Yesterday on NPR the question was asked of those supporting health care

[rurallib]

public option - what are you willing to give up to pay for health care. Put another way, the government can't pay for health care and everything else it buys now.
I got the impression that the host was trying to make the point that some social programs would have to go in order to pay for health care.
Since there was only one call, and that was off the point the question really wasn't discussed.
Had I been near a phone I would have called in and said:

" I am willing to give up two disastrous wars and at least 50% of the Pentagon budget. Heck, I'll give up 90% of the Pentagon budget. If the President and the generals start a war, they can fight it. And I am more than willing to give up those Bushco tax cuts for the rich. That should be enough to pay for health care. But if it isn't, I am also willing on a local basis give up the tax abatements and all the goodies that businesses get when they favor a city with their presence. Not giving gifts to Walmart alone would probably get most local governments out of the red."

[a kennedy]

1. That host is Neal Conan........

"I got the impression that the host was trying to make the point that some social programs would have to go in order to pay for health care."

I heard that program too.....and I agree with what you said.

Neal is a joke.....don't care for him at all, but at least NPR is something to listen to now that I can't afford XM radio anymore.....but Neal DOES have a snobbish attitude that leans a tad right I'd say. :puke:

[prostomulgus]

2. I'm willing to give up some things too.

I'm willing to give up corporate welfare.

I'm willing to give up spending hundreds of billions each year on "border security"

I'm willing to give up the lying CIA

I'm willing to give up low tax rates that keep the rich from paying their fair share.

I'm willing to give up farm subsidies that take food out of the mouths of babies so that it can be turned into fuel for SUVs.

I'm willing to give up a $0.50 tax/gallon of gasoline and replace it with a $5.00/gallon tax to generate funds not only for our health but for the planet's health too.


There's some starters.

[FormerDittoHead]

4. Good list - more specifically, things I'd be willing to give up...

I'm willing to give up the war on drugs.

I'm willing to give up trusts and foundations. Just like France. Elimination of trust law as most trusts are simply tools to avoid estate taxes and foundations are tools to perpetually provide heirs high paid non-working jobs. (technical note: I'm not talking about non-profit corporations)

I'm willing to take a further hit in my pharmaceutical and health insurance stock holdings. (what little they're worth now within my S&P index fund)

I'm willing to raise inheritance taxes to the tune of 100% over 100 million dollars per person.

I'm willing to raise the ceiling on social security tax and to add social security tax on short term cap gains (profits) over $500,000 per person in a given year.

I'm willing to give up low tax rates for the non-working upper 1/3 of 1% under the guise that they'll provide jobs in return.

I'm willing to give up research on anti-missile technology.

I'm willing to give up warrant-less wiretapping.

I'm willing to give up tobacco farm subsidies.

I'm willing to give up subsidizing farmers just because they live in states with early primaries. (ie: IOWA CORN)

I'm willing to ration gas to the point of 10 gallons a week at market rates, then an added 50 cents / gallon over that.

Given more time, there's a LOT I'd be willing to 'sacrifice'...

[KharmaTrain]

3. The Meme Continues That Government Money Is Wasted...

And yes, some is, but much of our tax money comes back to us...be it in creating jobs or providing the funding for valuable local services that provide thousands of jobs. The concept that public option is some kind of financial rat hole is another insurance company lie the corporate media loves to pass along. They scream about how corrupt the system will be without looking in their own mirror...and cause they fear competition will wipe out their huge profits.

The fiscal crisis many state now face isn't due to too much spending or money flowing from Washington...it's the opposite. The boooosh tax cuts destroyed the tax bases in many states that set up the hole many are in and the billions squandered on wars for profit and let the Wall street foxes run the hehnouse...the little guy didn't stand a chance.

And with millions being spent daily by the insurance lobby to try to scare people, much of it spent on the corporate media, we're sure to hear more of the why nots than the whys.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

5. I'd give up whatever chunk of the Pentagon budget that was necessary

All the countries the military is supposedly "defending" can either take care of themselves handily or are actually places that where military intervention has made the situation worse.