What about the disabled and elderly?

[rolitofc]

"Who will take care of the disabled and elderly?"

YOU WILL.

[spartaeus]

Life is cheap when you're poor. It's all about money and nothing else.

[BriansJoy]

I'm chronically ill & unable to obtain disability from the govern., b/c my work exp was too short. If it wasn't possible for a lot of people to get help through govern. w/ all the red tape there would more likely be church/charities to help me out. Others are unable to "qualify" for disability despite years of SS payments. We have to keep SS for those who put their $ & trust in it, but not for gen X.

[markgg1]

im a big lefty, but i think its quite easy to counter this argument from a libertarian perspective. Charities or the familiy would take over the role of the state - so it is possible..

of course i believe in massive public spending so this is not for me - but i 'undertsnad' the counter argument

[neue01]

Search youtube for the latest John Stossel piece titled "sick in america". This will help explain our current healthcare system.

[robwe359]

Some group of Americans seems to just state that "goverment founded healthcare doesnt work" without futher explanation. I find this kind of statement quite surprising. I live in Sweden and all in all I would have to say that government healthcare works great. There are pretty advanced treatments you can get for free here. My mother has survived two cancer treatments that were very professionally arranged by government healthcare. So it works apparently.

[neue01]

It sounds to me like you have been living in a vacum of sorts. Your healthcare system could be much better. Your system like all socialist systems suffers from rationing. This is basic economics. If something is free there is a lack of incentive on the part of consumers to self ration. This creates a scenario where government then has to ration. Not to mention that it's immoral. Make sense?

[robwe359]

Self rationing? So people get cancer just to get benefit from the system? When sick, it is pretty evident when someone has a valid need or not. Here everyone in need get help, it is just as simple as that. No one is left behind. At least I know that here in Sweden we do not dump sick people on the street as could be seen in SICKO :-).

[robwe359]

Btw speaking of "rationing" makes it sound as if you are a poor country who cannot afford to take care of everyones illness. I thought this was the space age with advanced technology that would make services cheaper to produce, but apparently not? I guss if America spent less money fighting wars for questionable reasons, they could afford taking care of themselves ;-)

[frionelhero]

that is why I am for the libertarian philosophy and Ron Paul. a non-interventionist foreign policy so we can afford to take care of ourselves. Because medical technology isn't privatized it doesn't get cheaper like other goods and services. It is a real shame.

[frionelhero]

you should watch my other video and comment on it. Its about health care where I explain we either need to be COMPLETLY privatized or COMPLETLY government controlled and have it free for everyone. this halfway crap we have right now is a monopoly...I would rather it be privatized, but you can cut through the spin and propaganda and point to countries like yours to prove that universal healthcare works.

[robwe359]

Why do so many ideologists believe in extremes, such as completley one way or another? In fact, most thing in our lives require balance, like for example, we cannot COMPLETLEY omit fat in our diet, or we cannot COMPLETLEY just eat fat.

It is possible to have privatized health care production at the same time as the health care ensurance is from the government. Actually part of the swedish system works like that, and it seems like a doable way to combine privatization with public interest.

[evolutionaries]

the ron paul approach, which i happen to agree with, is to honor our current commitments. if we promised a war veteran a pension or an elderly person social security, we honor our debts to them.

however going forward younger people are allowed to opt out of the system over some period of time and establish their own long-term savings accounts. thus by the time they are elderly they will have their own savings.

[frionelhero]

I agree 100%. Many people think Ron Paul will just END everything when its not true. He is a smart man and will follow through with the people who are already dependent.

[frionelhero]

Thanks for all the great responses guys.

[paulfor08]

The disabled or old are the responsibility of their families or churches. If they have not made strong enough connections to receive help, then they have very little recourse. So have kids and be a nice person.

[frionelhero]

Well...what if someone doesn't have a family...or they have been disowned or died or are completly jerks...I mean...it can happen. Though I didn't really think about churches...of course they would help.

[titomartinez5]

It is an incentive to be nice to people. When we rely on each other, we treat each other more civilly.

[thesnowpig]

Would you take care of a friend or a family member in that circumstance? ... You are not the only one.

[titomartinez5]

I have already helped take care of several dieing family members and one dieing neighbor. If the government did not interfere, we would definitely help each other more.

[AntiFed1791]

Here is the fundamental argument in a nutshell -

If the Government is the ultimate arbiter in disputes over the law, and the institution you have a dispute with is the Government, to what higher power do you go to when resolving the problem?

Our Government was not set up to be a service provider for these issues. It is a fundamental conflict of interest. Private business and charity is best suited for these purposes and can be held accountable with an impartial Government.

[jjrglobal]

One thing that we as a country have been deprived of for so long is the very important emotion one feels when being charitable.This has been stripped from the middle class by government through the creation of the welfare state. Instead we now feel the emotion of resentment and cannot afford charity.On the flip side, instead of gratitude,a sense of entitlement to recipients of these government mandates.Have faith in mankind and the inherent will to do good for your fellow man.

[travisalger]

From my perspective the two best ways are:

1. through taxes at State, County, or City level

2. Through charity programs. People by nature want to do good. If the government does not get in their way and makes it easy charity organizations do really well. (Better than any federally funded program has ever done)

[dingusmungus]

Also they'll belong to many of the organizations that exist today to help families who can't afford to care for someone.

Great question!

[dingusmungus]

Firstly you have to opt out of the programs. Ron Paul is against using force. So people who depend on the government will be supported and those the others can opt out.

People who worked and saved for retirement will have money earning interest in a account for retirement. With out inflation or high taxes one person can save/earn a lot of money in a life time.

[jake1106]

3. The doctors bills could actually decrease with a little less regulation. In a true free market competition breeds lower prices. Right now regulation and schooling charges keep less doctors from competing.

[mlang52]

Don't hold your breath about lowering cost!! My wife went to a doctor (for five minute visit), was told it would be $30, for that visit. And, ended up getting a $248 bill!  Excessive charges seems to be standard of care, now-a-days! (immediate care center) Maybe those shops will go out of business!? Insurance would not pay that much, But, when you don't' have any, they JACK UP THE BILL!

[travisalger]

From my investigations into the industry most of the time it is the insurance companies that set the price. Doctors charge an extremely high amount in order for the insurance company to tell them the maximum amount allowed.

Right now Insurance and Pharmaceutical companies have complete control of the doctors. Tis is the system we have to tear apart.

[mlang52]

It all started when the government implemented a plan called DRG and told you exalty how much the doctor could charge. That was $37.50 for a regular office visit. All the other insurnce companies soon started restricting pay and access to care! Charging close to $300 is greed! I came from the poor side of town! I find it a moral dilemma to make people pay high office visits and >$100 prescriptions charges! But, who cares? Insurance pays for it!?

[neue01]

Search youtube for the latest John Stossel piece titled "sick in america". This will help explain our current healthcare system.

[mlang52]

That is, also, why I would never trust a greedy socialized system to do me right! The people in charge could not be trusted! Money trumps all! Anyone willing to cut their prices would end up in jail because of the complicated rules about changing doctors' charges!!

[jake1106]

2. The elderly will benefit from savings because they would not be hit with the inflation tax that burdens so many elderly people who try to save for retirement. You do this by abolishing the federal reserve and have congress print the money. Then you back the currency with a certain amount of gold like it was before. It used to be 1/35th of an ounce of gold for every dollar.

[jake1106]

I think there are a few ways that elderly will be taken care of.

1. The elderly in the future would benefit from lower prescriptions because of a true Free Market.