Why are the Republicans so terrified of the thought of everyone having health insurance?

[NNN0LHI]

I don't understand their reasoning behind this. Whats the gimmick here?

Don

[Captain Angry]

1. Are they afraid of health insurance, or health care?

Insurance is their key to keeping certain companies rolling in money.

[Tesha]

45. Company-provided health Insurance is the key to keeping wage slaves toiling away...

Company-provided health Insurance is the key to
keeping wage slaves toiling away at crappy jobs;
if you depend on your job-provided health insurance
to take care of your sick kid, you tend to not think
about changing jobs, even if your job blows.

In this absence of this constraint, a lot of people
would be a lot more willing to follow both their
hearts and the Reich's beloved "market principles"
in choosing their employer; look downthread for
some first-person proof points.

Tesha

[madeline_con]

2. Minorities and other "undesirables" would live longer. n/t

[azurnoir]

8. Agreed but would add

that their constituents are not happy unless they're making someone niserable.

[Xenotime]

9. Exactly

[Naturyl]

3. They aren't terrified of that.

They are terrified of paying for it, even if it ends up costing them less. They would rather see their money go to "responsible and respectable businesspeople" in the insurance companies and HMO's than to "welfare bums," which is how they think of the poor. To them it's socialism, welfare, and every kind of bogeyman.

[uppityperson]

4. Turning over more to government entitlements? (BS)

money? I don't know why they willingly go into debt to hurt people, but not to help them. I really don't understand either.

[LSK]

5. because they are soulless bloodsucking vampires???

:shrug:

[Kool Kitty]

13. No, it's because they are such good Christians.

I don't think Jesus would give these people a second look. They do all they can to increase their own wealth and power and they spit on everyone they consider beneath them. Not Christian at all.

[Botany]

6. Because it is about the money ...

.... health care in this country is more about money than health.

We spend 2xs every other industrialized nation in the world per person,
includes uninsured too .... somebody is getting rich off of this scam.

[napi21]

7. Because they think all the insurance companies will go away if

we have national health care! And of course you do realize, all those multimillion dollar businesses can't be destroyed, don't you?

In reality, that likely wouldn't happen. As I understand the plan that I LIKE, insurance policies would still be available to those who wanted special coverage, for things like cosmetic surgery, guaranteed private rooms, home care, nursing homne care, etc. Perhapse they just wouln't make as much money as they do now, and for sure the Pubs have to protect their friends!

[papau]

36. Indeed the Ins companies claims paying infrastructure remains and make them a profit - as

it now does under Medicare Part B (doctors bills)- and the vast majority of the health insurance workers just keep on working.

They just want the massive profit for "risk taking" that the current system pays under the insurance concept - and a few sales as a cosmetic surgery/better private room insurance plan does not meet their Bush level greed needs.

[Bravo Zulu]

10. It would end up being cheaper

Because you would have a healthier population, if everybody could afford preventive maintenance, think about it like your car, an oil change every three thousand miles for thirty dollars instead of replacing the engine for ten thousand dollars because you didn’t change the oil. The pukes make more money when you die from a disease that could have been prevented!

[Elwood P Dowd]

11. It's legal extermination of the lower classes and minorities.

They don't vote for or give money to the repukes.

[Maru Kitteh]

16. Not extermination, more like well planned and timely turnover.

Got to give them time to (re)produce the next generation of hopeless children of servitude.

[Pushed To The Left]

12. They get lots of money from insurance companies

so they vote in favor of those companies rather than the people they are supposed to represent. This is why we need Clean Money and public financing of campaigns! It's also a reason we need to kick the GOP out of power!

[misanthrope]

18. So do a lot of Democrats and they should be held just as accountable**nm

**

[Maru Kitteh]

14. By the time most peasant workers have reached the age of drawing

a fair return on health insurance they are beyond their peak years of productivity. That makes it a double bummer. No productivity and massive expense.

It works so much better to let the peasants work without insurance and let the fruits of their labors pay for the needs of the lords.

[flaminbats]

15. Republicans are terrified of another New Deal coalition..

FDR created a lasting coalition by passing the New Deal and starting Social Security, that Republicans couldn't break apart in four decades. This left Republicans like Eisenhower and Nixon to pander to Democrats who wouldn't abandon our party until the 80's.

Ironically I think a Republican who embraced universal healthcare would suck the life out of our party. Healthcare reform draws voters into our party like a magnet, and by opposing basic measures like a ban on insurance company cherrypicking..Republicans only drive away voters who are conservative on other issues.

[TahitiNut]

17. It's not as much fun being affluent unless others are poor -- and suffering.

It's about the difference. Remember, these are people who think someone "wins" a war instead of everyone losing. For them, losing less is good enough - and everyone being better off isn't satisfying. In all things, many of them truly believe they can't get others to do their bidding unless they can threaten them. People, they believe, are inherently lazy and dishonest. (It's projection, I'd say.) They're people who live their entire lives on Maslow's most base levels - driven by fear and appetites.

It's a personality disorder. :shrug:

[sandnsea]

19. They don't believe in sharing

They believe you get what you take, er, "work" for - and to hell with you if you ended up on the bottom of the pile.

They really believe that in order for the majority to do well, some will have to suffer. It's better than everybody suffering, the way people did in the old soviet union, for example.

[flaminbats]

23. Truman backed universal healthcare..

he also produced the Truman doctrine, which stopped the spread of Communism throughout Europe. but work has nothing to do with it!

if Republicans believe you should get what you take, then why do they think people who saved money for years and worked hard to pay off their debts should have that all taken away because of an expensive medical condition? Why do Republicans oppose the right of people with large medical debts to declare bankruptcy?

[sandnsea]

24. They think they're all going to be rich

And will have insurance and won't have to worry about a few thousand dollars out of their millions. And also know enough to put all that medical and premium debt into some corporate shell or other, so the shell will go bankrupt and not them. They play by different rules and they do not want to share.

[kenny blankenship]

20. Terrified workers are quiet workers. Give access to medical care as a RIGHT and see what happens

When "we're all in this together" becomes affirmed as a principle in our government and economy through guaranteed access to health care, people will want to start applying that principle in one area after another.
You bet your ass that scares Republicans. They know health care is the thin edge of a socialist wedge.

[uppityperson]

21. I am in agreement with you, think it is not just money but power, control.

Keep the masses downtrodden.

[Horse with no Name]

27. I can't tell you how many times before the pre-existing condition laws changed

that I was stuck in miserable jobs because I couldn't afford to be without health insurance.
It is about control.
If everyone had healthcare...then nobody would be forced to work under shitty conditions.

[Cleita]

22. They think everyone should pay for their own health care.

If they can't then family should pay for it. Anyone else is a leech in their opinion. That's what they preach to their constituents. The real reason is that the insurance industry, who are the real leeches, discovered a way to make big bucks by insuring the healthy and telling the sick and elderly to drop dead literally.

[leftofthedial]

25. they want the serfs to be insecure and ineffectual

[AlCzervik]

26. because if we get and die earlier due to no coverage thats less of us to collect

social security. Thats probably their actual plan to fix ss, more dead people=less entitlement payments.

[Hidden Stillness]

28. They are Against the Whole Idea of Government Serving People

It violates their most basic opinions about Government, whcih is that it should never be used to help the people directly, but only intervene on behalf of the rich, who have bought and paid for the services of government by way of bribes and payoffs, and on behalf of corporations, as with their neverending efforts to use laws and regulations against each other, for the sole purpose of gaining a competitive advantage in the marketplace. This type never supports programs that would give direct cash payments to the poor or disabled--whether Social Security, food stamps, or anything else--no matter how efficiently they work at revitalizing the economy (much better than "entrepreneurial" subsidy schemes, which are generally unsupportable because in a depressed economy, people cannot afford to buy their products anyway). If everyone had insurance, it would by necessity be a Government-operated program, like Medicare or Medicaid, efficiently run, no price-gouging, advertising, executive stock scams, etc., etc., and it would have oversight as to fees and charges for services, etc. It would reverse the trend this type actually wants--it would "de-privatize" a hugely lucrative scam, and make publicly-run something that was commercial. All studies show that when an industry or utility that was public is than commercialized, the prices skyrocket, there is criminal price-fixing behavior, tax cheats, cost-shifting onto the consumer, total decline of services, etc., etc. This of course--this free ride of price gouging and manipulation--is what they want; not Government services or programs, of any kind. They do not want taxes, because they do not want democracy, Government, or help. This is basically it, I believe--this whole general attitude. They never want the loss of one of the rich capitalist's lawless "markets," no matter what it is or how it was lost. Universal health care, poverty programs, etc.--they cut the profiteering moneymaker out of the picture and replace it with another system entirely; then what would these worthless rich people do?

[camero]

29. Because they hate working people

who they think want "thier" money even though the taxes are just as much our money as thiers.

[JVS]

30. I think that they might be afraid that going to the doctor will become like going to the DMV

[billbuckhead]

31. They don't want to pay for African-Americans and Mexicans healthcare

It's about that simple. They''ll sacrifice the "white trash" just like they do in the prison system.

[musette_sf]

58. and it ISN'T now?

i'm lucky, i go to a great doctor and medical facility. but i had occasion to go to a "specialist" (actually he is very good... my beef is with the practice he's with) recently. i would rather have gone to the San Mateo DMV than to go to that office again. MUCH more efficient and pleasant.

[TygrBright]

32. Same reason they're terrified of the thought of everyone having a good education...

...a healthy, well-educated citizenry spells doom for the oligarchs.

obviously,
Bright

[WinkyDink]

33. And they have the President to prove it.

[jody]

34. I believe the issue is "paying" for health insurance, not "having" health insurance. n/t

[pepperbear]

35. 2 words SOCIALIZED MEDICINE...socialism smacks of anti capitalism...n/t

[Screwfly]

37. Believe it or not

I think politicians and commercial interests are actually scared of the damage our white coated butchers would do to the population's collective life and limb if there was socialized medicine.

Remember, dead people don't buy things and crippled up malpractice victims can't work.

The idea that the rich are pairing down the human herd like game wardens culling elephants in Africa is loony. If that were the case we would have euthanasia laws like Holland and Switzerland.

[Ino]

38. Because they get $$$ from doctors, pharmaceutical & insurance cos

n/t

[avrdream]

46. Excuse me........

this doctor doesn't give them $$$. Mine goes to Democrats and I care deeply about health care for the uninsured. In private practice, I have taken payment in vegetables of various sorts from the local farmers because that is all they could afford and it made them feel better.

Please be careful about broad generalizations about doctors.

I will give you one thing, though: most of the docs I have worked alongside are Republicans. Ah well, I'll keep trying.

[blondie58]

47. welcome to du avrdream

and it sounds like you are one exceptional doctor!

[Ino]

49. So sorry!

I wasn't really referring to individual donations from doctors. I meant medical associations (like AMA), and used a poor way to fit it all in the subject line. My bad :(

But maybe I'm wrong about the AMA too? Please let me know!

[melody]

39. Survival of the fittest crap

Never mind that plenty of mega-morons such as George are born into money.

[SoCalDem]

40. They actually want everyone to BUY health INSURANCE

(It enriches insurance companies, and their portfolios)...but

they fear everyone having unfettered ACCESS to health CARE....via a national plan, backed by the US government

They don;t want those young moms to be able to take their baby with the 102 fever to the doctor, signs a paper as she leaves and then get an affordable prescription .

They want her to have to try home remedies until that baby is having convulsions, and she has to race to the ER, where they HAVE to treat the baby. The mom then can get hassled by the hospital CORPORATION for months on end, and she becomes a "deadbeat statistic"..

That's the way they want healthcare to operate here.

"Best health care in the whole world...people come from all over the place to be treated here...blah..blah..blah"..IF YOU HAVE MONEY or a powerful enough job to have good health care insurance.

[and-justice-for-all]

41. Because they are all invested in BigPharma..

and the death of the Poor/Middle Class.

[B Calm]

42. They like the idea of employers having power over workers. It's

all about cheap labor.

[LeftishBrit]

43. Probably because it might mean rich people having to pay more taxes so that poorer people can get

health care.

Not the sort of thing that the right-wing like.

[Vinca]

44. Follow the money. nt

[skipos]

48. Because they only care about people when they are in the womb.

AFter that, they can go f#@k themselves.

[Rosemary2205]

51. I doubt they even care about those people.

Their stance against any form of birth control is just their way of making like shittier for poor women and keeping them from sharing anything significant in American society. If poor women have a bunch of kids they can't afford they will always be fighting just to keep a roof over their heads rather than get involved in power, money and government.

Poor men are handled by putting them in jail and taking away their voting rights for terrible crimes like "resisting arrest" and "possession of drug paraphanalia".

[Hobarticus]

50. The insurance industry will sink like a stone...

Of all the people I know (that I talk to about this, at least), the only one who opposes universal single-payer health care works for an insurance company.

And the funny thing is? He'd benefit the most. Divorced dad, two kids, going broke paying for their insurance coverage.

Fool.

[CBHagman]

52. Because they love and adore the dollar.

Find a transcript of last night's debate and check out the language. Even Mitt Romney, he of the Massachusetts health insurance plan, repeatedly invoked the market as the means to providing affordable health care. :eyes: It's veiled social Darwinism, in that if the market leaves you behind in some area -- the job market, a living wage, access to health coverage, housing -- well, that's just too bad. You ought to have earned more.

It's much easier for the GOP and their ideological allies to bash people for being greedy or lazy than it is to confront an insurance industry that provides its executive lavish compensation and doubles premiums on the workers and denies care and can afford a multi-million-dollar ad campaign when the status quo is threatened.

That said, I get the impression that some in the GOP are inching closer to pragmatic universal coverage plans. Stay tuned.

[loyalsister]

53. Unconsious defense

of a long collective history.

Social dynamics would change considerably.

Single mothers would have a better opportunity to enter the workforce. They might wind up living in your neighborhood.

People who have chronic illnesses and disabilities would be able to enter the workforce.
"These people" might live lives in which they may even reproduce!!!!

Minorities might have more hope and more people might have to lose their stereotypes.

It is a cultural tradition of superiority that started long ago.

The role in the power structure of those mentioned above to some degree has been.

The individuals who want power and strength in economy and business must use a strategy to make that happen. There may be some throw aways who are not as good as putting the wdgets together. The strategy has been to try to let them go and fight to minimize the cost. It is evil.

Universal health care is only a tiny step away from that.

It is the industrial revolution that started most of this supression.

If you go waaaay back to agrerean societies, they needed all the help they could get. They didn't care what they looked like or what "defect" they had." That was their way of life.

During WWII they had to "get over it" and use women and minorities in the factories.

This war highlights some elements of our health care sustem we should change to move forward. This is a very powerful article.....

http://www.johnhockenberry.com/Blog/DEEA6E68-D0E8-4C64-A11F-A62F3D1A9155.html

Please read this editorial it is the most powerful I have read on this subject.

[BuyingThyme]

54. Health care is like gasoline.

To control it is sheer power.

[formerrepuke]

55. Because its commynism....pure and simple commymism...!!

(((sarcasm)))

[Blue_Tires]

56. ttt nt

[slackmaster]

57. Brain-dead simple - Because it would cost them money

:dunce:

[Recursion]

59. They are worried it will become like VA or SS

Slow, sloppy, and incompetent. What I think a lot of them don't get is that most HMOs are already worse.

[Catherine Vincent]

60. Because they think they'll have to pay for it with their hard earned money.

:eyes:

[bamacrat]

61. Because then every regular (poor) American could enjoy their quality of care.

Godless swine.