People are funny. Yesterday Congress appropriated a $680 billion for the Department of Defense in FY 2010. Which, whaddya know, isn't even the entire cost. But people don't get up in arms at this, nobody calls this some sort of "government takeover" or "socialism," since we've had it drummed into our head to be terrified that at any moment we could be attacked, or blown off the face of the planet. So we quietly accept the ol' "no cost is too great for our safety!" routine and don't much think about it.
Any yet this year, about 500,000 people will die from heart disease. That's about 1500 people per day, or a 9/11 every other day. And yet we aren't hounded with the same fear as with our defense, we're not running into each other like the Three Stooges, frantic with fear that someone well-rehearsed on the monkey bars will slip into the country and load us up with Snickerdoodles and fried eggs. When it comes to half a million people dying every year there IS a cost that's too high, yet for something that might happen, but probably won't, and never really has, to even suggest there is a price too high to pay is seen as lunacy. Fascinating.
Why can't Congress gin up the same fear for our health as people have about our defense? Why can't they pound it into people's heads that if we don't get a grip on healthcare, you will fucking die of a heart attack? How have they been so successful promoting fear about something that has a fraction of a fraction of a chance of killing you, yet is spinning it's wheels about something that will kill 1 out of every 5 people in a room? Why do people take to the streets and go crazy with anger when the government suggests doing something to help prevent 500,000 people from dying every year, but are perfectly fine with our national defense being run as socialism, to the cost of $2,700/person per year?
Unrestrained socialism for something that MIGHT kill you = GOOD, unrestrained socialism for what WILL kill you = BAD.
Got it.
5 comments:
all sensitivity aside, you want to see these people who are killing themselves with bad nutrition etc., not have to pay a dime in consequences? In that vein, increasing public awareness (early intervention) re: health issues saves money on health care, but self-destruction by choice/ignorance will always take a back seat to national defense. Intelligent people will do everything they can to understand and reduce the risk of heart disease. People are often ill informed or in a state of denial regarding health issues, however once a person has had a heart attack, if he's lived through it of course, it is likely that he will be more careful with his health. Likewise 9/11 awakened America to the risks and potential of another attack. Intelligence will consider the risks and act/plan accordingly.
did I miss the point?
I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that Reps have more fear than Dems. I'll personally guarantee you that psychologists could prove that. So the idea of dying from some sort of explicable cause... versus some sort of "OMG WHERE THE FUCK DID THAT COME FROM?!?" cause... keeps reps awake at night. THey want justice, because justice is fair, and justice allows for planning and protection and prevention.
PS+ I'll pay big bucks for someone to dig up stats on rep vs dem stats on heart disease death.
PS++ drunk post... w00t!
Gina, your points are well taken, except you're forgetting that there is a HUGE segment of the population that is relegated to drinking corn syrup and having no affordable access to a doctor. yes, if you have insurance, and a brain, you go to the doctor and eat salads. but a lot of people don't have that choice. and since when did we start saying it's okay for people to die because they're not "intelligent"? Really?
my point is that the exact same people who demand more "kicking ass!!" via the US military and do not question the cost are the exact same people who are being screwed by the very "free market" insurance companies they take to the streets to defend so passionately. the government should be there to help the least of us; ironically, it's the least of us who spurn the government and defend those who have the most. that's my point, and to me it seems incredibly backwards.
NH...i like the energy! :)
You've made a good solid argument here here, G. Basking in the irony of life. You care for people. You want to see some of our tax dollars spent on PEOPLE who need basic services for crying out loud.
I fully understand the plight of the impoverished, needy, and stupit. I've been down that road and not sure I'm off of it- depends on where you're standing. Regardless of political leanings it IS morally right to care for the sick, homeless and orphans. I believe in establishing some kind of tax payer funded health net to provide insurance for THIS group. Let the rsst of us working insured alone. Unless you've got sompin better to offer? I am not that informed. Leave me alone! I don't want the govt. mandating medical insurance and fining me when I don't have any. Sheesh. I believe that Jesus once said that true religion is to care for the widows and orphans, and therefore a primary function of most bible believing churches. Still Church doesn't usually pay doctor or prescriptions, with regard to stupidity, I believe a proper schooling is mandatory in America. Not that every kid is educated or makes the best choices in life, but government has had it's hand in this cause for years. As for the retardo corn-liquor guzzling geezers, they take up their share of hospital beds and and drain the system. Get em off the streets and into tax payer funded HOMES for the drunk. Ultimately we will all face certain death and wouldn't it be intelligent to consider getting some death insurance? Heaven or hell boy? What's it gonna be? God Loved you and sent Jesus to keep you outta hot places. Repent and believe the good news. The ultimate irony.
Between Glenn Beck crying and Cheney coming out every now and then to get everybody to crap their pants with fear, there does seem to be a discrepancy there as far as fear goes.
As for the 'you made your bed, now lie in it' approach to health matters,
a) even alledgedly intelligent people sometimes eat Big Macs - life is a giant pain in the ass for some people and not everybody runs marathons to deal w/ this
b) genetics factor into health more than most Ayn Rand worshippers would care to admit
c) Sometimes medicine is wrong. I recall reading about when Richard Feynman's dad was suffering from heart disease, his doctor recommended a diet we now know was guaranteed to kill him. Unless we're still wrong.
Steak and banana cream pies, anybody?
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