Great Post by Endangered Alaska Dem on Kos - "You can guess the reaction I got"

[XOKCowboy]

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/9/8/778940/-You-can-guess-the-reaction-I-got.

Monday evening. Labor Day. I got off work and headed to my local AmVets post to have a "relaxer." (Edit to add a disclaimer: I am a member of the Sons of AmVets; I am not a veteran.)

I was sitting at the bar drinking a Foster's (because who doesn't like a beer that comes in a 25+ ounce can?) I was pretty much minding my own business, when a friend of mine a couple of stools over started talking about his acquaintance that was having health problems and insurance problems. I looked over at him and said, "That's why we need socialized medicine!"

Okay. I know this is blood-red Alaska. I know this is an AmVets post, filled with -- well, you know, veterans. I know they tend to be pretty conservative. I damned well am not about to let a crowd like that intimidate me; I will stand my ground.

More after the jump as they say. I urge you to read the rest of the diary and hopefully recommend it.

[stuball111]

1. That's because..

People KNOW what they need, and want. I came from Canada originally, and hear the crap about Universal Health care that the GOP tries to scare people with down here. Yet, most people I have talked to think it's great. Sure, Canadians pay a bit more in taxes and stuff for social programs, but you know what? What they save in medical costs, they are generally more affluent because the 1 or 2 grand a year they spend each per capita (In some provences there are no premiums, and people pay nothing for health care before or after treatment!) along with the total absence of co-pays and non coverage for most procedures, they get to spend on themselves and their families. And as for taxes, it was shown that Canadians actually get taxed about the same as people in the US, yet get more for their tax dollar. It would be idiotic to pass up this opportunity to initiate universal health care in this country now. 90% of Canadians love it and wouldn't trade it for anything. But like here, they fought it tooth and nail when Tommy Douglas introduced it years ago. They tried the "socialist" commie scare and all that, but it's firmly embedded in Canadian culture and is polled as a national treasure there.