Inogenius

This question was posed during the debates. Both candidates kind of did some rhetorical banter about tax credits and crap. I don't even know what either candidate stands for there, and really, don't care!

I pose to my fellow Monks, the same question. Is health insurance, a right, a privilege or a responsibility?

It's my opinion, that health insurance is an absolute right to those who cannot provide for themselves. This means, that if you're under the age of 18, even if your parents are employed, it is the country's responsibility to provide health insurance for you. As well, if you're incapacitated, or have some other type of illness where you cannot provide for yourself, again it's the governments responsibility to provide health insurance for you, entirely free. Pass out a card, just like they do food stamps.

If you're an adult, which would be 18 in this case (not 21!), then you should be able to provide for yourself. This means, that it's your responsibility to get your own health insurance. Perhaps your parents insurance will cover you, as some do until your 23, 24, 25, or perhaps you need to go out and get a job, so you can afford to have private health insurance. Either way, you're a grown adult, and you're able to provide for yourself, so therefore you should cover yourself or pay the consequences.

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Dakstang

I believe that we should have universal health care for EVERYONE.

My Mom has two insurances, (Medicare, and Bluecross from my Dad's Railroad retirement benefits) and still has to pay some on her medicals bills. That is just not right.

We can have universal healthcare and all we have to do is raise taxes on people making over $250,000 a year. They are not paying their fair share of of taxes anyway.

England does it, France does it, Canada does, it, no exuses. We can do it.

To hear people like Rush Limbaugh say that healthcare is a privilege and not a right makes me want to puke.

Did anyone watch sicko by the way?

Here is one of the things from the movie.

I mean seriously WTF?

Can you imagine being in that situation and being told you must choose which finger you want re-attached. Bull shit.

We must have Universal Healthcare.

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There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle it in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That "couldn’t be done," and you’ll do it.

Inogenius

Dak, I would've never expected for you to take the side that you did. It's your opinion though, so I won't argue with that. There's a few things I want to discuss though ...

People making over $178,000 a year are already taxed 33%. If you make like $330,000 you're taxed 35%. This is double what the majority of the population pays in taxation. How is that fair to them? You tax them too much, and you're going to find them living in places like Andorra and operating through holding companies.

I watched it, and there were some awful things shown in it. But, it was Michael Moore, and that's what his argument was for. It was a great movie though because it opened people's eyes.

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Dakstang

What is the tax percentage for someone making say $30,000 a year?

__________________

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle it in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That "couldn’t be done," and you’ll do it.

Inogenius

Up to $32,999 it's 15%.

People making below $14,999 I think are taxed at 8%.

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Inogenius

bah. I'm a little off with my numbers -- here's the official chart. Income tax in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Dakstang

I wouldn't mind paying more taxes for Universal Healthcare.

The U.S. has very low taxes compared to most other industrialized countries.

Although if we would just gtfo of Iraq and quit wasting so much money on other crap, we would have enough money to cover it anyway.

Defecit spending is stupid.

__________________

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle it in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That "couldn’t be done," and you’ll do it.

Inogenius

Tax rates around the world - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Not really that low, especially on the corporate side (which includes SBOs).

Why don't we just rid ourselves of income tax and let the people spend their money where they want?

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Dakstang

That is the idea Ron Paul supports. But to do that we would have to shut down nearly all foreign military bases, downsize the miltary, and severely cut national spending to pay back the national debt.

I agree with Ron Paul on most of that, but I also think we have to have Universal healthcare. That is a basic human right just as eating is in my opinion.

__________________

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle it in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That "couldn’t be done," and you’ll do it.

Escavayne

I never got America's stance on taxes. You all see tax as such an awful thing. I think more of American's need to read Das Kapital, and think outside capitalism a bit. It's moronic.

Money spent on Universal Healthcare is far better than what American taxes go to.

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