Where do you stand on the Public Option?

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What do you think about a Public Health Insurance Option?

  • Support it

    Votes: 12 46.2%

  • Oppose it

    Votes: 13 50.0%

  • Not sure

    Votes: 1 3.8%
  • Total voters
    26
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FutureCTDoc said:
The fastest way to get from coast to coast is the airlines, which are private.
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Are there any airlines that don't receive federal subsidies?

Also, how do you view monopolies?
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FutureCTDoc said:
Yes there are. Monopolies are fine. We have lot's of them like the power company.
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How do you feel about the exploitation of poor workers overseas by big companies like Wal-Mart? Do you believe the private sector can be responsible without regulation?
 
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rockaction said:
How do you feel about the exploitation of poor workers overseas by big companies like Wal-Mart? Do you believe the private sector can be responsible without regulation?
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Exploitation? They choose to work for Wal-Mart because it's better than being in the rice paddy all day. Yes, because it isn't people will go elsewhere, ever notice how bad companies tend to go under?
 
FutureCTDoc said:
Exploitation? They choose to work for Wal-Mart because it's better than being in the rice paddy all day. Yes, because it isn't people will go elsewhere, ever notice how bad companies tend to go under?
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Do you think businesses can be responsible without regulation?
 
Exploitation? They choose to work for Wal-Mart because it's better than being in the rice paddy all day.
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:laugh: Wow, man. That was about as good for your credibility as Don Imus's "nappy headed hoes" comment from a few years back.
 
Nobody puts a gun to their head and says work for Wal-Mart. If it was that godawful they wouldn't work there. I used hyperbole it's a useful rhetorical tactic.
 
FutureCTDoc said:
Nobody puts a gun to their head and says work for Wal-Mart. If it was that godawful they wouldn't work there. I used hyperbole it's a useful rhetorical tactic.
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it wouldn't matter how bad it was, because if it pays more, then that's where they work. mistreatment sucks, but so does starving. hence, exploitation - "an act that exploits or victimizes someone (treats them unfairly)" http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=exploitation

you're really okay with this? oh well, it sucks that these people are suffering, but at least they're (barely) not starving.
 
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coffeeeandtea said:
it wouldn't matter how bad it was, because if it pays more, then that's where they work. mistreatment sucks, but so does starving. hence, exploitation - "an act that exploits or victimizes someone (treats them unfairly)" http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=exploitation

you're really okay with this? oh well, it sucks that these people are suffering, but at least they're (barely) not starving.
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If it was really that bad they could elect not to work there. Did you ever take labor economics? An equilibrium between wage and number employed occurs. I love the definition "an act that exploits...". How is it unfair? They agreed to it.
 
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FutureCTDoc said:
If it was really that bad they could elect not to work there. Did you ever take labor economics? An equilibrium between wage and number employed occurs. I love the definition "an act that exploits...". How is it unfair? They agreed to it.
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It's almost precious how naive you are.

Let's break it down this way. You have had the amazingly good fortune to be born in the US, where living conditions for the majority of the population are very good in comparison to many other places on earth. The most terrible job you're ever likely to work is fast food.

In many other places, people are born in an area of their country or as a member of a social class that is historically poor. Many of these people do not have the opportunity to rise above this poverty - they have no time for the necessary education because they are too busy working dawn to dusk simply to keep from starving. Some corporations take advantage of this fact, paying workers wages that will never allow most of them to improve their social or educational standing - all while the corporations themselves make huge profits.

As you've more than adequately demonstrated by now, you could give a rat's ass for anyone other than yourself, which is why you fail to see the problem with this. People such as myself, however, cannot in any way see how such exploitation is "fair."

Also, for your edification:
exploit: to use selfishly for one's own ends

Then again, I'm not sure your philosophical beliefs recognize the concept of selfishness.
 
PetitAllegro said:
It's almost precious how naive you are.

Let's break it down this way. You have had the amazingly good fortune to be born in the US, where living conditions for the majority of the population are very good in comparison to many other places on earth. The most terrible job you're ever likely to work is fast food.

In many other places, people are born in an area of their country or as a member of a social class that is historically poor. Many of these people do not have the opportunity to rise above this poverty - they have no time for the necessary education because they are too busy working dawn to dusk simply to keep from starving. Some corporations take advantage of this fact, paying workers wages that will never allow most of them to improve their social or educational standing - all while the corporations themselves make huge profits.

As you've more than adequately demonstrated by now, you could give a rat's ass for anyone other than yourself, which is why you fail to see the problem with this. People such as myself, however, cannot in any way see how such exploitation is "fair."

Also, for your edification:
exploit: to use selfishly for one's own ends

Then again, I'm not sure your philosophical beliefs recognize the concept of selfishness.
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+1:clap:
 
PetitAllegro said:
It's almost precious how naive you are.

Let's break it down this way. You have had the amazingly good fortune to be born in the US, where living conditions for the majority of the population are very good in comparison to many other places on earth. The most terrible job you're ever likely to work is fast food.

In many other places, people are born in an area of their country or as a member of a social class that is historically poor. Many of these people do not have the opportunity to rise above this poverty - they have no time for the necessary education because they are too busy working dawn to dusk simply to keep from starving. Some corporations take advantage of this fact, paying workers wages that will never allow most of them to improve their social or educational standing - all while the corporations themselves make huge profits.

As you've more than adequately demonstrated by now, you could give a rat's ass for anyone other than yourself, which is why you fail to see the problem with this. People such as myself, however, cannot in any way see how such exploitation is "fair."

Also, for your edification:
exploit: to use selfishly for one's own ends

Then again, I'm not sure your philosophical beliefs recognize the concept of selfishness.
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I tend to disagree with your definition of "fair". I honestly think that "exploitation" as you define it is absolutely ridiculous. No one is being exploited. If they choose Wal-Mart or another multi-national that provides a higher standard of living as opposed to working elsewhere, they did that freely. I'm also certain plenty of people "rise above poverty", if you look at how wealth increased in the US, we had to go through industrialization to get a higher standard of living. So, if you want them to be on par with an industrial or post-industrial nation, they need to go through this. I disagree with your conclusion regarding people "being unable to rise above poverty". I can think of numerous people I know who were born into poverty and "escaped". It may not be easy, but it certainly is possible if an individual is bright and willing to work.
 
Let's assume that your heinously unrealistic ideals regarding poverty and working hard and whatnot hold up. Going back to an earlier point, what do we do about the people who have "risen above poverty," are successful, and still cannot afford health insurance?
 
MilkmanAl said:
Let's assume that your heinously unrealistic ideals regarding poverty and working hard and whatnot hold up. Going back to an earlier point, what do we do about the people who have "risen above poverty," are successful, and still cannot afford health insurance?
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If you are successful then you can afford it or you elect not to buy it. I suggest you refer back to my previous posts. Also I was always under the impression that mods were supposed to be neutral within the forum they moderated.
 
If you are successful then you can afford it or you elect not to buy it.
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I can barely afford bare-minimum, emergency-only health insurance (my bill has to be $25000+ before the full benefits kick in and $1000 before I get any benefits at all), and I'm an extremely healthy mid-20's male. My girlfriend, also a med student, struggles just to buy food and pay rent. Health care is out of the question. Smq just said she couldn't afford insurance is she weren't given it. We're all unbelievably successful by any measure of the word, but health insurance is still a challenge or impossibility. Just about every student of any discipline not receiving support from his/her parents is in the same boat. You'll be 18 soon if you aren't already. Could you afford insurance if your parents cut you off?

Also I was always under the impression that mods were supposed to be neutral within the forum they moderated.
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Everyone has opinions. :)
 
MilkmanAl said:
I can barely afford health insurance, and I'm an extremely healthy mid-20's male. My girlfriend, also a med student, struggles just to buy food and pay rent. Health care is out of the question. Smq just said she couldn't afford insurance is she weren't given it. We're all unbelievably successful by any measure of the word, but health insurance is still a challenge or impossibility. Just about every student of any discipline not receiving support from his/her parents is in the same boat. You'll be 18 soon if you aren't already. Could you afford insurance if your parents cut you off?

Everyone has opinions. :)
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Actually I could. I was offered an AF scholarship. I could always pick up the phone and accept it.
 
@ post #74
please tell me some other options. So.....this is what happens when a child is sheltered by his rich parents his whole life.
 
Why do we see so many people saying "if i can do it, why can't you?"

You did it cause, at some point along the way, you got lucky. And not every gets lucky.

I used to think humans were more compassionate than they really are. But ye know, they got a point right? Why should MY hard earned money go to saving lives? What did THOSE people do to deserve to live?
 
lamp37 said:
Why do we see so many people saying "if i can do it, why can't you?"

You did it cause, at some point along the way, you got lucky. And not every gets lucky.

I used to think humans were more compassionate than they really are. But ye know, they got a point right? Why should MY hard earned money go to saving lives? What did THOSE people do to deserve to live?
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I created my own "luck". You'd be surprised at how much you can create on your own. There is a reason that people say "If I can do it, why can't you?". These people made their own "luck".
 
FutureCTDoc said:
I created my own "luck". You'd be surprised at how much you can create on your own. There is a reason that people say "If I can do it, why can't you?". These people made their own "luck".
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yup, there was never anyone worse off than you, eh? You were born in poverty and rose to the top, right?
 
lamp37 said:
yup, there was never anyone worse off than you, eh? You were born in poverty and rose to the top, right?
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I wasn't born into poverty. However, in terms of getting into my BS/DO program, I did well in school, did ECs and scored well on my SATs. I can't understand why other people don't make their own luck.
 
FutureCTDoc said:
I wasn't born into poverty. However, in terms of getting into my BS/DO program, I did well in school, did ECs and scored well on my SATs. I can't understand why other people don't make their own luck.
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You didn't "make" most of this luck.

- You could afford to spend your spare time doing ECs....and not, for example, trying to find a part time job so that you could help your parents out at home.

- Your parents made a safe environment for you with decent schools that could teach you enough so that you could do well on your SATs. You weren't forced to attend terrible public schools that have 45 students per over-worked, under-motivated teacher.

- You never had to wonder where your next meal was coming from, allowing you to devote your energies to school work and ECs.

- Your parents likely created a home environment that was reasonably loving, reasonably supportive, and probably reasonably safe. You were never kicked out, forced to enter the foster care system, or wonder where you were going to sleep the next night.

- Even if you did try to find a part time job, it would likely be somewhere safe, like stocking shelves at Barnes and Noble or making lattes at the neighborhood coffeehouse. It almost certainly wouldn't be something dangerous, but appeallingly lucrative, like prostitution or dealing drugs.

You didn't "create" any of this for yourself. Mommy and Daddy set up the background without which none of this would have likely happened.

And dude...you're an UNDERGRAD. Yes, yes, you got into a BS/DO program....which, in the grand scheme of things, aren't very competitive. You have yet to demonstrate that you're smart enough or hard working enough to make it through college, much less make it through med school.
 
Quite frankly, that's nice and all... but you'll learn as you go on that school isn't the epitome of success. Neither is a physician. Will it all be worth it? Absolutely, but if I have learned anything through applications and my first three months here, its that I am more family and friend oriented than anything and that's really what matters.
 
smq, I agree with you 100%. I can't explain or fully quantify how much I took advantage of my parents. My children will do the same. Its how we become successful. Our parents set the foundation, we succeed, and all they get in return (although it is all they want) is happiness. Parents are the most selfless people I know and without them we wouldn't be successful.
 
smq123 said:
You didn't "make" most of this luck.

- You could afford to spend your spare time doing ECs....and not, for example, trying to find a part time job so that you could help your parents out at home.

- Your parents made a safe environment for you with decent schools that could teach you enough so that you could do well on your SATs. You weren't forced to attend terrible public schools that have 45 students per over-worked, under-motivated teacher.

- You never had to wonder where your next meal was coming from, allowing you to devote your energies to school work and ECs.

- Your parents likely created a home environment that was reasonably loving, reasonably supportive, and probably reasonably safe. You were never kicked out, forced to enter the foster care system, or wonder where you were going to sleep the next night.

- Even if you did try to find a part time job, it would likely be somewhere safe, like stocking shelves at Barnes and Noble or making lattes at the neighborhood coffeehouse. It almost certainly wouldn't be something dangerous, but appeallingly lucrative, like prostitution or dealing drugs.

You didn't "create" any of this for yourself. Mommy and Daddy set up the background without which none of this would have likely happened.

And dude...you're an UNDERGRAD. Yes, yes, you got into a BS/DO program....which, in the grand scheme of things, aren't very competitive. You have yet to demonstrate that you're smart enough or hard working enough to make it through college, much less make it through med school.
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Could not have said better it myself.
 
smq123 said:
You didn't "make" most of this luck.

- You could afford to spend your spare time doing ECs....and not, for example, trying to find a part time job so that you could help your parents out at home.

- Your parents made a safe environment for you with decent schools that could teach you enough so that you could do well on your SATs. You weren't forced to attend terrible public schools that have 45 students per over-worked, under-motivated teacher.

- You never had to wonder where your next meal was coming from, allowing you to devote your energies to school work and ECs.

- Your parents likely created a home environment that was reasonably loving, reasonably supportive, and probably reasonably safe. You were never kicked out, forced to enter the foster care system, or wonder where you were going to sleep the next night.

- Even if you did try to find a part time job, it would likely be somewhere safe, like stocking shelves at Barnes and Noble or making lattes at the neighborhood coffeehouse. It almost certainly wouldn't be something dangerous, but appeallingly lucrative, like prostitution or dealing drugs.

You didn't "create" any of this for yourself. Mommy and Daddy set up the background without which none of this would have likely happened.

And dude...you're an UNDERGRAD. Yes, yes, you got into a BS/DO program....which, in the grand scheme of things, aren't very competitive. You have yet to demonstrate that you're smart enough or hard working enough to make it through college, much less make it through med school.
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thank you for taking the time to make the list I was too lazy to make :D
 
Here's something I like to bring up in this debate:

Our hard earned tax dollars go to help police and the courts protect crack-addict prostitutes from being raped. Why don't we complain about that?

Oooooooooooooooooh yea, cause we're not pricks (well some of us anyway).


[if you still don't get it, this is meant to be said tongue in cheek. my point is, police and legal protection is a right, and tax dollars pay for it. WHY would medical protection not be a right?]
 
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Bacchus said:
Have you heard of civil liberties? Saying someone can be raped because they partake in prostitution is ridiculous, callous, and absolutely abhorable.
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I'mmmm pretty sure you misinterpreted my post :)
 
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