Capitalist Pigs

If you listen even just a little, you can pick up on one of the main complaints against the medical care delivery system here i the United States.  That the whole system is doomed to fail because we allow greedy asshole pigs to profit off the medical needs of our citizens.  For some reason, the fact that this doesn’t apply to food or clothes is a point that’s missed by those that scream we must nationalize health care.

The fact is this, when exposed to market forces, blueberries and shoes become less expensive and come with higher and higher degrees of quality.

I stopped by my local “Grocery Barron” outlet and was amazed to see this new advertisement.

The grocery store market is offering drugs that “cures” high blood pressure.  The cost?  $3.99 a month.  By the way, hypertension is the single #1 killer in the United States.  Number one.  Cured, blammo, for the crazy cost of 4 bucks.

After that is the program for diabetes medication.  The cost?

Nothing.

That’s right; free.  Diabetes medication carries no cost to the consumer.  The greedy bastards are offering life saving medication for free in the hopes that you’ll just come in a shop.

But wait, there’s more!

For the low low price of NOTHING you can now get antibiotics as well.

Blink.  Blink.

All of this will be delivered to you in less than 15 minutes while you shop in  conditioned warehouse for berries from Chili, chocolate from Switzerland, wine from France and sushi fresh from the sea.

Bastards!

6 responses to “Capitalist Pigs

  1. I don’t think the argument for health care reform is based on thinking some people are capitalist pigs. Rather, we spend much more than any other country on health care and yet do not have better results, and in fact leave many people uncovered. If they do get care, it’s often more expensive and leads to higher costs (especially if hospitals can’t get compensated). Moreover, we’re the only country with medical cost bankruptcies – and that’s most of ours. The system creates real misery in that way, and gives uneven coverage. The country is harmed by the amount of money we pay. That’s the argument. It’s based on empirical comparisons to other countries which provide proof that quality health care can be cheaper and just as effective. That’s powerful evidence. Every state is cheaper than ours in absolute and relative terms. Many have excellent health outcomes, above ours. Real world evidence. Facts. Nothing to do with “capitalist pigs.” Even conservatives in most of the rest of the world think our system is barbaric (as one conservative German friend of mine called it).

    Now, that doesn’t mean Obama’s plans are good, or that some types would be really bad for the US. It’s just evidence that our system has deep flaws, and other states have managed to fix some of those flaws.

    • I don’t think the argument for health care reform is based on thinking some people are capitalist pigs.

      It is though, you hear it all the time. “We can’t let people make a profit off of other people’s medical needs.”

      Rather, we spend much more than any other country on health care and yet do not have better results

      We spend more because we have more options. And our results rank us first in the world when adjusted accordingly.

      and in fact leave many people uncovered.

      We allow young healthy people the opportunity to self-insure.

      Even conservatives in most of the rest of the world think our system is barbaric (as one conservative German friend of mine called it).

      Germany can’t compare to America in terms of economic power.

  2. I agree whole heartedly that damning profits or wealth is foolish, and maybe derived from envy.

    You note:

    We spend more because we have more options. And our results rank us first in the world when adjusted accordingly.

    I don’t necessarily disagree, but what adjustment are you referring to? Issues like we’re just more violent and hence die sooner, despite great medical care: is that what you mean?

    • I agree whole heartedly that damning profits or wealth is foolish, and maybe derived from envy.

      Of course it is.

      what adjustment are you referring to? Issues like we’re just more violent and hence die sooner, despite great medical care: is that what you mean?

      Yes, that is one example. Another is Infant Mortality Rates. When normalized to account for our population, we rank #1 in the world as well.

  3. There’s too much concern that some folks are getting rich, as opposed to why some of the none rich seem to be getting richer at a falling rate in recent years.

  4. It is interesting how the Obama campaign of 2012 differs from 2008 . Senator Obama said he would unite the country. No more partisanship . No more lobbyists . President Obama has decided to divide up the country. Poor against rich, Black against White, occupy against business. There are exceptions to the lobbyist rule just like there are exemptions to Obama-Care .

Leave a Reply to Bruce Cancel reply