Health care is a very serious matter, and polling indicates that Americans consider it of the utmost importance, rating it right after the economy in general, and above the Iraq war and homeland security.
It is strange to me then that 'television,' while not showing up in national polls, ranks higher then health care as a priority when it comes to household spending. If you believe the numbers in the news, 99% of households own televisions but only 84% have health insurance in any form.
Certainly cost and availability are the screaming issues of the day. However, value judgments also play a roll and I believe that whatever solutions are proposed, individual choice and responsibility should remain of paramount importance and that maintaining competition in the market place remain a principal goal.
We cannot prevent people from making dumb decisions via legislation and should not overlook the fact that some people actually have chosen TVs or something else instead of coverage when we discuss the issue of national health care policy and trying to legislate solutions.
Could you imagine the uproar that would ensue, if when you were about to buy a big flat screen TV you had to show proof of medical coverage? But what does happen when you try and legislate behavior. For myself I would like to know how people are managing their resources when they show up for health care services with no ability to pay and a house full of goodies like Play-Stations, iPods, high powered stereo systems and the like, or buy lottery tickets and go to the race track.
President Bush recently submitted a $3.1 trillion dollar budget increased defense spending and cut health care. "I'm, sure he knows best," but that is the opposite view of a majority of Americans. Look for the health care debate to be front and center throughout the upcoming presidential elections and into the next administration.
Sheldon Liber is the CEO of a small private investment company and the design and research principal for an architecture & planning firm.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-08-2008 @ 5:50PM
Dog Lover Ca. said...
Bushes Budget has made my mind up, his cutting medical to seniors and the poor has turned me into a Democrat. Ive voted Republican since Regans second term. The Republicans are going to kill the middle class . Im a baby boomer and his cuts will effect my benifits after paying all my working life.
2-11-2008 @ 2:34PM
vtym said...
DOg Lover in CA may want to rethink his change to the Democratic Prty. Both Hillary and Barack have promised to raise your taxes. Don't be fooled when they say they will only raise taxes on the rich-they mean you. Almost anyone living in CA has to have wages above the national average because it's so expensive to live here. Typically when the Dems raise taxes, it's to household of $65,000 and up-does that sound like 'rich' to you?
(As a Republican, I think 'rich' means the the celebs and Hollywood types that make $5-10 million a picture.)
2-08-2008 @ 8:59PM
evelyna said...
At least a television costs less and you can enjoy it
Insurance is like pissing your money into the wind.
Who wants to pay $300 -" the sky is the limit" for something you still will have to pay for everytime you use it.
Televisions do not require co-pays.
A lot of us do not want to sink our money into a sysem that a lot of people get for free.