SENSE, IT SOUNDS LIKE A PERSONAL PROBLEM TO ME. NOW THAT YOU GOT A JOB, GET ALIFE.
Reply:Umm hadenough America is America because it was taken from others.
Reply:Why don't you quit your crying and get a friggin education?Or are the illegals stopping you from doing that also.Maybe if you quit blaming the illegals for all your troubles you could be more able to "pick yourself up from your bootstraps".Did the illegals stop you from finishing High School?I don't know anyone who graduated from high scholl that is making minimum wage.You know there's alot of fast food restaurants that will pay higher than minimum.It's not always that Americans are too lazy to take those jobs it's that they feel those jobs are beneath them.

Oh,and I am an escrow officer for a title co,but I doubt you know what that is.
Reply:You're right,AMERICANS have done ALL those jobs that illegals say we can't do!!! In my lifetime i have worked in the meat department of a grocery store,worked in several convenience stores, cleaned other peoples houses (oh gee,i guess that shoots down their theory that we don't clean toilets or wash dishes), worked in homehealth care, worked in a school cafeteria,worked as a teachers aid,worked in a hospital, and worked as an armed security guard.

'bunt" if you're so worried about some oranges,then YOU go pick them!!!

"laughoutloud" so you're saying that it is OUR fault these people had it hard???You're saying it is OUR responsibility to take care of them??? NO,it is NOT our fault,OR our responsibility!!! There are people EVERYWHERE that "have it hard",but that does NOT mean they are our reponsibility!!!!!!!!!!!

people in AFRICA have it HARDER than people in mexico,you're just biased!!!!!!!!!

Pancho's telling YOU to "get an education" then she spells "high scholl??!!! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reply:im a dishwasher. praise me.

College application essay... PLEASE HELP!? help me revise my paper... and let me know of the mistakes?

Ear-piercing rockets fly over our heads while mothers were crying and their children dieing in the cold wintry rain that flooded up to our knees. My dad carried me on his back all the way to Iran from Northern Iraq trying to hide away from the destruction of Saddam’s regime that were set out to destroy the Kurdish people. My life has never been ordinary; I have always been in the middle of the worst. When I was about four years old in 1991 we had to flea the country in the cold winter because Saddam attacked the Kurdish region of Iraq with bombs and chemical gases that killed thousands of Kurdish people. After a year we were able to return to Northern Iraq and my dad got a job with the Europeans and Americans and worked as an engineer to bring relief to the villages by re-building water pipe lines and schools that were destroyed by Saddam’s regime. Life was hard after that but my family was one of the lucky ones that were able to get back on our feet again.

Then in 1996 the feared moments were real again when all those who were working with the Europeans and Americans to bring relief to the Kurds were warned that death was near. My dad being one of them, once again our lives were turned upside down. In a rush my family and I had to leave all our relatives and everything we had that my dad had built for us as a family. We left the country along with about a thousand other Kurds. I was just a kid when all this was happening and I didn’t really understand why all this was happening. Now remember the last time I saw my grandmother tearing as I told her, “I will see you later” and understand her fear of losing her family. This day was the beginning of the rest of our lives and not knowing what was in store for us.

For months we had no place to go, my siblings and I couldn’t go to school and all we had was a change of clothes and the money we had when we left and no clue where we would end up next. Finally the Clinton administration approved our paperwork for our situation and took us to Guam where we called home for several months but uncertain what would happen next or when it would happen once again. The time came when we were finally getting out and we were being taken to the United States. March 1997 we got to DC and our journey to survive in the US began. Going from apartments to apartments, my siblings and I were still not able to go to school. I had missed half of third grade and half of fourth grade.

I used to love school and I was usually first in my classes and advanced in some of them, but when I started school here I had no idea of the language because I wasn’t exposed to it yet. In my country children start learning English and Arabic in the fourth grade. And because of the language differences I was struggling in school simply because I couldn’t understand what was being said or read. Life was already hard for my parents trying to make ends meet and trying to feed six kids and give us a good home. I remember waking up to the sound of my mom sobbing at night since we all slept in a one-bedroom apartment. And when our education wasn’t going well it was even harder on my parents. My dad knew English and I remember he would try to help my sister and me with our homework while he worked two jobs.

Slowly things were looking up for us, my dad got a better job that paid better then the two jobs combined after going to school himself and taking some classes, and we finally settled in a town home that we still live in today. In the mean time I was doing better in school. And in eighth grade we had career day and my classmates and I got to go see different jobs. In the end one occupation that stood out the most for me was when I visited a dental office, ever since then I have wanted to become a dentist. June 2005 I graduated high school from Lake Braddock High School. My family was very proud, my dad believes education is everything and he knew he couldn’t afford to send us to a good college because of our family’s financial situation, he sent me any my older sister to the community college and thought some education is better than no education.

Now I am studying at a community college and trying to keep my dream of becoming a dentist alive. I am graduating with an associate in science summer of 2007 and in hopes of turning that into bachelors in Biology and going to dental school with it. I feel that I have accomplished a lot by at least getting my associates and this has motivated me to reach even further to get to my goal. I have taken the first step to make my dream of becoming a dentist a reality by going back to the dental office I visited when I was in eighth grade after so many years and now I work for them as a dental assistant. I started working at the dental office and not just any other place for the experience, for the future, for the college money, and also to help my family out financially to help pay the bills. I believe I have what it takes to make it and make my dreams come true. And I am sick of running and ready to fight for what I want which is becoming a Dentist and for once be proud and live an ordinary life.

That is why I would be grateful when I finish my bachelors and start dental school. I have been through a lot and I cant just give up after what I have been through. I am sure the roads ahead of me cannot be tougher than the roads I have already passed. With facing the toughest roads of life I believe I have the responsibility to continue my education in a highly educated institution.

College application essay... PLEASE HELP!? help me revise my paper... and let me know of the mistakes?
The basic content is good. There are several points of execution that need revision to make sure you do not lose points. Have this proofread by someone who reads lots of papers and can edit. I would offer that if you so wish -- send it to me as an attachment (tpmedia1@yahoo.com).

Tom
Reply:Are you paying?
Reply:First of all, this is a touching story. But in order to help, I believe in constructive criticism. So, the first thing I notice when I read this is that you never really elucidate any reasons for how you'd be a good fit for whatever institution to which you're applying, nor is your essay unique in that I don't feel like I'm conversing with you when I'm reading this. Please take heart tha I'm not belittling your experiences in any way--I'm merely saying that simply being a victim of happenstance does not thereby make you a more worthy candidate. Add wit, charm, individuality. The admissions officers read hundreds of these daily. Make yours stand out.
Reply:In your 4th sentence, you spelled flee wrong

art

What is my solution to illegal immigrants??

I am going to make love to as many beautiful illegal women and have children so that gwb22@sbcglo, princess 29 71 and DAR, can pay for their medical, dental, schools and social services. To you three great americans, I thank you and say good nite. I have a busy schedule.

What is my solution to illegal immigrants??
OK, this is your solution for illegal immigrants but what about your illegal solution? Let the law takes its own course on those fellows.
Reply:lol...troll
Reply:I think we should make Mexico the 51st state.
Reply:Gonna be some butt ugly kids walkin' around in the not too distant future, if you ask me......even if their moms were beautiful illegal women.

Ya might want to start with ugly illegal women.....rejection can be a real bummer and we wouldn't want you to develop an inferiority complex.......then again, it probably wouldn't be a "complex".
Reply:hahaha.
Reply:What about me? Do I get one named after me?
Reply:Good idea bro. Ill go hit up some chicks at El Gallo Giro, you start at Ritmo Latino and we work our way north.
Reply:LMAO....

I needed a good laugh...
Reply:Hey that's a good idea. Then the white people will have something else to complain about.HA,HA,HA!
Reply:camps
Reply:ok, i'll have one of your children
Reply:Fine but use a rubber.
Reply:ur a loser. no one likes you.
Reply:dont name your child after 29 71 she is bad luck

tootles

Monday, May 17, 2010

To all those opposed to health care reform and affordable health care..what should we do?

Should there be the opportunity in the US to allow illegal immigrants into our armed forces to become legal?

British bad teeth?!!!!?

This is probably naive, but can US citizens buy land in China?

What is the hole in our health care system that needs fixing?

What is the hole in our health care system that needs fixing?

Universal health care. Common sense or communisim? Check with the Aussies.?

Saturday, May 15, 2010

About film SICKO, why we aren't protesting against government?

Is there any affordable insurance plans I can get in NJ( South NJ )?

What do you do to support yourself and your family?

College application essay... PLEASE HELP!? help me revise my paper... and let me know of the mistakes?

What is my solution to illegal immigrants??

americal dental

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