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#31
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What is a social conscience?
My conscience tells me not to squander resources given in trust. I don't mind paying taxes for things that benefit me indirectly--national defense, regulating trade, ensuring safety and security at home. If people need charity, that's cool too. But charity is not interminable else its slavery--I work for the benefit of a parasite. |
#32
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Wealth and social inequality have burdensome costs. I'm personally not interested in bearing those costs -- they infringe on my personal 'freedom'. |
#33
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Interesting argument.
There is a balance to be struck between infringing on my rights and liberty and the needs of society. They are necessarily in conflict. I pay indirectly for every injustice, perceived or real. In this case I deny its necessarily a real injustice. For example, somebody whom circumstance has left them without the means of helping themselves, I have no problem helping. That is a real injustice. In contrast, a meth'd-out freak with failing health is a perceived injustice. Why should I be forced to pay for that portion which is a perceived, not real, injustice? That is not justice for me. That is involuntary servitude. |
#34
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Even though Mr. Freak may have come from a fairly well-to-do family, he could very easily start running into an economically desperate crowd after experiencing abuse in the home and running away as a teenager. This downward spiral happens all the time (I've observed that very scenario far too many times myself), and the register of 'indirect' costs start piling up. You pay, I pay, we all pay...and pay and pay and pay. Shutting off the public tap only compounds this problem. Meanwhile these folks have kids too...it's a god#$ned vicious cycle that won't be stopped by resorting to more and more punitive measures. All of our available buildable space will end up being devoted to 'adult daycare' facilities, and who's gonna pay for that? It boils down to: "Do you want to pay now or pay later?" Either way you'll end up paying, but chances are paying later will be exponentially more costly. Not offering solutions here, just my assessment. |
#35
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Ol' Meth-head made his own choices. Let him live and die by them. Rather not pay at all. But if I must, I'd rather it not be to subsidize his mistakes but to incarerate him when he does damage. If he never does, fine, let him meth-around all he wants.....
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#36
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Indifference--the last refuge of the scoundrel. I envy you.
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#37
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Sorry Zeitgeist, but I must agree with Botnst here. I have a junkie brother as well. He made the choice to ruin his life. I have no pity for him, nor should I be forced to "pay" for his lifestyle choice. Quite frankly, I'm glad that this country doesn't have universal health care. I don't want to pay for the healthcare of either the ultra rich, nor for those who chose to live lives that left them short of being able to support themselves. According to your location, you live in the Pacific Northwest. As you've alluded to, there are plenty of choices of places that provide for you, that which you should be capable of supplying for yourself. If this is to be your chosen lifestyle, more power to you. However, do NOT force me into your idea of a "utopian" life. Please take your pick of any one of the countries that already supply this for you, and set your roots there.
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#38
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You're the third forum member who's suggested I kindly remove myself from the country of my birth. One of them offered to pay my way--are you willing to pitch in too? |
#39
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I've said this a hundred times, and I'm sure many here, even those who agree, are sick of it, but here goes: Failure is a choice. Unless you are mentally or physically handicapped in a way that cannot be overcome or compensated for, then you are where you are in life as a result of your choices. And if your choices led you to become a homeless meth-head, then NO, I do not feel sorry for you, and NO, you do not deserve one cent of my hard-earned cash. They made their bed in the gutter, they can lie in it. Call me unsympathetic. Please...I love it. :p Charity that is coerced by a government is NOT charity. Mike
__________________
_____ 1979 300 SD 350,000 miles _____ 1982 300D-gone---sold to a buddy _____ 1985 300TD 270,000 miles _____ 1994 E320 not my favorite, but the wife wanted it www.myspace.com/mikemover www.myspace.com/openskystudio www.myspace.com/speedxband www.myspace.com/openskyseparators www.myspace.com/doubledrivemusic |
#40
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Ignoring domestic problems doesn't make them disappear--hey wait, you've used that line on me before. Someone must've turned on the rhetoric recycler... |
#41
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Why do we want non-profit hospitals? Did you read the thread in the diesel discussion about whether your car should be serviced at Jiffy Lube? The same principle applies. Why would you want to take your body to the medical equivalent of Jiffy Lube?
__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08 1985 300TD 185k+ 1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03 1985 409d 65k--sold 06 1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car 1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11 1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper 1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4 1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13 |
#42
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Cost containment is already terrible when insurance helps pay, imagine how much it would cost in taxes if access were free.
Non-profit will do for medicine what it has done for the Postal Service. |
#43
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Publicly operated universal healthcare systems operate with huge economies of scale. That's in part why Canadians pay less for their drugs. Bulk pricing works--saves money and serves more. Your visceral dislike for the public sector really gets in the way of objectively recognizing a smart approach to fixing a nasty drag on our economy. Hell, even Fox News' Bill O'Reilly recognizes this, and he's on your side. |
#44
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Profit motivates. Competition breeds excellence. If a hospital-for-profit is not offering the best service at a reasonable price, they will lose out to the one that does. Why do you wealthy-must-pay, poor-never-pay socialists hate that so much?
Mike
__________________
_____ 1979 300 SD 350,000 miles _____ 1982 300D-gone---sold to a buddy _____ 1985 300TD 270,000 miles _____ 1994 E320 not my favorite, but the wife wanted it www.myspace.com/mikemover www.myspace.com/openskystudio www.myspace.com/speedxband www.myspace.com/openskyseparators www.myspace.com/doubledrivemusic |
#45
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Why not have them pile up on YOUR doorstep, since you're so excited about paying for everybody else's "misfortunes". Mike
__________________
_____ 1979 300 SD 350,000 miles _____ 1982 300D-gone---sold to a buddy _____ 1985 300TD 270,000 miles _____ 1994 E320 not my favorite, but the wife wanted it www.myspace.com/mikemover www.myspace.com/openskystudio www.myspace.com/speedxband www.myspace.com/openskyseparators www.myspace.com/doubledrivemusic |
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