HCS Fantastic news! Really pleased and will be stalking you for the next couple of weeks
OK, back to healthcare
To be fair to scorps I think you implied - albeit clearly without meaning to - that your treatment was paid for by insurance. That's how I read it so I don't think she was just assuming anything. Obviously a misunderstanding. Crikey, that's an incredible commitment. For me, I would have to fund some of the most extensive treatment (eg IVF) myself as I already have a child but I'm pleased that child-free couples can get everything free in many circumstances.
at us being socialists. Believe me, although some here may be I know at least two who aren't, although it seems to be a standard American assumption that to believe in free healthcare means one is a socialist (which of course to many Americans means communist... or commo leanings). To really understand how the UK is SOOOO not socialist you perhaps need to live here next to Continental Europe and Scandinavia. Now there you can see proper Socialism. It's all relative, TBH.
I think that your problem is that you don't trust your Government to do things properly, therefore them taking over healthcare means it's likely to all go wrong. Am I right? I completely understand this. The management of the NHS takes as much time in Government as most other things put together (other than the Fox Hunting Bill (tee hee)) and it would be fantastic to find The Third Way and maybe that's the opportunity that Obama has now. Sadly I also feel that good healthcare for all is perhaps beyond the wit of man....
I can tell you that even though it may be true that the stats/information on the uninsured may be over-hyped, for those who it affects, it's devastating. My sister (well in-law) can get no treatment for her illness - Medicare or otherwise - full stop (period). She is not eligible and she can't afford to pay for it. There are no options for her and that's all there is to it. The system isn't working and it needs to be changed. Ye Gods, I hope Obama's up to it.
One final thing, with regards to you being generous to those who deserve it, etc etc, that's fantastic, but it's fair to say that most/many/too many aren't like that and it's necessary for the Government to manage that safety net for all - and for them to judge who is worthy. Otherwise it's an anarchistic mess where people don't get help when they deserve it or need it. Let's face it, America hardly can be said to be filled with altruism when so many of the (mostly black - ooohhh let's be more controversial, if accurate) poor from New Orleans are still homeless. Do they deserve help? Too many people clearly think not.
Please don't think I'm criticising Americans and saying they're worse or less altruistic than the Brits or others. There's no doubt that we are a selfish and self absorbed lot and no different to anyone else. This is ABSOLUTELY NOT US-bashing.
I don't believe in "rights" as being God-Given (for want of a better term). If you travel enough in Africa you see that what we believe are our rights are just downright luck to have been born somewhere which believes in pretending and working to ensure that they exist. But, I do believe that it's the "right thing to so" to ensure that your own people are housed, fed, and given healthcare no matter what their circumstances or what job they're doing or not doing (provided that if they're able to work they attempt to do so). That doesn't mean live in luxury and eat caviar (it's bad for the environment anyway ) but basic shelter and food for health and survival - but healthcare without limits. That's just decent human care.
All my opinion, and again, I'm really chuffed about the freezer babies . Do they feel cold