San Francisco Endorses Hr-676 Press Conference June 19, 2008

[KyndestKid]

I'm moving to San Francisco so I can finally get away from all these right wing Oligarchs who live in my home state of Indiana. trapsmv9... said it best below

WHO World Health Organization Ranking 37th

Your right you right wingers..... look at what the free markets have done for us!!! We're right next to Slovenia and communist Cuba in this ranking... but don't worry free markets will fix everything. Let's go ahead and privatize social security, & eliminate medicare/medicaid too! WAKE UP!!!

[trapsmv9]

WHO Health Care Ranking:

37. United States of America

I love those free markets.

[funkyflights]

Amen .... you guys keep it up .... HR676 needs to get passed in this country .... lets do this people ...

[TimeWarp66]

Let's not. Free markets > one size fits all government program. Just say "NO" to socialism, kiddo. I know it's tempting, but take an economics corse. Listen to Ron Paul here on youtube

[funkyflights]

With health care I want a socialist program because the free market has failed in health care..... FAILED miserably .... please stop acting like socialist programs are so bad.... there not.. when it comes to selling products I agree with the free market.... BUT NOT WITH HEALTHCARE.... it leaves people behind ... no reason for that when were sick ...

[TimeWarp66]

I got news for you, healthcare is a product! Just like everything else. The medical equipment is a product, the doctors nurses and surgeons are human capital best allocated on a free and open market.

The U.S. does NOT have free market healthcare. HMO's are a government inneciative started in the 1970's under the Nixon administration. When you have 3rd parties paying for things, yes people do get left out.

[funkyflights]

Medical equipment is a product YES.... but caring for others is not a product... when your sick your sick ... you need help ... it should never matter whether you have money or not to get help when your sick ... that's absolutely ridiculous ... if you had a heart attack next to me and needed CPR I'm not gonna ask you how much cash you have... I'm gonna help you because you need it .... the medical equipment and products can be paid for just like our military is paid for ... tax dollars....

[TimeWarp66]

It's easy to be generous with other people's money.

I completely agree with you, no matter how much cash you have you should be helped, but through charity.

Why would you want an HMO or a government office dealing with YOUR healthcare costs and needs. You should be in charge of your own healthcare, just like you're in charge of every other aspect of your life.

[funkyflights]

While it sounds good to be in charge of your own health care the problem is .... hospitals know you need the care so they charge outlandish amounts for simple services... look ... I think the best way to handle it realistically while still keeping some bipartisanship is to offer private health insurance if you want it ... but also offering publicly funded health care options... why not give the American people the choice... private insurance companies wont be able to fuck people over as much.

[TimeWarp66]

If hospital A is charging "outlandish amounts for simple services", hospital B, (hospital A's competitor) will charge less for those same services, thus forcing hospital A to either go out of business, or lower it's prices to compete with hospital B. Competition in a free market is what keeps prices down, and quality high. When the government steps in, competition is removed. In my view, you don't have the right to steal people's money (taxes) to provide a "publicly funded health care option"

[funkyflights]

Here lies the problem ... hospital A and hospital B get together and have a meeting and agree to keep the prices somewhat equally HIGH ... and Hospital A and B know that when your sick YOU HAVE TO GET HELP.... then Hospital C comes along and joins hospital A and B's club ... you see BIG business can own the market and be worse than the government ... at least the government is for the people by the people ... BIG business is dangerous especially when it owns the market ...

[TimeWarp66]

Business's don't collude because it's illogical for a better more efficient business to collude with a weaker less efficient business. If I can make a better profit then my competitors, I'm going to run them out of business, not help there share in the market, lol.

The government isn't "the people". The people are "the people"

[funkyflights]

I mean look at what just happened to our country from BIG business.... this whole recession is from GREED ...

[TimeWarp66]

So people suddenly went from not being greedy too greedy, and then everything just collapsed? Come on now.

What actually happened is congress forced banks to remove loaning standards to increase housing ownership to poorer people. The banks didn't get their money back, the system collapsed.

I respect your intentions, but i think their are just better ways to get the good results, and that when you get in bed with government, it's NEVER a good nights sleep.

[funkyflights]

But keep in mind these Banks were not acting strictly because congress said too .... the Banks wanted the closing costs and fee's knowing dam well the people could not afford the homes... the banks figured it's a no lose situation for them because they simply take the house back after collecting the down payments from these people ... so we cant just blame congress .... even though they have failed in so many ways....

[funkyflights]

government initiative does not mean it's run by the government ..... HMO's are private insurance companies.... but were on the same page saying they need to be gone....

[xcave1]

Oh Mr. Mayor, I can only hope that one day you will be sworn in as our President someday

[TimLoganKnows911623]

One payer system is the only way to go.

Private health insurance is a private tyranny that only exists in United States. It's a rather barbaric system that tells you you're health is only worth what you can afford.

People in United States should get behind, and support, HR 676. If you don't know what it is learn about it! GM & Ford are going bankrupt because of the rising cost of health care. If United States had single-payer system, the companies wouldn't have to worry about it.

[MsGeek703]

The California Nurses ROCK. I'm stumbling around today like a zombie because I took a red-eye bus to and from San Francisco over the course of two days, but it was worth it. As soon as I can get the cobwebs out of my brain I have video and still photos to upload. Imagine, if you will, the Moscone Center convention center ringed all the way around with nurses, doctors and patients demanding the Insurance industry GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY of single-payer! YEAH!

[dundotta28]

Hey I know you! (from megabus) We kicked ass at that march. Too bad the new coverage wasnt that great. Im gonna get in contact with you about that protest you are looking to plan.

[IWW610]

Hell Ya! *****

[cavspunk08]

GO GET 'EM!!!!