Hi, Im a nurse from Sweden. I've been campaining for Bernie for about 5 months now. Phonebanking, donating Money, spreading The message. I love to pay taxes because; our schools, healthcare, dedication, wages and so on are way a head of u. What The FUCK CNN, fox...? WHAT THE FUCK.
CNN, FOX? Those aren't news stations. They're entertainment channels that air Faux News.
Thank you for working for Bernie!!
Yepp, so why are the fuckers covering Trump & Clinton.
Sorry im so pissed of. Get out there and make the biggest turnout ever. USA had a 55% voting turnout back in 2012 and thats on the GOP & Clintons. Most Eurepeon countrys has over 75% voting turnout. Belgium 95 for exampel.
Hi, Im a nurse from Sweden. I've been campaining for Bernie for about 5 months now. Phonebanking, donating Money, spreading The message. I love to pay taxes because; our schools, healthcare, dedication, wages and so on are way a head of u. What The FUCK CNN, fox...? WHAT THE FUCK.
CNN, FOX? Those aren't news stations. They're entertainment channels that air Faux News.
Thank you for working for Bernie!!
Yepp, so why are the fuckers covering Trump & Clinton.
Sorry im so pissed of. Get out there and make the biggest turnout ever. USA had a 55% voting turnout back in 2012 and thats on the GOP & Clintons. Most Eurepeon countrys has over 75% voting turnout. Belgium 95 for exampel.
Not only is our voter turn out pathetically low, but our participation in our political system in general is very weak. Most Americans have never sat in on a state legislative meeting or county board meeting or been to city hall to voice and opinion (all great and educational experiences) let alone write a letter to or call their representative. We are a weak and passive people.
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
Can't take this video serious. Weed is not legal anywhere in Canada, Medical marijuana is, but you need a Doctor willing to prescribe it, if you have a doctor...most walk in clinics and hospitals do not prescribe narcotics. you guys need to quit looking at our universal health care model, look elsewhere.
I have certain rules I live by ... My First Rule ... I don't believe anything the government tells me ... George Carlin
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
Can't take this video serious. Weed is not legal anywhere in Canada, Medical marijuana is, but you need a Doctor willing to prescribe it, if you have a doctor...most walk in clinics and hospitals do not prescribe narcotics. you guys need to quit looking at our universal health care model, look elsewhere.
I don't think that's good advice. Their best model would be every functional system in the western world and finding the best in all of them, including Canada's, which does plenty right. Things are changing fast when it comes to weed, and it also depends where you are. I.e. in Vancouver it practically may as well be legal already because the city decided it's a waste of money and resources to fight it.
Post edited by PJ_Soul on
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
Can't take this video serious. Weed is not legal anywhere in Canada, Medical marijuana is, but you need a Doctor willing to prescribe it, if you have a doctor...most walk in clinics and hospitals do not prescribe narcotics. you guys need to quit looking at our universal health care model, look elsewhere.
I don't think that's good advice. Their best model would be every functional system in the western world and finding the best in all of them, including Canada's, which does plenty right. Things are changing fast when it comes to weed, and it also depends where you are. I.e. in Vancouver it practically may as well be legal already because the city decided it's a waste of money and resources to fight it.
Weed is still not legal, thats the point, and at anytime the federal government could have the rcmp move in and bust those heads shops, leave Vancouver with weed in your pocket and you could risk criminal charges. I support the legalization of weed, it will likely be legal at some point, Trudeau could have decriminalized pot by now so no-one faced criminal charges for possession...and people still do, for a drug that is probably the least harmful and most beneficial...yet alcohol, tobacco and pharmaceuticals remain untouched...yet far more harm is done annually by those drugs than weed.
And our health care is horrible, it is far from consistent across the country...there are far better models to look at than Canada. The budget I get it, he had to pay off a lot of promises...apparently so many promises he couldn't keep and blew past his deficit targets by a little bit...hehehe. Bottom line is health care is barely iafootnote in any federal and provincial budget, that 23 billion their bribing families with every year would be far better spent in health and education. And if your going to bribe families have some limits, I'm pretty sure the family making 125-150 k a year don't need government help.
As for day care, the infrastructure is already in place...I'm willing to bet in just about every school across the country they got empty spaces that can be converted to day care spaces...and public day care should only be available to those who can't afford day care.
It's the budget the people wanted, these same families that are so thrilled...I wonder how many of them at some point will be in need of a go fund me to help cover the cost of some medical, whether its expenses getting to where they need to be, etc..
As far as I'm concerned both provincial and federal governments are purposely bleeding the health care system.
We'll see...but because of governments irresponsible spending, including the last government and many previous governments we spend federally about 35 billion a year just to service the debt...imaging if that went into health and infrastructure every year.
And I truly believe until someone comes along who is super serious about tackling the federal debt, not just the deficit...then this country is going to slide toward the shit house.
I have certain rules I live by ... My First Rule ... I don't believe anything the government tells me ... George Carlin
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
That guy was fabulous. I always enjoy Canadians opinions on America. When I hear that nonsense it always solidifies how irrelevant of a country they really are, other then fantastic Musky fishing and hunting...and many of my Blackhawks Aye..
Hahaha yeah because if your economy doesn't tank every 10 years, you don't have hundreds of mass shootings every year, and you don't waste trillions of dollars on wars that can't be won, you must be irrelevant. Thank good God above that Musky lives in our world and we don't have to live in his!
I see Irrelevance loves company Ahe.... Can we add you to the list of libbies who vow to leave the US if American gets the chance to be great again?
I'm curious about when we were great? I guess that means we aren't great now, but what year, or years, were we great? If that's the guy's slogan, it must have been identified by now, right?
That guy was fabulous. I always enjoy Canadians opinions on America. When I hear that nonsense it always solidifies how irrelevant of a country they really are, other then fantastic Musky fishing and hunting...and many of my Blackhawks Aye..
Hahaha yeah because if your economy doesn't tank every 10 years, you don't have hundreds of mass shootings every year, and you don't waste trillions of dollars on wars that can't be won, you must be irrelevant. Thank good God above that Musky lives in our world and we don't have to live in his!
I see Irrelevance loves company Ahe.... Can we add you to the list of libbies who vow to leave the US if American gets the chance to be great again?
I'm curious about when we were great? I guess that means we aren't great now, but what year, or years, were we great? If that's the guy's slogan, it must have been identified by now, right?
Musky has dodged this question so much he would make a great politician!
Can't take this video serious. Weed is not legal anywhere in Canada, Medical marijuana is, but you need a Doctor willing to prescribe it, if you have a doctor...most walk in clinics and hospitals do not prescribe narcotics. you guys need to quit looking at our universal health care model, look elsewhere.
I don't think that's good advice. Their best model would be every functional system in the western world and finding the best in all of them, including Canada's, which does plenty right. Things are changing fast when it comes to weed, and it also depends where you are. I.e. in Vancouver it practically may as well be legal already because the city decided it's a waste of money and resources to fight it.
Weed is still not legal, thats the point, and at anytime the federal government could have the rcmp move in and bust those heads shops, leave Vancouver with weed in your pocket and you could risk criminal charges. I support the legalization of weed, it will likely be legal at some point, Trudeau could have decriminalized pot by now so no-one faced criminal charges for possession...and people still do, for a drug that is probably the least harmful and most beneficial...yet alcohol, tobacco and pharmaceuticals remain untouched...yet far more harm is done annually by those drugs than weed.
And our health care is horrible, it is far from consistent across the country...there are far better models to look at than Canada. The budget I get it, he had to pay off a lot of promises...apparently so many promises he couldn't keep and blew past his deficit targets by a little bit...hehehe. Bottom line is health care is barely iafootnote in any federal and provincial budget, that 23 billion their bribing families with every year would be far better spent in health and education. And if your going to bribe families have some limits, I'm pretty sure the family making 125-150 k a year don't need government help.
As for day care, the infrastructure is already in place...I'm willing to bet in just about every school across the country they got empty spaces that can be converted to day care spaces...and public day care should only be available to those who can't afford day care.
It's the budget the people wanted, these same families that are so thrilled...I wonder how many of them at some point will be in need of a go fund me to help cover the cost of some medical, whether its expenses getting to where they need to be, etc..
As far as I'm concerned both provincial and federal governments are purposely bleeding the health care system.
We'll see...but because of governments irresponsible spending, including the last government and many previous governments we spend federally about 35 billion a year just to service the debt...imaging if that went into health and infrastructure every year.
And I truly believe until someone comes along who is super serious about tackling the federal debt, not just the deficit...then this country is going to slide toward the shit house.
How I envy your ability as a Canadian to focus on the macroeconomics of funding universal health care. Here's a little context for you, however. Try to imagine your anger and frustration in this situation: this year, my health insurance premium for my family of 4 is about $23,000; my employer pays 2/3 and I pay 1/3. That means $154 per week is deducted from my paycheck for health insurance. For this ridiculously high cost, our policy provides for a $3000 per person / $6000 family deductible. Prescription drugs are counted as any other medical expense under my deductible. That means that I pay out of pocket for a medication my wife is prescribed that costs $448 per month until we reach her $3000 deductible. Luckily, my family is generally healthy; conversely, this means my employer and I pay $23,000.00 a year and essentially receive NO BENEFIT. And this kind of coverage is pretty typical; many are much worse, but we are still classified as "insured". Perhaps this will help you understand why the Canadian model or UK model or French or German or Danish, or, for fuck's sakes EVERY OTHER WESTERN INDUSTRIAL NATION'S model is so attractive to Americans.
And yet, the establishment media continues to belittle and chuckle and shake their heads at these "radical" "crazy" ideas of Bernie Sanders. BUT WE WONT GIVE UP. FEEL THE BERN!
We Canadians pay plenty in taxes for our health care system...it's not even close to free...so when some politician is promising free this, free that...it's not free, somebody has to pay to keep our hospitals up, for nurses, doctors, property taxes on hospital property, equipment...etc. Yes compared to America ours value health care looks better, but its nowhere near free. My guess is that most of the people who complain about their system in the US would also be the loudest moaners when they can not even get a family doc and their stuck going to a walk in clinic (if your community is fortunate enough to have one) or going to a hospital er (wait times 4-8 hours). Our hospitals are no way free.
I have certain rules I live by ... My First Rule ... I don't believe anything the government tells me ... George Carlin
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
Universal Health Care not free, you and I know its not, there are plenty of people who believe its free. And plenty of politicians tout free this and that. Just recently here in Ontario the current liberal government is touting free post secondary education...look further into it and common sense alone tells you its far from free, still doesn't stop the politicians from claiming its free.
I have certain rules I live by ... My First Rule ... I don't believe anything the government tells me ... George Carlin
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
Universal Health Care not free, you and I know its not, there are plenty of people who believe its free. And plenty of politicians tout free this and that. Just recently here in Ontario the current liberal government is touting free post secondary education...look further into it and common sense alone tells you its far from free, still doesn't stop the politicians from claiming its free.
Who thinks it's just free? I have literally never come anyone in my whole life who doesn't know that a universal health care system is paid for with tax dollars. When someone just kind of throws out "it's free" give then some credit. You are taking them way too literally. All they mean is that we don't have to pay for anything out of pocket. That we don't have to worry about being able to afford it when we need medical care. Same with government subsidized tuition. Honestly, you must really think people are stupid. I feel like you have been caught up in semantics, and i don't understand why. What do you think the point of going around complaining about shit not being free is doing, besides telling people you think they're idiots?
Post edited by PJ_Soul on
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
Universal Health Care not free, you and I know its not, there are plenty of people who believe its free. And plenty of politicians tout free this and that. Just recently here in Ontario the current liberal government is touting free post secondary education...look further into it and common sense alone tells you its far from free, still doesn't stop the politicians from claiming its free.
Who thinks it's just free? I have literally never come anyone in my whole life who doesn't know that a universal health care system is paid for with tax dollars. When someone just kind of throws out "it's free" give then some credit. You are taking them way too literally. All they mean is that we don't have to pay for anything out of pocket. That we don't have to worry about being able to afford it when we need medical care. Same with government subsidized tuition. Honestly, you must really think people are stupid. I feel like you have been caught up in semantics, and i don't understand why. What do you think the point of going around complaining about shit not being free is doing, besides telling people you think they're idiots?
Unfortunately we have politicians (who, as you say, know better) that continue to tout the various services as "free." I'm thinking specifically of here in Ontario, where the other night I caught some of the provincial question period. When asked a question about the "free" post-secondary tuition, the premier herself numerous times referred to the program as "free tuition." Just trying to say that the various governments have no problem misleading or misrepresenting things, which almost excuses the general public from not seeing the true picture. Sadly I've been conditioned to such cynicism over the years so that I really expect nothing from the general voters (some are informed and intelligent, but hardly the majority, and the current partisan environment on all sides doesn't help either).
"The world is full of idiots and I am but one of them."
10-30-1991 Toronto, Toronto 1 & 2 2016, Toronto 2022
Universal Health Care not free, you and I know its not, there are plenty of people who believe its free. And plenty of politicians tout free this and that. Just recently here in Ontario the current liberal government is touting free post secondary education...look further into it and common sense alone tells you its far from free, still doesn't stop the politicians from claiming its free.
Who thinks it's just free? I have literally never come anyone in my whole life who doesn't know that a universal health care system is paid for with tax dollars. When someone just kind of throws out "it's free" give then some credit. You are taking them way too literally. All they mean is that we don't have to pay for anything out of pocket. That we don't have to worry about being able to afford it when we need medical care. Same with government subsidized tuition. Honestly, you must really think people are stupid. I feel like you have been caught up in semantics, and i don't understand why. What do you think the point of going around complaining about shit not being free is doing, besides telling people you think they're idiots?
Unfortunately we have politicians (who, as you say, know better) that continue to tout the various services as "free." I'm thinking specifically of here in Ontario, where the other night I caught some of the provincial question period. When asked a question about the "free" post-secondary tuition, the premier herself numerous times referred to the program as "free tuition." Just trying to say that the various governments have no problem misleading or misrepresenting things, which almost excuses the general public from not seeing the true picture. Sadly I've been conditioned to such cynicism over the years so that I really expect nothing from the general voters (some are informed and intelligent, but hardly the majority, and the current partisan environment on all sides doesn't help either).
Agreed...That free education is not free, not even close...I believe its capped, doesn't cover the cost of books and living expenses...and i suspect living expenses can cost as much as tuition if not more. Our premier in Ontario is touting this as free because when the next election come around there are a whole bunch of young people who will think they got free tuition or are getting free tuition...Its called indoctrination...I see her federal cousins have learned from her very well.
I have certain rules I live by ... My First Rule ... I don't believe anything the government tells me ... George Carlin
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
oh well, must just be me and some others that take it to literally
I don't know how anyone would think what you are trying to say is that people are idiots.
I'm not saying anyone is an idiot, but the vast majority of the electorate don't care and are uninformed, thats the only way to explain Harper winning multiple elections and certainly the way to explain the ontario liberals 4 election wins.
I have certain rules I live by ... My First Rule ... I don't believe anything the government tells me ... George Carlin
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
oh well, must just be me and some others that take it to literally
I don't know how anyone would think what you are trying to say is that people are idiots.
I'm not saying anyone is an idiot, but the vast majority of the electorate don't care and are uninformed, thats the only way to explain Harper winning multiple elections and certainly the way to explain the ontario liberals 4 election wins.
I might phrase it another way: while individuals aren't stupid by and large, the mob is selfish and stupid. Sad, but true (to my cynical point of view, lol).
"The world is full of idiots and I am but one of them."
10-30-1991 Toronto, Toronto 1 & 2 2016, Toronto 2022
oh well, must just be me and some others that take it to literally
I don't know how anyone would think what you are trying to say is that people are idiots.
I'm not saying anyone is an idiot, but the vast majority of the electorate don't care and are uninformed, thats the only way to explain Harper winning multiple elections and certainly the way to explain the ontario liberals 4 election wins.
I might phrase it another way: while individuals aren't stupid by and large, the mob is selfish and stupid. Sad, but true (to my cynical point of view, lol).
I will definitely agree about the selfish,
I have certain rules I live by ... My First Rule ... I don't believe anything the government tells me ... George Carlin
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
Serious question about the Canadian healthcare system (bear with me, I'll get there) because I have only heard anecdotal comments about it and this thread seems to have several Canadians discussing it that are clearly familiar with it... and please don't be offended by the question I don't mean it to sound negative, I truly am curious how it really works vs. random tidbits I have read...
Also, in the interest of full disclosure so there's no accusation that I am somehow passively aggressively making some point.... I am not convinced socialized medicine is the answer. I think there is a way to help those that can't afford their own insurance (and we have an obligation to help these people), but an across the board mandate just isn't something I am ready to support. With that said....
Over the last several years multiple members of my family have needed MRIs for one reason or another. Of course when you or a family member are having health issues, you try and get as much info as possible, often turning to "Dr Google" (yes I understand this can be dangerous because you may have a pimple and suddenly be convinced it's heart disease, etc, because of what you read on the internet, nevertheless most of us do it anyway). In any event, the google results invariably lead you to message boards where folks are discussing health issues that are the same or similar to what you or a loved one are experiencing. In some cases there were folks from Canada complaining that their MRIs were declined (by who I don't know, but it sounded like someone held the purse strings and said no). Others were also complaining about how long it took to either get in to a doctor/specialist or to have tests done that were approved. From the point of view of the Canadian folks, are these comments reality or just sour grapes from folks that may have had weird circumstances?
(This post got away from me a bit, lol, sorry for the me length).
There are often waiting lists for such things as MRIs or particular surgeries IF it's not something that could be called urgent, but i have never heard anyone say that they simply couldn't get one at all. If that has happened it's certainly not normal.
In my experience, some do indeed get bitter if they have had what i would call bad luck. I.e., their doctors fucked up, some administrative hitch or mistake occurred, etc. But all I can really accurately comment on are my own experiences and those of the people close to me. From that perspective, i honestly can't complain at all. In the past 5 years or so i have had an MRI, a CAT scan, and a bone scan, and i didn't wait for any of them longer than a week. I have also had a cancer scare, and i was seen by a specialist within 10 days, and while i didn't have cancer, preventative minor surgery was done literally the same day.
My sister nearly died of cancer and she was treated immediately and with great care. My dad has had serious heart issues and has ALWAYS been treated immediately and with great care and attention. He also had cancer, and from diagnosis (which was impressive - some might have expected a doctor to miss the symptoms) to surgical treatment it was taken care of fabulously within 2 weeks. He has also had 3 knee operations, and never had to wait a crazy amount of time for scans or surgeries, though there were probably about 4 months between the scans and the surgeries in two cases, and one got bumped twice because the specialist had emergencies that took precedent, so that actually took more like 7 months.
I have broken 6 bones and have never spent longer than an hour waiting for an xray, nor longer than 2 hours in an ER. I have also been to the ER with an eye injury and they actually took me in immediately for diagnosis and treatment - they were earnestly concerned about protecting my vision. Finally, i went to the ER with strange neurological symptoms (i am fine )and they treated me with same kind of urgency i would expect when someone is dying of a heart attack or something, and handled it with extreme care, considering any and all possibilities and getting me tests and sending me to other specialists without any delay whatsoever, and they communicated effectively between hospitals to get it done.
My best friend's son was born with his guts upside down so need emergency surgery when he was born and then extended treatment in NICU, and he could not have been happier with how well his son was treated and cared for, or with how he and his wife were treated while they basically lived at the hospital.
I could go on....
My mom had one bad experience about 35 years ago where some nurse gave her the wrong meds while in the hospital.
So obviously I have been very well served by Canada's healthcare system personally. It is my opinion that there are a relatively small number of people who have had bad experiences for one reason or another, but i have never been touched by them (in most cases it appears to be a case of having bad luck with doctors and how they personally handle the patient's needs, but the problems of course are all over the map), and are very vocal about it, so the bad shit, while not the norm, becomes highlighted and catches people's attention. I hear about these nightmare scenarios, but they aren't common (I know one guy who has had a few bad experiences in the ER and now rails against the system as though they were trying to murder him and his whole family, lol, but i have noticed that actually, he and his family get very good care and he just refuses to praise it. He and his fam (3 kids) are those people who somehow ALWAYS have a medical emergency of one kind or another - perhaps they are cursed).
And yes, there are some pretty long waiting lists for certain procedures that aren't urgent, and some people get impatient with that, which is understandable. If you need, say, a hip replacement and have to wait 14 months for it while it's painful to walk, i kniw that must be very frustrating. And in some hospitals there aren't always enough beds, apparently, though i have never experienced that and don't know anyone who has (the worst i've heard about directly was someone not being able to get a private room when they wanted it). But according to the news it happens sometimes, so there is a funding or an administrative issue there I assume.
My biggest complaint is that there aren't enough GPs, and even fewer good ones. Canada has a real shortage of them, which causes walk-in clinics to be overtaxed. This appears to simply be because GPs are underpaid in Canada so everyone tries to specialize. It's definitely a problem that has to be tackled ASAP.
Btw, there are private clinics and stuff in Canada for those who would rather pay out of pocket than wait. If you have the money and want an MRI or whatever else within days instead of months, you have that option.
As for your comment about helping people who can't afford it to pay for insurance rather than having socialized healthcare ... IMO, it is the insurance company industry that is at the heart of the problems with US healthcare. As long as insurance companies have ANY input when it comes to medical treatment and ANY power to withold treatment/payment under ANY circumstances, I am 100% against that system. Also, i think having insurance policies thatndiffer in coverage according to price is disgusting. I and most other Canadians feel that if a person - any person - needs medical care, they can simply go and get that care. No one should ever have to think about how they might finance medical care. No one should have to wrangle with insurance companies when they are sick or injured. No one should ever have to worry about shit like whether or not an illness was a "preexisting condition". That just seems fucked up to me.
Post edited by PJ_Soul on
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
Hi, Im a nurse from Sweden. I've been campaining for Bernie for about 5 months now. Phonebanking, donating Money, spreading The message. I love to pay taxes because; our schools, healthcare, dedication, wages and so on are way a head of u. What The FUCK CNN, fox...? WHAT THE FUCK.
CNN, FOX? Those aren't news stations. They're entertainment channels that air Faux News.
Thank you for working for Bernie!!
Yepp, so why are the fuckers covering Trump & Clinton.
Sorry im so pissed of. Get out there and make the biggest turnout ever. USA had a 55% voting turnout back in 2012 and thats on the GOP & Clintons. Most Eurepeon countrys has over 75% voting turnout. Belgium 95 for exampel.
Not only is our voter turn out pathetically low, but our participation in our political system in general is very weak. Most Americans have never sat in on a state legislative meeting or county board meeting or been to city hall to voice and opinion (all great and educational experiences) let alone write a letter to or call their representative. We are a weak and passive people.
this is what happens when as a society youre content with your lot and the lies that afford it. so long as your credit card isn't denied and you can still buy all the shit you don't need and have the freedom to bitch about shit and still think its okay that the next person shot by the 2nd amendment is your 5 year old child cause god damn it its our right as americans to be armed against all enemies imaginery ......
hear my name
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
Hi, Im a nurse from Sweden. I've been campaining for Bernie for about 5 months now. Phonebanking, donating Money, spreading The message. I love to pay taxes because; our schools, healthcare, dedication, wages and so on are way a head of u. What The FUCK CNN, fox...? WHAT THE FUCK.
CNN, FOX? Those aren't news stations. They're entertainment channels that air Faux News.
Thank you for working for Bernie!!
Yepp, so why are the fuckers covering Trump & Clinton.
Sorry im so pissed of. Get out there and make the biggest turnout ever. USA had a 55% voting turnout back in 2012 and thats on the GOP & Clintons. Most Eurepeon countrys has over 75% voting turnout. Belgium 95 for exampel.
Not only is our voter turn out pathetically low, but our participation in our political system in general is very weak. Most Americans have never sat in on a state legislative meeting or county board meeting or been to city hall to voice and opinion (all great and educational experiences) let alone write a letter to or call their representative. We are a weak and passive people.
this is what happens when as a society youre content with your lot and the lies that afford it. so long as your credit card isn't denied and you can still buy all the shit you don't need and have the freedom to bitch about shit and still think its okay that the next person shot by the 2nd amendment is your 5 year old child cause god damn it its our right as americans to be armed against all enemies imaginery ......
A good summation, Cate, that all-too-often-present apathy, ennui, misdirected anger and fear that characterizes much of America.
And speaking of "all enemies imaginary"- so many of our enemies are a figment of imagination. Which takes us back the the topic here. Agree with him or not, I don't quite understand why some people react as though Bernie Sanders is their enemy or inaccurately characterize him the way some do.
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
Hi, Im a nurse from Sweden. I've been campaining for Bernie for about 5 months now. Phonebanking, donating Money, spreading The message. I love to pay taxes because; our schools, healthcare, dedication, wages and so on are way a head of u. What The FUCK CNN, fox...? WHAT THE FUCK.
CNN, FOX? Those aren't news stations. They're entertainment channels that air Faux News.
Thank you for working for Bernie!!
Yepp, so why are the fuckers covering Trump & Clinton.
Sorry im so pissed of. Get out there and make the biggest turnout ever. USA had a 55% voting turnout back in 2012 and thats on the GOP & Clintons. Most Eurepeon countrys has over 75% voting turnout. Belgium 95 for exampel.
Not only is our voter turn out pathetically low, but our participation in our political system in general is very weak. Most Americans have never sat in on a state legislative meeting or county board meeting or been to city hall to voice and opinion (all great and educational experiences) let alone write a letter to or call their representative. We are a weak and passive people.
this is what happens when as a society youre content with your lot and the lies that afford it. so long as your credit card isn't denied and you can still buy all the shit you don't need and have the freedom to bitch about shit and still think its okay that the next person shot by the 2nd amendment is your 5 year old child cause god damn it its our right as americans to be armed against all enemies imaginery ......
A good summation, Cate, that all-too-often-present apathy, ennui, misdirected anger and fear that characterizes much of America.
And speaking of "all enemies imaginary"- so many of our enemies are a figment of imagination. Which takes us back the the topic here. Agree with him or not, I don't quite understand why some people react as though Bernie Sanders is their enemy or inaccurately characterize him the way some do.
the threat may or may not be real but the fear definitely is.
hear my name
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
(This post got away from me a bit, lol, sorry for the me length).
There are often waiting lists for such things as MRIs or particular surgeries IF it's not something that could be called urgent, but i have never heard anyone say that they simply couldn't get one at all. If that has happened it's certainly not normal.
In my experience, some do indeed get bitter if they have had what i would call bad luck. I.e., their doctors fucked up, some administrative hitch or mistake occurred, etc. But all I can really accurately comment on are my own experiences and those of the people close to me. From that perspective, i honestly can't complain at all. In the past 5 years or so i have had an MRI, a CAT scan, and a bone scan, and i didn't wait for any of them longer than a week. I have also had a cancer scare, and i was seen by a specialist within 10 days, and while i didn't have cancer, preventative minor surgery was done literally the same day.
My sister nearly died of cancer and she was treated immediately and with great care. My dad has had serious heart issues and has ALWAYS been treated immediately and with great care and attention. He also had cancer, and from diagnosis (which was impressive - some might have expected a doctor to miss the symptoms) to surgical treatment it was taken care of fabulously within 2 weeks. He has also had 3 knee operations, and never had to wait a crazy amount of time for scans or surgeries, though there were probably about 4 months between the scans and the surgeries in two cases, and one got bumped twice because the specialist had emergencies that took precedent, so that actually took more like 7 months.
I have broken 6 bones and have never spent longer than an hour waiting for an xray, nor longer than 2 hours in an ER. I have also been to the ER with an eye injury and they actually took me in immediately for diagnosis and treatment - they were earnestly concerned about protecting my vision. Finally, i went to the ER with strange neurological symptoms (i am fine )and they treated me with same kind of urgency i would expect when someone is dying of a heart attack or something, and handled it with extreme care, considering any and all possibilities and getting me tests and sending me to other specialists without any delay whatsoever, and they communicated effectively between hospitals to get it done.
My best friend's son was born with his guts upside down so need emergency surgery when he was born and then extended treatment in NICU, and he could not have been happier with how well his son was treated and cared for, or with how he and his wife were treated while they basically lived at the hospital.
I could go on....
My mom had one bad experience about 35 years ago where some nurse gave her the wrong meds while in the hospital.
So obviously I have been very well served by Canada's healthcare system personally. It is my opinion that there are a relatively small number of people who have had bad experiences for one reason or another, but i have never been touched by them (in most cases it appears to be a case of having bad luck with doctors and how they personally handle the patient's needs, but the problems of course are all over the map), and are very vocal about it, so the bad shit, while not the norm, becomes highlighted and catches people's attention. I hear about these nightmare scenarios, but they aren't common (I know one guy who has had a few bad experiences in the ER and now rails against the system as though they were trying to murder him and his whole family, lol, but i have noticed that actually, he and his family get very good care and he just refuses to praise it. He and his fam (3 kids) are those people who somehow ALWAYS have a medical emergency of one kind or another - perhaps they are cursed).
And yes, there are some pretty long waiting lists for certain procedures that aren't urgent, and some people get impatient with that, which is understandable. If you need, say, a hip replacement and have to wait 14 months for it while it's painful to walk, i kniw that must be very frustrating. And in some hospitals there aren't always enough beds, apparently, though i have never experienced that and don't know anyone who has (the worst i've heard about directly was someone not being able to get a private room when they wanted it). But according to the news it happens sometimes, so there is a funding or an administrative issue there I assume.
My biggest complaint is that there aren't enough GPs, and even fewer good ones. Canada has a real shortage of them, which causes walk-in clinics to be overtaxed. This appears to simply be because GPs are underpaid in Canada so everyone tries to specialize. It's definitely a problem that has to be tackled ASAP.
Btw, there are private clinics and stuff in Canada for those who would rather pay out of pocket than wait. If you have the money and want an MRI or whatever else within days instead of months, you have that option.
As for your comment about helping people who can't afford it to pay for insurance rather than having socialized healthcare ... IMO, it is the insurance company industry that is at the heart of the problems with US healthcare. As long as insurance companies have ANY input when it comes to medical treatment and ANY power to withold treatment/payment under ANY circumstances, I am 100% against that system. Also, i think having insurance policies thatndiffer in coverage according to price is disgusting. I and most other Canadians feel that if a person - any person - needs medical care, they can simply go and get that care. No one should ever have to think about how they might finance medical care. No one should have to wrangle with insurance companies when they are sick or injured. No one should ever have to worry about shit like whether or not an illness was a "preexisting condition". That just seems fucked up to me.
First, I am very glad to hear your more serious problems turned out ok! Those neuro symptoms you referenced were actually something that I also faced and was one of the MRIs I had. Bizarre shit but it all turned out ok.
Beyond that, thank you for the detailed information as this definitely provides a much better insight as to the Canadian system, and I won't lie, it definitely opened my eyes a bit vs. the impressions I previously held.
One thing, the irony here in the States is that we seem to have the opposite problem. We have plenty of GPs but sometimes the specialists are hard to come by. Good ones anyway. Not really sure why that it but I suspect it stems from insurance reimbursement issues vs cost of care for the specialist, but who knows.
We Canadians pay plenty in taxes for our health care system...it's not even close to free...so when some politician is promising free this, free that...it's not free, somebody has to pay to keep our hospitals up, for nurses, doctors, property taxes on hospital property, equipment...etc. Yes compared to America ours value health care looks better, but its nowhere near free. My guess is that most of the people who complain about their system in the US would also be the loudest moaners when they can not even get a family doc and their stuck going to a walk in clinic (if your community is fortunate enough to have one) or going to a hospital er (wait times 4-8 hours). Our hospitals are no way free.
The number one reason for personal bankruptcies in the US is medical care. My biggest fear is loosing my coverage or any of my family members and all I've worked for will be gone due to illness. Companies hold employees hostage due to medical coverage.
All in Canada have health coverage. Not so in us. Normal to wait hours at emergency rooms here.
We Canadians pay plenty in taxes for our health care system...it's not even close to free...so when some politician is promising free this, free that...it's not free, somebody has to pay to keep our hospitals up, for nurses, doctors, property taxes on hospital property, equipment...etc. Yes compared to America ours value health care looks better, but its nowhere near free. My guess is that most of the people who complain about their system in the US would also be the loudest moaners when they can not even get a family doc and their stuck going to a walk in clinic (if your community is fortunate enough to have one) or going to a hospital er (wait times 4-8 hours). Our hospitals are no way free.
The number one reason for personal bankruptcies in the US is medical care. My biggest fear is loosing my coverage or any of my family members and all I've worked for will be gone due to illness. Companies hold employees hostage due to medical coverage.
All in Canada have health coverage. Not so in us. Normal to wait hours at emergency rooms here.
That is a fear no one should have. Up here we make it a goal daily to ensure that never happens. Yes a big part of our taxes go to healthcare but it sure does absorb any fear of being left poor and sick due to no other reason than being a human being.
At our ERs you get triaged like anyone else and depending on how busy it is you may get seen right away for a sliver or could end up waiting hours for a broken leg.
All my personal and family experiences with medical issues have been as reasonable as one could want for being taken care of for "free".
Again, an enormous amount of our federal taxes go into healthcare. We as a people are fine with that.
We Canadians pay plenty in taxes for our health care system...it's not even close to free...so when some politician is promising free this, free that...it's not free, somebody has to pay to keep our hospitals up, for nurses, doctors, property taxes on hospital property, equipment...etc. Yes compared to America ours value health care looks better, but its nowhere near free. My guess is that most of the people who complain about their system in the US would also be the loudest moaners when they can not even get a family doc and their stuck going to a walk in clinic (if your community is fortunate enough to have one) or going to a hospital er (wait times 4-8 hours). Our hospitals are no way free.
The number one reason for personal bankruptcies in the US is medical care. My biggest fear is loosing my coverage or any of my family members and all I've worked for will be gone due to illness. Companies hold employees hostage due to medical coverage.
All in Canada have health coverage. Not so in us. Normal to wait hours at emergency rooms here.
No one, absolutely no one should go bankrupt...and no one should have less healthcare coverage than your politicians, yet many Americans do. And Bernie going to fix this how? It seems to me if this is to be fixed then Congressmen and Senators who also support universal healthcare need to be elected, seems like the potus is more a figure head job these days.
As for Canada's health care...its far more complicated than appears, I often suspect you could talk to 10 Canadians and 10 varying opinions...both good and bad. I rate our system as mediocre to good, if you get seriously sick, i.e. cancer, you'll be taken care of fairly quick, need elective surgery you'll wait a bit...6-12 months and getting longer here in Ontario...I'd like to say no one gets in financial crisis here in Canada because of health, but I suspect there are many who really struggle financially when sick or waiting for a procedure, not everyone waiting for elective surgery can work. And a lot depends on region, if your in the far north, the healthcare might consist of a nurse only, the bigger cities do much better than smaller communities, etc.. Such a large country, small population has its challenges to providing healthcare. Of course I haven't even mentioned how poor healthcare is in aboriginal communities.
All I'm saying is look elsewhere for universal health care, you guys definitely need it, but many European countries are likely offering a better system...thats just my opinion.
I have certain rules I live by ... My First Rule ... I don't believe anything the government tells me ... George Carlin
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
Serious question about the Canadian healthcare system (bear with me, I'll get there) because I have only heard anecdotal comments about it and this thread seems to have several Canadians discussing it that are clearly familiar with it... and please don't be offended by the question I don't mean it to sound negative, I truly am curious how it really works vs. random tidbits I have read...
Also, in the interest of full disclosure so there's no accusation that I am somehow passively aggressively making some point.... I am not convinced socialized medicine is the answer. I think there is a way to help those that can't afford their own insurance (and we have an obligation to help these people), but an across the board mandate just isn't something I am ready to support. With that said....
Over the last several years multiple members of my family have needed MRIs for one reason or another. Of course when you or a family member are having health issues, you try and get as much info as possible, often turning to "Dr Google" (yes I understand this can be dangerous because you may have a pimple and suddenly be convinced it's heart disease, etc, because of what you read on the internet, nevertheless most of us do it anyway). In any event, the google results invariably lead you to message boards where folks are discussing health issues that are the same or similar to what you or a loved one are experiencing. In some cases there were folks from Canada complaining that their MRIs were declined (by who I don't know, but it sounded like someone held the purse strings and said no). Others were also complaining about how long it took to either get in to a doctor/specialist or to have tests done that were approved. From the point of view of the Canadian folks, are these comments reality or just sour grapes from folks that may have had weird circumstances?
Health care in Canada is complicated, very much depends on where you live, not all areas are equipped the same. Waiting list are real for many Canadians, not having a family doc compliments things for many.
I have certain rules I live by ... My First Rule ... I don't believe anything the government tells me ... George Carlin
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
Comments
Sorry im so pissed of. Get out there and make the biggest turnout ever. USA had a 55% voting turnout back in 2012 and thats on the GOP & Clintons. Most Eurepeon countrys has over 75% voting turnout. Belgium 95 for exampel.
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
Things are changing fast when it comes to weed, and it also depends where you are. I.e. in Vancouver it practically may as well be legal already because the city decided it's a waste of money and resources to fight it.
And our health care is horrible, it is far from consistent across the country...there are far better models to look at than Canada. The budget I get it, he had to pay off a lot of promises...apparently so many promises he couldn't keep and blew past his deficit targets by a little bit...hehehe. Bottom line is health care is barely iafootnote in any federal and provincial budget, that 23 billion their bribing families with every year would be far better spent in health and education. And if your going to bribe families have some limits, I'm pretty sure the family making 125-150 k a year don't need government help.
As for day care, the infrastructure is already in place...I'm willing to bet in just about every school across the country they got empty spaces that can be converted to day care spaces...and public day care should only be available to those who can't afford day care.
It's the budget the people wanted, these same families that are so thrilled...I wonder how many of them at some point will be in need of a go fund me to help cover the cost of some medical, whether its expenses getting to where they need to be, etc..
As far as I'm concerned both provincial and federal governments are purposely bleeding the health care system.
We'll see...but because of governments irresponsible spending, including the last government and many previous governments we spend federally about 35 billion a year just to service the debt...imaging if that went into health and infrastructure every year.
And I truly believe until someone comes along who is super serious about tackling the federal debt, not just the deficit...then this country is going to slide toward the shit house.
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
And yet, the establishment media continues to belittle and chuckle and shake their heads at these "radical" "crazy" ideas of Bernie Sanders. BUT WE WONT GIVE UP. FEEL THE BERN!
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
I feel like you have been caught up in semantics, and i don't understand why. What do you think the point of going around complaining about shit not being free is doing, besides telling people you think they're idiots?
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
Just trying to say that the various governments have no problem misleading or misrepresenting things, which almost excuses the general public from not seeing the true picture. Sadly I've been conditioned to such cynicism over the years so that I really expect nothing from the general voters (some are informed and intelligent, but hardly the majority, and the current partisan environment on all sides doesn't help either).
10-30-1991 Toronto, Toronto 1 & 2 2016, Toronto 2022
His language and demeanor make it hard to take anything he says seriously.
Agreed...That free education is not free, not even close...I believe its capped, doesn't cover the cost of books and living expenses...and i suspect living expenses can cost as much as tuition if not more. Our premier in Ontario is touting this as free because when the next election come around there are a whole bunch of young people who will think they got free tuition or are getting free tuition...Its called indoctrination...I see her federal cousins have learned from her very well.
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
10-30-1991 Toronto, Toronto 1 & 2 2016, Toronto 2022
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
Also, in the interest of full disclosure so there's no accusation that I am somehow passively aggressively making some point.... I am not convinced socialized medicine is the answer. I think there is a way to help those that can't afford their own insurance (and we have an obligation to help these people), but an across the board mandate just isn't something I am ready to support. With that said....
Over the last several years multiple members of my family have needed MRIs for one reason or another. Of course when you or a family member are having health issues, you try and get as much info as possible, often turning to "Dr Google" (yes I understand this can be dangerous because you may have a pimple and suddenly be convinced it's heart disease, etc, because of what you read on the internet, nevertheless most of us do it anyway). In any event, the google results invariably lead you to message boards where folks are discussing health issues that are the same or similar to what you or a loved one are experiencing. In some cases there were folks from Canada complaining that their MRIs were declined (by who I don't know, but it sounded like someone held the purse strings and said no). Others were also complaining about how long it took to either get in to a doctor/specialist or to have tests done that were approved. From the point of view of the Canadian folks, are these comments reality or just sour grapes from folks that may have had weird circumstances?
There are often waiting lists for such things as MRIs or particular surgeries IF it's not something that could be called urgent, but i have never heard anyone say that they simply couldn't get one at all. If that has happened it's certainly not normal.
In my experience, some do indeed get bitter if they have had what i would call bad luck. I.e., their doctors fucked up, some administrative hitch or mistake occurred, etc.
But all I can really accurately comment on are my own experiences and those of the people close to me. From that perspective, i honestly can't complain at all. In the past 5 years or so i have had an MRI, a CAT scan, and a bone scan, and i didn't wait for any of them longer than a week. I have also had a cancer scare, and i was seen by a specialist within 10 days, and while i didn't have cancer, preventative minor surgery was done literally the same day.
My sister nearly died of cancer and she was treated immediately and with great care.
My dad has had serious heart issues and has ALWAYS been treated immediately and with great care and attention. He also had cancer, and from diagnosis (which was impressive - some might have expected a doctor to miss the symptoms) to surgical treatment it was taken care of fabulously within 2 weeks. He has also had 3 knee operations, and never had to wait a crazy amount of time for scans or surgeries, though there were probably about 4 months between the scans and the surgeries in two cases, and one got bumped twice because the specialist had emergencies that took precedent, so that actually took more like 7 months.
I have broken 6 bones and have never spent longer than an hour waiting for an xray, nor longer than 2 hours in an ER. I have also been to the ER with an eye injury and they actually took me in immediately for diagnosis and treatment - they were earnestly concerned about protecting my vision. Finally, i went to the ER with strange neurological symptoms (i am fine
My best friend's son was born with his guts upside down so need emergency surgery when he was born and then extended treatment in NICU, and he could not have been happier with how well his son was treated and cared for, or with how he and his wife were treated while they basically lived at the hospital.
I could go on....
My mom had one bad experience about 35 years ago where some nurse gave her the wrong meds while in the hospital.
So obviously I have been very well served by Canada's healthcare system personally. It is my opinion that there are a relatively small number of people who have had bad experiences for one reason or another, but i have never been touched by them (in most cases it appears to be a case of having bad luck with doctors and how they personally handle the patient's needs, but the problems of course are all over the map), and are very vocal about it, so the bad shit, while not the norm, becomes highlighted and catches people's attention. I hear about these nightmare scenarios, but they aren't common (I know one guy who has had a few bad experiences in the ER and now rails against the system as though they were trying to murder him and his whole family, lol, but i have noticed that actually, he and his family get very good care and he just refuses to praise it. He and his fam (3 kids) are those people who somehow ALWAYS have a medical emergency of one kind or another - perhaps they are cursed).
And yes, there are some pretty long waiting lists for certain procedures that aren't urgent, and some people get impatient with that, which is understandable. If you need, say, a hip replacement and have to wait 14 months for it while it's painful to walk, i kniw that must be very frustrating. And in some hospitals there aren't always enough beds, apparently, though i have never experienced that and don't know anyone who has (the worst i've heard about directly was someone not being able to get a private room when they wanted it). But according to the news it happens sometimes, so there is a funding or an administrative issue there I assume.
My biggest complaint is that there aren't enough GPs, and even fewer good ones. Canada has a real shortage of them, which causes walk-in clinics to be overtaxed. This appears to simply be because GPs are underpaid in Canada so everyone tries to specialize. It's definitely a problem that has to be tackled ASAP.
Btw, there are private clinics and stuff in Canada for those who would rather pay out of pocket than wait. If you have the money and want an MRI or whatever else within days instead of months, you have that option.
As for your comment about helping people who can't afford it to pay for insurance rather than having socialized healthcare ... IMO, it is the insurance company industry that is at the heart of the problems with US healthcare. As long as insurance companies have ANY input when it comes to medical treatment and ANY power to withold treatment/payment under ANY circumstances, I am 100% against that system.
Also, i think having insurance policies thatndiffer in coverage according to price is disgusting. I and most other Canadians feel that if a person - any person - needs medical care, they can simply go and get that care. No one should ever have to think about how they might finance medical care. No one should have to wrangle with insurance companies when they are sick or injured. No one should ever have to worry about shit like whether or not an illness was a "preexisting condition". That just seems fucked up to me.
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
And speaking of "all enemies imaginary"- so many of our enemies are a figment of imagination. Which takes us back the the topic here. Agree with him or not, I don't quite understand why some people react as though Bernie Sanders is their enemy or inaccurately characterize him the way some do.
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
Beyond that, thank you for the detailed information as this definitely provides a much better insight as to the Canadian system, and I won't lie, it definitely opened my eyes a bit vs. the impressions I previously held.
One thing, the irony here in the States is that we seem to have the opposite problem. We have plenty of GPs but sometimes the specialists are hard to come by. Good ones anyway. Not really sure why that it but I suspect it stems from insurance reimbursement issues vs cost of care for the specialist, but who knows.
Anyhow, again, thanks for the insight.
All in Canada have health coverage. Not so in us. Normal to wait hours at emergency rooms here.
Yes a big part of our taxes go to healthcare but it sure does absorb any fear of being left poor and sick due to no other reason than being a human being.
At our ERs you get triaged like anyone else and depending on how busy it is you may get seen right away for a sliver or could end up waiting hours for a broken leg.
All my personal and family experiences with medical issues have been as reasonable as one could want for being taken care of for "free".
Again, an enormous amount of our federal taxes go into healthcare. We as a people are fine with that.
As for Canada's health care...its far more complicated than appears, I often suspect you could talk to 10 Canadians and 10 varying opinions...both good and bad. I rate our system as mediocre to good, if you get seriously sick, i.e. cancer, you'll be taken care of fairly quick, need elective surgery you'll wait a bit...6-12 months and getting longer here in Ontario...I'd like to say no one gets in financial crisis here in Canada because of health, but I suspect there are many who really struggle financially when sick or waiting for a procedure, not everyone waiting for elective surgery can work.
And a lot depends on region, if your in the far north, the healthcare might consist of a nurse only, the bigger cities do much better than smaller communities, etc.. Such a large country, small population has its challenges to providing healthcare. Of course I haven't even mentioned how poor healthcare is in aboriginal communities.
All I'm saying is look elsewhere for universal health care, you guys definitely need it, but many European countries are likely offering a better system...thats just my opinion.
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon