Thanos,

<IF I were christian I would say, well god gave us penicillin, it's a sin not to use it.>
The Senate Finance Committee recently passed a health care proposal that apparently would require all Americans to purchase health insurance.
Do you think all Americans should be required to purchase health insurance?

If the health insurance requirement is part of the final reform:
Do you think all Americans should be required to see a doctor when they are ill?
Do you think all American parents should be required to take their minor children to a doctor when they are ill?

<<<<<< In addition, since all Americans are REQUIRED to purchase at least some type of basic auto insurance policy before they can legally drive, your question becomes a simple NO BRAINER!>
Maybe they are NO BRAINER questions if one does not distinguish between insurance reform and health care reform.
Maybe its a NO BRAINER for hypochondriacs and those who suggest that drugs are required to feel relaxed and positive about life. >>>>>

What does the subset of hypochondriacs have to do with this topic? As usual, u are throwing in irrelevant, off-topic subjects..... btw, why are u so concerned about hypochondriacs all of the sudden? Maybe I hit a nerve? ::LOL:: :)(:

<<<<<Maybe it's a NO BRAINER if one believes one makes decisions without using one's brain.
But "NO BRAINER!" is probably just be another way of saying "I think my opinion is the only intelligent opinion!" >>>>>

Another typical juke and jive off of the topic, with another personal attack no less.... u sure can't take them when they come your way, but u seem to have NO PROBLEM hurling them at others. How would u know what I think? On what basis would u conclude that "I think my opinion is the only intelligent opinion?" Obviously, u are not interested in a sincere discussion - but I digress, u are living up to your position as the troll of troll, only here for fun in your "playground!" :)(:

<<<<All Americans are not required to purchase automobiles or automobile insurance, in order to get a drivers license.
Personally, I don't think one should be required to buy into the American medical and pharmaceutical industry, in order to get a job. (I think this is the only country on the planet where pharmaceutical companies are allowed to market directly to the public. "Ask your doctor to sell you our drugs for your health and mental problems!") >>>>>

No one is stopping u from leaving the country - perhaps u would be much happier in say Haiti or maybe East Africa - no one there will force u to "buy into the pharmaceutical companies....." In addition, they probably don't have pharmaceutical firms paying for ads on TV there, so u will be even happier than I originally thought.

<<<<<America needs health care reform that's a NO BRAINER!
(As in, the only intelligent opinion! LOL) >>>>>

So, then are u saying that we don't need health care reform? We just need to stop people from living unhealthy lives.... LOL... that is beyond laughable! :)(:

<<<<<If the health insurance requirement is part of the final reform:
Do you think all Americans should be required to see a doctor when they are ill?
Do you think all American parents should be required to take their minor children to a doctor when they are ill? >>>>>
<Yes and yes. Early detection and early treatment of medical conditions reduces cost for everyone and facilitates a variety of treatment options. Waiting for a crisis or acute illness to develop increases cost and imperils the patients medical outcome. >
Unhealthy living increases costs and imperils the persons health and dramatically increases their need for medical intervention. >>>>>

Yes unhealthy living causes huge problems - that's a given fact.... so are u suggesting that we should abort all fetus' because they have a potential for inherited DUMBNESS? Sorry Peter, we have to live with our dumb neighbors, we even have to live with u! :)(: :LOL:

<<<<<How's this for early detection:
The junk that factories are allowed to pump into the air and water will make people ill.
Smoking cigarettes daily will make people ill.
Getting so fat and lazy one can't walk up a flight of stairs without stopping to rest will make one ill (if one isn't already). >>>>>

and your point is what? People are dumb? Factories pollute? People get fat and lazy? What does this have to do with Insurance Companies that deny health care any way that they can to increase their annual profits? PETER - 122 PEOPLE DIE EVERY DAY IN AMERICA SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE..... DID U KNOW THAT HAVING A CEASARIAN INSECTION IS A PRE-EXISTING CONDITION AND IT MAY NOT BE COVERED..... I COULD GO ON AD NAUSEUM.

<<<<<And, personally, I know the difference between Jimmy has a tummy ache and a fever, and Sally has been puking her guts out for the last week and is so weak she cannot speak. So, I don't want the government requiring me to take Jimmy to a doctor for his tummy ache and fever. And I would get Sally to a doctor, if one were available to me, without a government mandate. >>>>>

Well, Peter, good for u - put a gold star on your forehead, the point is that we are talking about the general population, not u specifically. Get over self-centered yourself! :)_(:

<<<<<<Are u saying that health care is NOT A BASIC RIGHT?>
No, that's not what I said.
But, of course it's not a BASIC RIGHT.
What do yo imagine is the source of this BASIC RIGHT? >>>>>

Health care is a basic right that's been long neglected in America. If u don't think it's a basic right, then u are a bloody hypocrite ----- by deduction then, u are saying that it's ok for people to die because they lack health care but it's not ok for a woman to choose an abortion. One death is ok and the other isn't ok? U can't have it both ways.

<<<<<Do you believe every person on the planet has a BASIC RIGHT to smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, over-eat AND have their government provide them with basic health care when their inevitable illness strikes, and drugs when they feel depressed about their life? >>>>>

What are u saying here - that it's our own fault if we get sick and we are on our own if we do, cuz U DON'T WANNA PAY FOR ANYONE ELSE'S CARE? How does that philosophy make u a good xtian? U are taking your consumate ass-hole-ism to a new low.

<<<<<How about REAL health education and health care reform? >>>>>

Finally, we agree... let's start with abolishing the idiocy associated with abstinence only sex education and we can branch out from there.....

<<<<<I'm thinking that you don't like when I ask questions, because that requires you to use your brain.
Apparently you prefer a "NO BRAINER!" approach to life.>>>

I love questions, but your questions have a tea-bag conservative political agenda associated with them and that makes answering them -----> NO BRAINERS! :)(:

H-Bird said --> "I think they will become even more deranged as it sinks into their heads that they are not going to have their way with this country (making it into a Christian theocracy) and that the second coming is not going to happen. A few may come to their senses, but others could join doomsday cults and others will become secular fascists or terrorists for the lord. Their political clout is on the decline as are things like church membership. Recent polls show that among young people more consder themselves non religious, agnostic or free thinkers. I would bet that within a decade more than half of the states legalize same sex marriage and possibly we will get a Supreme Court decision that makes same sex marriages legal in all fifty states. The vision of a Christian nation is an idea whose time has past. "


U guys r so right, they are completely deranged and their audience is shrinking and yet becoming much more racist and violent --- the White House recently referred to Faux News as "NOT A REAL NEWS NETWORK, but a political arm of the Republican party... we will appear on their shows with the knowledge that they are biased....." This is not an exact direct quote, I'm paraphrasing for the sake of brevity! :)(: Just be careful about counting the crazed evangelicals out though - the evangelical charismatic crowd are experienced and devious liars who crave the centers of power, even though that's in direct conflict with the religious teachings they keep demanding that we follow. Of course we are supposed to follow the teachings - whilst they consolidate their power. :)(:

More things to think about:

Every single progressive movement in this country was fueled by liberalism. That's right -- voting rights, an end to slavery, women's rights, children's rights, contraception, laws to protect rape victims, environmental protection, child work laws, animal rights and I could go on.

Health care is a right that we all deserve - according to a Harvard study, last year 44,000 Americans died and their deaths were directly a result of a lack of health care. Not lazy fat depressed people, not people who breathed polluted air, these factors were all included in the study - I will repeat it again because the number is astonishing - 44,000 people died in America last year as A DIRECT RESULT OF NOT HAVING ANY HEALTH CARE. Remember that Repuglicans want u 'TO DIE QUICKLY IF U GET SICK!" (That's a quote from congressman Grayson from Florida - one of my new heros!) :)(:

I say Medicare for everyone and to HELL with the insurance company death squads that delay and deny coverage..... no more patient dumping, no more denials of coverage, no more pre-existing conditions, no more insurance company abuse and we must end the ever-increasing flow of riches going into the insurance companies coffers at the expense of 44,000 dead Americans period.

Peter said --> "I posted from the article that Thanos posted then asked him a question about what he wrote.
Then you and David jumped in"

Well, I really hate to be the one to break it to u Peter, but this is an OPEN FORUM, anyone can jump in at any time and say what they want.
If u really prefer to speak to Thanos directly and not in a public manner, let me suggest that u use the readily available private e-mail system found right here on Tribe. :)(: Kvetching about being diverted and misdirected is disingenuous at best..... playing the poor interrupted victim here or on an open forum is just ironic on a number of levels. BTW, u never have a problem jumping into other threads when u feel like it, so just put away the violin, cuz u are playing way off key and u won't be garnering any sympathy here! :)(>:

BTW, let me agree with u and H-Bird about this - "HEALTH EDUCATION should be a major part of health care reform." I'm sure we will disagree about how this is to be accomplished, but at least we actually agree on something..... :)(: