My discussion with my Freeper Fraternity Brother.

[Suji to Seoul]

Remember, I live in the PRC. It started with me asking him to check my facebook for me since facebook has been blocked since the ethnic rioting in Xinjiang Province in June.

It went into politics. Now, I really love this guy. I consider him one of my best friends. Outside politics, he is a wonderful guy. His politics are straight Redneck South (I nicknamed him Duke as a pledge not because he's from NC, but because his politics reminded me of Duke from Doonesbury).

Here is the conversation: Enjoy. Keep in mind, my guns were not loaded since I was not expecting political discussions.

HIM <11:17 AM>: Well it's not looking so good here either
HIM <11:18 AM>: Obama's probably gonna give me a call as soon as he reads my political views
ME <11:18 AM>: Please tell me you're not a birther or a deather or one of those "let's disrespect the office of the president by heckling him in Congress."
HIM <11:19 AM>: No, I just disagree with him on several things, and you didn't say a word when they heckled Bush
ME <11:20 AM>: No one screamed "you lie" in Congress to Bush when he spoke in Congress.
HIM <11:20 AM>: Uhhhhh, Code Pink rings a bell
ME <11:20 AM>: No Democratic member of Congress did that.
ME <11:20 AM>: A Republican member of Congress heckled the president.
HIM <11:20 AM>: well, have you thought about the fact that it was true?
ME <11:21 AM>: YOU DO NOT HECKLE THE PRESIDENT IF YOU ARE CONGRESSMAN IN CONGRESS!!!!!
ME <11:21 AM>: EVER!!!!
ME <11:21 AM>: EVER!!!!!
HIM <11:21 AM>: Oh G*d spare me, you are just on the losing end after all the town halls
ME <11:21 AM>: If you have no respect for the man, you respect the office. Shouting "you lie" shows respect for neither.
ME <11:22 AM>: But I'm on the winning end of polls. I'll take that.
ME <11:22 AM>: Even the WSJ polls show Americans want the public option.
ME <11:22 AM>: I want single payer.
ME <11:22 AM>: But since I am an ex-pat and have no intentions of returning to the US ever, I really don't care.
HIM <11:23 AM>: Yeah, I am against single payer option--I don't want my healthcare run like the DMV
ME <11:23 AM>: Dude, I lived in a country that uses single payer.
HIM <11:23 AM>: I don't want my healthcare run like Soviet Russian healthcare
ME <11:23 AM>: Remember? South Korea?
HIM <11:24 AM>: Yeah, but you are not exactly in my shoes
ME <11:24 AM>: No, I'm just severely anemic who needs weekly iron shots.
HIM <11:25 AM>: I have lung disease and to see a specialist on a regular basis would cost upwards of $100k/year to see if I didn't have health insurance
ME <11:26 AM>: Well, in south korea, under their single payer, you're out of pocket would be around $20 a visit.
HIM <11:26 AM>: sure, but it would be substandard care
ME <11:26 AM>: I went the hospital all the time, as well as the dentist.
ME <11:27 AM>: Mason. . .their health care is higher level than ours, according to the WHO.
ME <11:27 AM>: Mason, you can't argue with me on this. I lived under socialized single payer for a year.
HIM <11:28 AM>: Their health care? Or their health in general?
ME <11:28 AM>: When I tore my back muscle, I was in the hospital for four days. IT cost me 80,000 won to leave the hospital.
HIM <11:29 AM>: Haha, with my insurance, my 30 day stint in the hospital cost $0
HIM <11:29 AM>: That included th pharmacy tab too
ME <11:30 AM>: Oh. . .the pharmacy for brand names was 5,000 won.
ME <11:30 AM>: not generics.
HIM <11:30 AM>: $0
HIM <11:30 AM>: for me
ME <11:30 AM>: When they cancel your policy, we'll talk.
ME <11:30 AM>: South Korea's was government. They couldn't cancel and they couldn't deny.
HIM <11:31 AM>: Yeah, I'll get a job that has health insurance, dental insurance, and vision insurance
HIM <11:31 AM>: I'll work for them, and they'll pay my tab, because they can afford to
ME <11:32 AM>: Until the premiums get too costly and they drop health coverage benefits.
ME <11:32 AM>: My mother's school district almost did that.
HIM <11:33 AM>: Yeah, premiums get high because of government intervention, which should not happen
ME <11:33 AM>: Oh please, medicare is 1/5 the cost.
HIM <11:33 AM>: You Dems attacked McCain on that, and now Obama is trying, and failing, to do
HIM <11:33 AM>: Medicare is bankrupt
ME <11:33 AM>: Underfunded government programs, like education.
ME <11:34 AM>: If it isn't a badge, a prison or the military, it gets underfunded.
HIM <11:34 AM>: Government programs that shouldn't have existed in the first place, because people need to look out for themselves. I know I'm not going to see Social Security or Medicare, so I am planning in advance
ME <11:35 AM>: Following that logic, why have government at all?
ME <11:35 AM>: ANARCHY!!!!
HIM <11:36 AM>: Oh so that is what government is for, to help people? See, where I come from it's there to prevent you from getting taken over by another country
ME <11:36 AM>: Well, I need food. . .some socialist, communist indoctrinating food.
HIM <11:37 AM>: Thanks, but I buy my food, it's the American way
ME <11:37 AM>: I do too.
ME <11:37 AM>: But it's chinese food, so it's socialist indoctrination.
HIM <11:38 AM>: What do they do, put subliminal messages in it or something?
HIM <11:38 AM>: If Obama had his way, he'd do it
ME <11:38 AM>: BTW, my GF is a party member here.
HIM <11:38 AM>: Maybe I'll meet her when I become president
ME <11:38 AM>: Not on my vote, buddy.
ME <11:39 AM>: I love you, Mason. I wouldn't vote for you for dog catcher.
HIM <11:39 AM>: That's ok, I didn't count on yours
HIM <11:39 AM>: lol
ME <11:39 AM>: lol
ME <11:39 AM>: zai jian. i need food.
HIM <11:39 AM>: Zai jian. Go eat some food

I love the non-thinking talking points on single-payer, even though I lived in a country with single payer for a year.

[Zoeisright]

1. Wow, he doesn't live in the real world, does he?

He thinks he can get a job that will give him all those benefits, FREE, for life?

Good luck with that. Hope you're around when life slaps him upside the head.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

2. You can't convince people like this. Either they or their family have to get hit by the truck.

[orleans]

4. and i thought i heard there are 44,000 per month getting hit by the truck

--meaning they are losing their health care -- every month.

(that many? that's what i heard on the tv today)

[chalky]

3. So he'll sell his soul to a corporation for the insurance. What a sucker.

They'll work him like a dog and give him minimal raises that end up getting canceled out by his ever-increasing premium portion. But he'll keep his yap shut and take the abuse because, hey, how else could he afford the medical bills?