It's not about the healthcare.

[CobinRain]

A foolish post by a foolish man. Americans already spend more than double per capita what is spent in countries with universal healthcare. But the American spend is NOT per capita but obscenely unevenly distributed. Universal health care in the US is NOT about printing money; it is about redistribution of wealth in favour of the poor.

[charlessmyth]

No. It is about what I said it was. US citizens and their international counterparts, pay too much for healthcare. This is because the Medical Industrial Complex is a government protected guild system which excludes almost all competition that would drive innovation and keep prices down. This is exacerbated by the practice of US medical practitioners who insist upon offering their services voluntarily, to the poor of other countries, that are too often the sworn enemies of the US.

[CobinRain]

@charlessmyth Yeah--you really have to try to stop those doctors from offering their services voluntarily to the poor of other countries.

You are in danger of disappearing up your own axiom. You have latched onto a freebooting capitalist model as the answer for the worlds woes and choose to ignore its failings. Do Americans pay too much for their health care or is that the money is just unfairly spent--good care for the rich; no care for the poor? Not acceptable in civilised countries.

[charlessmyth]

@CobinRain So move to Cuba, then, where you can be poor all of the time, as per government dictat, and have universal healthcare as a line of compensation. That said, it is interesting to note that Fidel Castro, hero of the revolution, chose to spend his money on private care in Spain. Have you considered training as a doctor and offering your services at a rate that the poor can afford.

[CobinRain]

@charlessmyth For an Ulsterman who think uncannily like a right wing bible belt american. That last ploy...if I dont like it move to Cuba...was a classic. Did it ever occur to you that Cuba might be poor because of the US trade embargo? Or that the US trade embargo is an instrument of foreign policy designed to ensure that the sustem of government in Cuba fails? pour encourager les autres?

And BTW Cuban doctors have been doing humanitarian work around the world for decades.

[charlessmyth]

Well, to the extent that 'God help's those, who help themselves'. As for Cuba: Cuba--in spite of attempts at a rapprochement by Eisenhower--deliberately threw its lot in with the genius of the USSR, and stumbled along until the USSR went belly up. The trade embargo didn't help, of course, but it also did not help for that embargo to lifted, for Castro to have pleaded for the USSR to nuke the US, which caused the Russians to be less enthusiastic about an entangling alliance with the Cubans.

[aSuperbadassninja]

this is dead on 5*S

[aSuperbadassninja]

the United States is a Republic

[charlessmyth]

@aSuperbadassninja The US is a republic to the extent that it is not ruled by a monarchy in the traditional sense, but is now a democracy in which the Constitution and Bill of Rights have been consigned to the dustbin of history decades ago, and replaced by the Federal government and its institutions. This why more than 60% of US voters must stop not voting and go out and vote this 2010 and 2012.

[FornaxFlaminius]

Milton Friedman was a child molester and charter member of NAMBLA.

[anyusmoon1]

Very well said and honored to have it as a reply video, I'm sure Michael Connelly, the author I was quoting, would be too.

THank you sir.

[afleececooper]

Jefferson : -

I hope we shall take warning from the example (the English) and crush in it's birth the aristocracy of our monied corporations which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country.

and

There is... an artificial aristocracy founded on wealth and birth, without either virtue or talents... The artificial aristocracy is a mischievous ingredient in government, and

provision should be made to prevent its ascendency

[afleececooper]

The "provision should be made to prevent its ascendency ", seems to be a pretty clear indication that government should ensure real competition, and not be held ransom to corporations.

If the Health system in the US really wasn't being held hostage, the natural market forces should have provided a better value solution by now, but clearly it has failed, as costs are higher, and provision (for the vast majority) is no better than other countries.

Capitalism works only with competition.

[charlessmyth]

Dear Baron afleececooper von Youtube :-) US healthcare is not a social service, so would be calculated as commercial activity. A private healthcare company has to be licensed by the government, which limits competition. As alluded to by Erik Maria Ritter von Kuehnelt-Leddihn, the aristocracy does not always reside at the winter palace, but may be found where one makes the effort to look for it, and recognise it, beyond the self-serving propaganda which is normally accepted as validation.

[afleececooper]

Mein Capitan Charles ;)

Licensing is unavoidable... and there's also a limit of suitably skilled staff too... if we replicate services to create competition, that would necessitate such enormous expenditure, costs would need to rise anyway to cover it.

It's not a surprise the system is more expensive than other countries.

Perhaps, like defence, this is something better directed by government, and let the competition be for the tenders to operate (as Mrs Thatcher started in the UK)?

[charlessmyth]

The principle of tendering makes sense for things which are not open to similar offerings: roads, water and sewerage networks, railways, etc. But it does not follow that government must install such infrastructure, to offer for tender. Under free market competition, replication persists until competition or failures reduces it, and capital is then redirected into other lines of activity, judged to be more profitable.

[afleececooper]

Well I guess that depends if think whether capitalism is a system to serve itself, or serve the people of your nation. Jefferson certainly saw freedom as a tool to liberate the people from the chains of aristocracy.

The reality in the UK, is that privatised industries that have competition have worked well to drive down costs, and ones that don't (like you mentioned) have had prices rise and rise (water in particular).

Capitalism is to serve the best interests of citizens, not CEOs, IMHO

[charlessmyth]

Water prices have not risen enough to encourage a challenge to the status quo. In Northern Ireland, the suggestion of water charges raised the possibility of riots, for 40P a day, for the supply of potable water and the removal of grey and black water. A litre of bottled water costs more than that, and no one is complaining. But 'Evian' does confer a certain aristocratic feeling :-) Jefferson's beef with the aristocracy, was that they were often crooks and had control of the army.

[afleececooper]

Ah well, you should try the south west! Outrageous hikes, and people are furious with the combination of poor service and high prices.

I must sadly beat a retreat, busy day ahead... but thanks for interesting discussion.

It's great to have a thoughtful and affable youtube chat, makes an refreshing change from the normal series of invectives you often see on this site.

All the best,

AC :)

[charlessmyth]

keep in touch :-)

[afleececooper]

How come the American Health system costs 16% GDP where most developed countries cost 8% GDP?

I'm all in favour of competition and capitalism, but only where you can ensure competition, otherwise you have effectively lost your freedom to a private company, which is even worse than a government body, as you have no recourse at all.

At the heart of health is a lack of competition

Jefferson warned of such situations.

[DillonX]

Joe Lieberman has received many MILLIONS from the Health Care Industry so he has turned into a lobbyist for the Health Insurance Companies & will not vote for THE PUBLIC OPTION even if you put a gun to his head & although most Americans support it.

I don't care if Joe Lieberman is defeated by a Democrat, Republican, Independent or Bull Moose Candidate - but we must drive the slimeball from Congress.

[timwoodall]

first!

[charlessmyth]

Herzlich willkommen. Bienvenu. Welcome :-)

[Billyothon]

Intensely insightful and very well presented. 5/5

[charlessmyth]

Thanks for the feedback. Spread the word. Send your mates a link.

[Billyothon]

Absolutely. I linked to this video on my blog, and have already e-mailed links to some friends. Tomorrow, when I go to work, I'll be discussing this with the research & assessment guy in the next office. He loves this kind of focused analysis of issues.

Really good video sir !!