Where can we get the money for health care??

[rurallib]

Well let me start by suggesting that the Pentagon gets a whole butt load of money that could be looked into:
- end these insane wars withing a year.
- they get $750 billion just to keep the lights on. That doesn't even pay for extras like wars. Couldn't the lights be kept on for half that?
- why oh why do we still need forces in Japan? In Germany? in, I believe, 109 countries in the world?
But what about the jobs the DoD provides (in every congressional district!)? Let's convert those to some peaceful use like researching and building renewable energy material. We could spend half what we spend on war to have an super program on renewable energy. Which will produce more jobs which ===>

Legalize and tax marijuana. Get yer heads out of the sand congress. The prohibition don't work. Tax it. Also, if MJ was legalized it could provide some nice farm income.

Publicly finance elections and cut lobbying down to just a few folks who have no actual access to public officials, but can only submit memoranda. Imagine if the money pissed away on "campaign contributions" were actually used for constructive endeavors?

Oh - and return the pre-Reagan tax structures for the rich. Those who benefit most from the system should provide the most support for the system.

Just a morning rant.
I just get pissed when I hear there is no money for health care. There is lots of money, just being spent for the wrong things.

[mdmc]

1. we get the cash from the corporations..

[PDJane]

2. If a single-payer system was instituted,

The economies of scale and a larger pool would cost so much less that the money would be there. More industry would locate in the US, and the 2.8 trillion spent on health care would be spread across the entire population.

The money is there, it's the political will that isn't there.

[rurallib]

6. I agree. But even without single payer ( that I fully support BTW)

there is money.

[SteppingRazor]

3. I agree with every proposal you've got here. That said...

I should also point out that the health-care bills in the House and the Senate both have measures to pay for the costs, and would even lower the deficit in the long run.

[SammyWinstonJack]

4. We should ALL be pissed. MONEY FOR WAR and VERY LITTLE for anything that benefits

our basic needs. Yeah we should ALL be outraged!!!

[rurallib]

7. And those who benefit most from this system actually pay the least

percentage wise for the maintenance of this system. That would be the rich. They also do not supply the canon fodder. All they supply is the cheerleading.

[RufusTFirefly]

13. But unlike the racist, selfish, ignorant teabagger protests, our anger will get no traction

The deck is totally stacked.
If the corporate media doesn't cover it, it didn't happen and it isn't important. This is a variation on the tautological reasoning that decides whether someone is "electable."

Mention what our money could be spent on and where our efforts should be focused, and you'll get eye rolls, even from people on this site who should know better.

[CrispyQ]

14. It's not even real money for war - it's financed money.

It's "pay-as-you-go" for social programs & "deficits-don't-matter" for war.

[C_Lawyer09]

5. Righteous

Don't think I could have put it much better. I also feel the bi-partisan bill being put forth to audit the fed would be a step in the right direction. It I'd been in the military 17 years when I read that we had forces in 125 different countries. If somebody would have asked me prior to that reading, I'd have guessed forty. Mind boggling. Have you ever seen any estimates regarding the revenue marijuana taxation would generate?

[rurallib]

10. No, I have not seen estimates on what taxing MJ could generate.

I am curious.
Plus there is the side benefit that other forms of hemp could be grown and be used in products such as clothing and renewable fuels.

[izquierdista]

8. Tax it -- won't work

What potheads fail to realize (while they are giggling with the munchies) is that you can't collect a tax on a weed. If it were legal, it would be available in the garden center of every Lowe's and Home Depot. Any attempt to collect a tax much more than the regular sales tax would result in people doing their own propagating by seeds or cuttings. That's the reason beer and wine have a homebrew provision -- it's not worth it for the government to collect taxes from the homebrewer. And beer and wine at least require a fermentation process; all that you need to prepare MJ for consumption is a pair of scissors. Now distilled spirits, that takes processing equipment, which is why revenuers hunt out illegal stills and put stamps on bottles where the tax has been paid.

[endless october]

9. end all wars; end the drug war.

that should free up enough money for single payer and then some.

[rurallib]

12. I forgot about the insane drug war. Waste of money and lives

I always refer to the drug war as Nixon's Revenge for being run out of office.

[Echo In Light]

11. K&R

[jtrockville]

15. We already spend more than anyone, and get worse results.

All we need to do is remove the middleman (and the profits they take) and voila!