Posted on Sun, Nov 22, 2009 : 4:57 p.m.
Our failure to invest in health and education is shameful
By Letters to the Editor
I am amazed and shocked at how instead of leading the world in regards to our health care system we have no national system. We should be hanging our head in shame that we can find the money to wage war against two insignificant nations but we cannot find the money to invest in health and education.
Great nations are not built on the force of arms, empires are and all empires eventually decline. We have the chance to maintain and improve our status as a great nation setting the standards and leading the world rather then an empire trying to order the world.
Louis S. Daher Ann Arbor
Comments
Diagenes
Mon, Nov 30, 2009 : 10:14 p.m.
Dear Mr. Briegel, many people do choose to be ingnorant and poor. They take drugs, have children out side of marriage, drop out of school, buy houses and cars they cannot afford. One big thing lacking in this country is personal responsiblity. When there is a problem look to Uncle Sam he will solve it by raising taxes and borrowing money. Health care is a service that should not be run by government.
Hot Sam
Fri, Nov 27, 2009 : 8:02 a.m.
"But this is no different than establishing the public school system, or the postal system, or the road commission: we all will benefit." All are classic examples of mismanagement and inefficiency. I am sticking by my original point, that we already pay enough. And Dave, if we kept more of our money, "we the people" could do a better job of helping those you mention who are in need. We have allowed the government to become too big to succeed, while at the same time allowing them to decide who is too big to fail. A situation more related to campaign contributions and graft than any thing else. We have a situation that has spun out of control because of lobbyists, lawyers, and politicians, while expecting the same bunch fix it. For the life of me I don't understand how folks who believe all these problems are caused by big greedy corporations can put their faith in the politicians they pay for...
David Briegel
Wed, Nov 25, 2009 : 7:02 a.m.
Now there's a "reasoned voice". You believe people choose to be poor or ignorant. There is a positive statement about the value and worth of each individual. Do they choose to be disabled? Laid off? Downsized? Mentally ill? Conservatives are attempting to "starve the beast" which would be every organization and agency charged with helping these unfortunate souls all of whom are now doing much, much more with much less. All this in a time of greater demand for such services. We all know qualified, capable and competent people who can't find work and especially work with good benefits including health care. How we treat these, our fellow citizens says as much about us as it does them! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
voiceofreason
Wed, Nov 25, 2009 : 12:26 a.m.
Mr. Briegel, Most of the "have nots" are not there by accident....
Bill Wilson
Tue, Nov 24, 2009 : 5:16 p.m.
Sam, This isn't social engineering. And yes, some will not get their accustomed level of care, and there will be ups & downs. But this is no different than establishing the public school system, or the postal system, or the road commission: we all will benefit.
David Briegel
Tue, Nov 24, 2009 : 12:21 p.m.
Longfellow and Hot Sam, This is all about the haves and have nots. What will we do with the have nots? The people that have it don't wish to pay for the have nots. Longfellow sees the light and the American/Civilized/Christian way and others think that old trickle down will work. We are standing in the results of that lie/myth! Right now the only person between you and your doc is an insurance company bureaucrat who takes your premium in order to deny coverage for the benefit of the billionaire CEO!
Hot Sam
Tue, Nov 24, 2009 : 8:29 a.m.
Longfellow I see your points, but I don't see the current "plan" doing anything more than expanding he same nonsense...using the tax code for social engineering only creates a pyramid scheme of unfairness...and I still think we already pay plenty...
Bill Wilson
Mon, Nov 23, 2009 : 7:43 p.m.
Sam, We may have spent enough on education, but many of my tax dollars went to subsudizing health care benefits for a large portion of the population whose benefits are paid for through tax breaks: and this is real corporate welfare, not the imagined kind the libs like to feign. ENOUGH! Obama is right on this, and let's all get behind him, and I say this as a conservative who actually pays his taxes.
Hot Sam
Mon, Nov 23, 2009 : 6:47 p.m.
Failure to invest????? How about "failure to manage money" We spend enough to have superb examples of both, and both are grossly mismanaged...
Bill Wilson
Mon, Nov 23, 2009 : 6:02 p.m.
Sorry guys, I'm a conservative, and I'm with you on 90% of what you say, but not this issue: we're going to have to find a way to afford the health care bill, and yes, the one the Dem's want. Many of you who already have health care insurance through the companies you work for only have it because of tax breaks that are given to businesses. People like myself, who are self-employed and are actually paying their taxes are subsidizing these tax breaks for you, so you and your families can have this insurance. Frankly, we're tired of it.
voiceofreason
Mon, Nov 23, 2009 : 3 p.m.
I agree with John Galt and Top Cat above. Also, I believe the fact that America is lacking a broad "safety-net" is what makes us a stronger nation than most in Europe. Even in strong economic times, unemployment is very commonly 10% or higher in European nations. People can live a better life on the state welfare system than they would having an entry-level job.
John Galt
Mon, Nov 23, 2009 : 12:50 p.m.
The country is BROKE. We cannot afford the Wars OR the National Healthcare system. Medicare and Social Security alone will crush us. We have 12 Trillion (and rising at over a Trillion a year) debt. Fewer people will have jobs to tax. More companies will relocate to lower cost countries if we continue our path. Put the troops on the Mexican border and protect our soverignty. We need to re-trench and get the house in order. Or there will be no United States to argue about.
David Briegel
Mon, Nov 23, 2009 : 12:25 p.m.
Good post Longfellow, Civilized Nations or Industrialized Nations or Christian Nations take care of the lesser among them. We are lacking in life expectancy, infant mortality and a whole host of other areas despite spending twice as much as most comparable nations. Education needs drastic reform. Start over. Too many districts each with a bloated management infrastructure. How much good could be accomplished with the endowments from our public Univ? I agree with using our military for defense but this Perpetual War Profiteering needs to stop. We need to bring our troops home and let the world help with these problems by working together. We went to Afghanistan to get Osama and the Taliban. Now we are supposed to beilieve it was so women and girls could go to school.
Bill Wilson
Mon, Nov 23, 2009 : 11:29 a.m.
Louis, I'm with you somewhat, but let's start with what I disagree on. Great nations are built on force of arms. Like it or not, evil has always existed, and only those nations strong enough to protect themselves against it have survived. Nations fall when the line between good & evil becomes blurred. We have invested in education and health care. In the case of education, too much. There is tremendous bloat and inefficiency in publiclly supported education. Salary and benefits are often out of line with the state of the economy, and tenure prevents competition. Spending practices often lack fiscal accountability. More money will not repair these issues. Reform is needed. As to health care, I am somewhat in agreement. The existing safety net for the poor and elderly are not enough. We need a national health care system, and please note, I say this as a conservative who is self-employed and pays his taxes.