tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327902070892845691.post2197001592195118288..comments2023-10-28T01:12:22.607-07:00Comments on EdgeofGloria: Now that the shoe is on the other foot, I'm supposed to shut upGloriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02710575883796344423noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327902070892845691.post-33639586578194522262012-07-26T19:05:16.354-07:002012-07-26T19:05:16.354-07:00Not going to leave you a long rant, merely that. ....Not going to leave you a long rant, merely that. . .I enjoyed it as well!John Goodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05362896971987049810noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327902070892845691.post-52129163929636523152012-07-24T13:01:30.961-07:002012-07-24T13:01:30.961-07:00Jan, so glad you like this. It's so frustratin...Jan, so glad you like this. It's so frustrating for me to live here at times, because I do feel sorry for people and know what it's like to be poor, to scrape by, etc. I am so glad nothing major to me happened in 2008, when I was scraping by. <br /><br />We all know that no system is perfect, but I am sick almost to death to see people hold hog roasts, chicken dinners and other benefit events in order to help someone who is ill or needs a transplant. I mean, seriously? But that's what it's like in America. Even if you DO have coverage, usually it doesn't cover everything, and there are some maddening times when you need one procedure, but also need another procedure, and you need one before the other, and of course, the first one is not covered.<br /><br />Oh, I could go on. Sorry I got you riled up at such an early hour. Sometimes I feel like I really should move to Canada, or somewhere else. I feel like I don't belong here. There's very little compassion. There's no sense of "we are all in it together." It's all about the money and cost, and people actually do say things like, "well, if you don't have coverage, just don't get sick." I've heard this, I swear to you. Then there's "well we all have to die sometime." Yes, I KNOW that, but I think it's wrong that people die before old age because they ended up with a disease that was treatable. I've known a couple people like that, and I know in one case, the person didn't have insurance. I don't know if the other person did.<br /><br />There ARE some people who feel the way I do, but it doesn't seem like there are a lot of them. I know that I've been exercising and trying to eat better (and not as much) because I'm tired of being fat. I know it's not healthy, but I'm not fond of the way I look. But people don't want to be told to eat better and get into shape. Funny, I thought that was a fairly American thing--I remember the President's Council on Physical Fitness from when I was a kid. Now, it seems that eating healthy and being in shape is an intellectual, elitist thing, and that's a shame.<br /><br />Hope your blood pressure has calmed down a bit! I really appreciate when people post and I'm glad you like what I wrote!Gloriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13167733025102920566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327902070892845691.post-34566604760510098632012-07-23T23:26:12.835-07:002012-07-23T23:26:12.835-07:00I just loved this. Passionate and fearless. I'...I just loved this. Passionate and fearless. I'm one of your friends in the UK who isn't remotely keen to trade our health system for yours. I can't imagine - truly - waiting five years to get a problem treated because you can't afford to pay for it. That is really just nonsensical to me. At the root of it, it means poor people die younger and of things that rich people don't die of. If a supposedly modern country in the 21st century can live with that, and the example it sets to other countries, I'd like to know how. <br /><br />We have waiting lists - yes we do. Treatment isn't always instant. It isn't always available equally in different parts of the country. That's a shame and it isn't good enough but the basic premise - that healthcare is free at the point of delivery - remains. I don't have to be scared to go to a doctor because I can't afford the bill. I'm not scared to ask the question because I can't afford the answer. I'm self-employed right now and couldn't afford private health care if that was the only option.<br /><br />America is way further down the list on the CIA Factbook measures for life expectancy and infant mortality than countries with - I HATE this term - "socialised" medicine. We, and France, and Sweden, and Italy, and all those European "socialists" are much better at keeping tiny children alive and at making adults live longer. It's hardly surprising, really. It's not rocket science to say you make healthcare equally available because illness is no respecter of social class or wealth level. We're not brilliant in the UK - we're not the best - but we're better and in measures like that, better really matters. Try quoting those facts to people who rant about communism and ask them how they'd improve America's performance. I wonder how long it will take them to give you an answer!<br /><br />I really enjoyed this post even though it's got me on my soapbox ranting at 7 in the morning. I rarely get so mad as when I see equality described as communism. Thank you for provoking me!Jan Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09975628107641748639noreply@blogger.com