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The Promises of Universal Health Care

Posted by Jason on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 3:48:07 PM

Another great story out of Canada's universal health system!  "She Lay 5 Days on Stretcher in ER"

Mark Degasperis was furious his mother spent five days on a stretcher at Toronto Western Hospital waiting for a room with 25 patients ahead of her -- until the Toronto Sun made a call and she was suddenly moved to a room yesterday.

"They were giving us the same old song and dance why she was in the emergency department with only a sheet draped around her. I couldn't even call her because she didn't have a phone," Degasperis of Georgetown said.

Heather Degasperis, 60, has a dangerous bacterial condition and was sent by her doctor to Toronto Western because it has the experts for her condition.

"She is not well and wasn't able to sleep and she wasn't getting any better. She needed peace and quiet to sleep.

"This is a terrible environment. I suggested taking her to another hospital, but we were told there are long waits across the region and the doctors we need are here. So there was nothing we could do," Degasperis said yesterday.

"I'm angry we pay such high taxes and the more money we throw at the health care system the worse it gets. People shouldn't be lined up on stretchers in the emergency department. If you are sick you should get a room."

Coming soon to an American ER near you?

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Taxes or Dues: The Next Great Debate!

Posted by Jason on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 11:45:34 AM

A Liberal New York Times columnist (please forgive my redundancy) believes that people will not mind paying so much in taxes if we simply start calling them "dues."

It’s time to take a page from the conservative playbook, the one where they reframe the debate by changing the language — for instance, calling the “estate tax” a “death tax,” or making equal rights for same-sex partners a “protection of marriage” issue. I propose we stop saying “taxes” and start calling them “dues.”

Yes, this is a little sneaky. Some conservatives may even call it Orwellian, and they ought to know. But the word “dues” also plays into the psychology of group identity, and that can work to the benefit of conservatives and liberals alike. Consider that “tax” comes from the Latin for “appraise” with punitive overtones of “censure” or “fault,” as if wage-earners have done something wrong by their labors. “Dues,” in contrast, is rooted in social obligation and duty.

First, it's somewhat disingenuous to say that only Conservatives reframe debates by changing terminology.  Liberals champion this cause as well.  For instance, "global warming" is now "climate change" (global temps haven't risen since 1998, but we still need a crisis), "legalized abortions" are now "reproductive rights," and they're even trying to rebrand themselves... No longer as "Liberal," but "Progressive."

Second, and more importantly, how out of touch is this entire commentary?  Does he really think that most people consider the etymology of the word "tax" when they grumble about the first five months of their working year going to the IRS?
 
Do us a favor... Don't change the terminology.  Change the spending habits of pandering politicians who waste most of the money we send them on schemes to secure their own electoral future.  Then maybe we wouldn't make such a fuss about sending some of our hard-earned (yes, hard-earned) money their way...
 
For this and other commentaries, please go to www.BoldColorConservative.com
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