Sometimes I think people don't realize how much "socialism" -- and I mean that in a good sense -- we already have in our system. We hear about minimum wage a lot, but next to nothing about Earned Income Credit. Earned income credit, basically, raises minimum wage. And for the social engineering fans out there, EIC has the added benefit of allowing social engineering. Let them try writing "single mothers get higher pay" into a minimum wage bill.
Then there's the way Social Security pays out. Meaning those who earn less get a MUCH higher percentage of their income in retirement that those who make close to their FICA cap. In my mind, that is great thing, the way it should be. It works just as it should. We could brag about the "socialism" we already have in our system. We have nothing to be ashamed about in that regard.
As for healthcare, I'm not sure what they want. Who exactly isn't getting healthcare? What aren't they getting? Can we not say that bad health habits are way more injurious to citizens than any claimed lack of health care? Drugs, alcohol, overeating, a violent lifestyle -- these are major, major problems in the U.S. As well, Steve Jobs, one of the wealthiest people in our lifetimes died at 56. Paul Allen, another of the richest in our lifetimes, died at 65. The point being that you can't buy good health. Can't buy eternal life. And some people have fatalistic attitudes about life; is it fair to spend millions to keep one person going for an extra year or two when another guy declines $10,000 treatment that could potentially add decades?
Oh, well, it seems we rarely get honest discussion in America. That's why we all love Glenn and John so much.
Good comment.
Sometimes I think people don't realize how much "socialism" -- and I mean that in a good sense -- we already have in our system. We hear about minimum wage a lot, but next to nothing about Earned Income Credit. Earned income credit, basically, raises minimum wage. And for the social engineering fans out there, EIC has the added benefit of allowing social engineering. Let them try writing "single mothers get higher pay" into a minimum wage bill.
Then there's the way Social Security pays out. Meaning those who earn less get a MUCH higher percentage of their income in retirement that those who make close to their FICA cap. In my mind, that is great thing, the way it should be. It works just as it should. We could brag about the "socialism" we already have in our system. We have nothing to be ashamed about in that regard.
As for healthcare, I'm not sure what they want. Who exactly isn't getting healthcare? What aren't they getting? Can we not say that bad health habits are way more injurious to citizens than any claimed lack of health care? Drugs, alcohol, overeating, a violent lifestyle -- these are major, major problems in the U.S. As well, Steve Jobs, one of the wealthiest people in our lifetimes died at 56. Paul Allen, another of the richest in our lifetimes, died at 65. The point being that you can't buy good health. Can't buy eternal life. And some people have fatalistic attitudes about life; is it fair to spend millions to keep one person going for an extra year or two when another guy declines $10,000 treatment that could potentially add decades?
Oh, well, it seems we rarely get honest discussion in America. That's why we all love Glenn and John so much.