6 ms·
The mindset against medicaid is it isn't the government's job. The circles of responsibility are yourself, your family, your church, you're fucked. That is ju
by dzdt 10y ago
The mindset against medicaid is it isn't the government's job. The circles of responsibility are yourself, your family, your church, you're fucked. That is just life.
[Not necessarily my own view!]
- dkarl 10y agoNo accident that it comes out to "yourself, you're fucked" for a lot of people. Forcing people into dependency on family and the church is the point. Or another way it's been put to me by someone who thinks government welfare usurps the role of churches: you shouldn't be able to get charity without looking someone in the eye, asking for help, and listening to what they have to say about it. (Definitely not my view on the matter.)
- fgandiya 10y agoI don't quite get this view. Why shouldn't they expect the government to help them out? That's why we pay taxes and reject them isn't it?
- dzdt 10y agoThey don't want to pay taxes for that. Given the choice, most evangelical Christians in America will pick lower taxes and reduced or eliminated government role in providing social services.
- fgandiya 10y agoFair enough... But I still find it strange.
- gozur88 10y agoThere is a lot of disagreement on this point. Personally, I don't have a problem with these kinds of programs, but it's charity. Nobody should expect it.
- toomuchtodo 10y agoTIL social services are considered "charity". Are roads charity? Schools? Police? Fire? Military protection? If not, then why the hell is healthcare?
- gozur88 10y agoYes, social services are charity. What else could you possibly call payments that are made purely because the recipient has a need he can't meet? The other services you listed benefit everyone. Everyone uses police, fire, and military services even if it's not obvious.
- lawpoop 10y agoHow do I use fire services (if my property or the property I've used has never been threatened by fire) any less than I use public health by not contracting diseases from vaccinated people?
- gozur88 10y agoThe fire department makes a fire less likely - they inspect buildings and businesses to make sure fire codes are followed. Also, it's likely your property has never been threatened by fire because the fire department put out any fires that would have threatened you. In terms of public health, I wouldn't consider efforts to control communicable diseases to be charity, but that's not the example in the article.
- toomuchtodo 10y agoWhen your house has a fire, despite all efforts to prevent fires, the fire department comes and puts the fire out. Healthcare is no different. We don't say, "Better get a bucket and some water to go with those bootstraps."
- lawpoop 10y ago> they inspect buildings and businesses to make sure fire codes are followed. I don't understand how you can be for this but against public health care. If a business owner or landlord doesn't want their building to burn, wouldn't they install these fire-prevention measures themselves? Wouldn't they invite the fire marshall (or a market-accredited 3rd party fire inspector) on their own? Why do we need Big Government coming in and forcing these measures on owners of private property, at the barrel of a gun, no less? If you're saying that I benefit because the building I work at, or the store where I buy my groceries from doesn't burn down, don't I similarly benefit if my co-worker or vendor account manager doesn't get hospitalized or die from liver failure? I might not care about them personally, but losing them might hinder my ability to conduct business, as much as my place of work being shuttered due to fire. Or are people much more fungible than buildings?