It was clear that many of those attending last night's meeting were upset at "the government". Though they were able to grasp the general argument ("government is evil"), the specifics at times eluded them.
For example, many of those wanting government out of their lives were obviously Medicare-eligible. Either they've chosen not to participate in Medicare, or what they really meant was that they don't want their government-run healthcare extended to others.
The anti-government crowd was also quite interested in Massa's government-sponsored plan. Though Massa stated at the outset that he hadn't accepted the Congressional coverage available to him, he still got a couple of questions about it. At one point, while Massa was explaining yet again that he didn't take the Congressional plan, someone yelled out "but you're a Navy veteran". A fair number of the anti-government crowd was wearing veterans caps, and one of them identified himself as a West Point grad. I assume they never darken the door of the VA, lest they accidentally come in contact with their prime bogeyman, the government.
Finally, to those who were complaining that government-run healthcare would be like a trip to the DMV: from your lips to God's ears. The wait at the DMV is much shorter than the average wait in the Emergency Department, and the crowd is a lot less miserable.
Comments
I think it would be an interesting experience at the next town hall to turn around the question that someone asked Massa about accepting the federal health insurance plan and ask the crowd if they are on Medicare, if they like it, and if they're willing to give it up to go back into the private system.
And while I did have a very good experience last fall in the Highland ED, I have to say that the new DMV office in the mall was a quick in and out as well.
Yes it would.
There are a lot of people on Medicare and Social Security who think that those programs aren't "government programs" in the sense that others are. They also believe that they are getting back what they paid in, which is false. Medicare and SS are mainly paid for by current contributors, not past contributions.
Most older people that I know are pretty happy with their Medicare and Social Security. I don't think the Glenn Beck crowd needs to quit taking their benefits, just that they need to acknowledge that those programs are at least decently run, and they're administered by the government.
First, I would never go back into the private sector until I at least broke even with the government on the money I paid into the system.
Second, There is no guarantee that I will live long enough to make a profit on either medicare or social security.
Third, if I had been able to invest all the money that I have paid into these systems all these years I probably could afford to buy any health insurance program out there.
I don't understand your first point (probably due to the cocktails I've been having).
Agree on the second point. It is a crapshoot, and some people do pay in more than they take out. But on the average, people are living longer now than they used to, and at least some of of the average person's SS is being paid by current contributors.
Maybe on the third point. Depends on your investment skillz. They'd have to be pretty damn good considering what the market's been doing lately.