Presidential Candidate Match Game

[KurtO]

What does this mean? Sorry I guess I don't understand your lingo.

[EastsideRedneck]

Universal Healthcare is a great idea in theory, but in practice it simply doesn't work the way that it should. Every nation on this planet has something other nations' citizens are envious of when considered in a vacuum.

Someone's gotta pay for it... are you? Bill is right- nothings free. The wait times are rediculous and you are at risk of losing your seat at work or school by taking the time off to seek medical assistance. They have health clinics, not doctors offices. From what I have been told it is a cross between going to the VA hospital and US military active duty medical care.

Ask someone in the military why they are so excited to get out. I guarantee a majority of them will state seeing a real doctor or RN as one of their reasons. Sure, our health care in the military was free but you only recieved what was necessary to be fit for duty and it normally was decided by someone who wasn't even an RN. No offense to any corpsman here, but Motrin and Sudafed can't solve every medical issue.

Here is my question- Is quality or quantity of care more important to you?
With more patients and the same amount of time which one is going to be the ruling factor? There certainly won't be more physicians since public service pays less than private practice.

[zen leecher aka Bill W]

Good point Redneck. I had forgotten how much fun I had back when my medical clinic got bought out by an HMO. The doctors went to being employees. I cycled through a newbee a year until my old doctor started up his practice again. It was vaguely reminiscent of the navy medical clinics of 35 years ago when you got the next available doctor/corpsman and probably wouldn't see the same person on a follow-up visit.

I do enjoy having my old doctor back again.

When he sold the old clinic he went to being an employee and had a certain amount of time available to the patient. Once that had elapsed it was .......Next! The beancounters were in charge and they watched the metrics.

His agreement when selling called for him to work there a certain number of years. Once that expired he left and took a little time off before starting up again.

[HillbillyGeek]

One of the biggest problems with our current health care system is that it hammers the middle class. Rich people can afford to pay a premium for quality health care, and poor people get it for free. A serious illness in a middle class household can result in financial disaster.

A close friend went through a full regiment of treatments for Hodgkins Lymphoma, and it blew me away when she said "it's a good thing that I don't make much money, otherwise I would have had to declare bankruptcy".

[A9]

Healthcare in Canada for US citizens doesn't work out good. I know, it's quite a sidenote, but if you've ever been in Canada and needed to see a doctor or had to go to the Hospital, it's SUPER expensive and the wait times are endless. I had a friend who got hurt skiing up at Whistler, and he waited hours on end to get looked at when he had a broken collarbone. I'm sure that felt good waiting for 6 hours to get to the ER. The price was unrealistically steep.

Canadian Healthcare is also nothing to brag about as being the end all solution to the never-ending quest to find a solution to health care...They have far to few doctors, and that leads to the long lines. I think I read something about how there's like 2.2 doctors per thousand citizens.

[AdsBot [Google]]

Barack and Hillary should join forces. I saw that on CNN tonight and they really would be great together. Hillary as President and Obama for VP. I really think it'd be a killer combo. Let's face it - McCain is out of the running - he wants to keep troops in Iraq for another 100 some years?! Wow. I actually like some republician candidates, but they have no chance by any means of the imagination. So Hilliary + Obama = America back on track! We can't afford to wait another day under this ill-advised Bush regime. Go Hillary, go Obama - I'm glad they didn't duke it out like they had earlier in the week :batman:

[A9]

Just say no to Hillary Clinton....

[Anonymous]

Obama or Hillary!

[zen leecher aka Bill W]

Just say no to Hillary Clinton....

Well she's much better than McCain, and I think that's all that will be available come time. Like Hillary said, a Bush got us into this and a Clinton got us out, now a Bush has got us into problems again and Clinton may get us out. Hillary will do many well, and others won't like her. That's America.

Just because someone says something doesn't make it true. You need to determine that yourself against your own set of values and life experiences.

If I told you I saw a 4 eyed pig you'd know that was obviously untrue.

[A9]

That's one thing you don't wanna do. Believe in politicians cause they make one ear pleasing statement. It sounds catchy at the surface, but do yourself a favor, take the test that is in the first post and let us know if she's still your favorite candidate...

I will bet that if it's Hillary who gets the Democratic bid, then it will be a LOT easier for the Republicans to win this election....

[fishnislife]

Just say no to Hillary Clinton....

Well she's much better than McCain, and I think that's all that will be available come time. Like Hillary said, a Bush got us into this and a Clinton got us out, now a Bush has got us into problems again and Clinton may get us out. Hillary will do many well, and others won't like her. That's America.

Just because someone says something doesn't make it true. You need to determine that yourself against your own set of values and life experiences.

If I told you I saw a 4 eyed pig you'd know that was obviously untrue.

Well, now we have all seen a 4 eyed pig.
http://www.israelated.com/node/7253


fishnislife

[AdsBot [Google]]

You need to determine that yourself against your own set of values and life experiences.

I wholeheartedly agree. If we conform our beliefs to fit the values of a given candidate, well then we aren't thinking for ourselves which is sad. In all reality though, these candidates are telling us what we want to hear to get our vote. They all do it...Hillary Clinton is no better than Barack Obama in this regard or John McCain. They all promise us "change" and what not, but in all reality, I have no clue to who I am going to vote for - My #1 was John Edwards and I'm not going to vote for a candidate just because what I hear is pleasing to the ear. I will vote based on how I feel towards social issues, and fiscal matters. Hillary consistently shows up in my top 3, but that doesn't necessarily mean I will vote for her. This was just one little fun test - I had my family take the test and they all came up with different candidates from Hillary Clinton to John McCain to Ron Paul. Thinking independently for oneself is very important, not only in an election, but also in everyday life.

[ReelFisher]

Okay
1. McCain
2.Giuliani
3.Duncan
I'm not really suprised because I have always agreed with mccain in many of his issues. I really disagree with hillary on a lot of her issues so I'm glad that my results had nothing to do with her. Great link.

[panfisher]

i've heard from more than one young voter that said they would vote for clinton just because they would be a part of history in voteing in the first female president! so much for wanting to be an informed voter!!

[Anonymous]

i've heard from more than one young voter that said they would vote for clinton just because they would be a part of history in voteing in the first female president! so much for wanting to be an informed voter!!

That's too bad. I'm voting for Hillary because of her amazing universal health package and her opinion on withdrawal of our US Troops in Iraq. Just voting for someone "to be apart of history" is really twisted. Whom ever we endorse, we should do so with vitality and with informed logic behind our beliefs...democratic or republican. Although if you're a democrat you must go to a Caucus on Saturday at 1pm for your vote to count. The republications place 50/50 on the Caucus and Primary. So, if you're a democrat mailing in your ballot is useless...let's get out out to a Caucus this Saturday and make our voice heard! Hillary in 08!

[ReelFisher]

Cuttthroatkiller your killin me. I respect everyone's opinion and personel views But I cannot honestly see what you or anyone else for that matter see's in Clinton? I have done my share of research into the matter of change and where all the different candidates stand on immigration, war, and healthcare and with everything I've have read about and heard about Hillary Clinton is not a safe choice. I mean safe in a very literal sense. I can understand that a lot of people want the troops to return home and for the seemingly meaningless war to be over however the people we are fighting over here are not the type of people to let by gone's be by gone's ya know? and personelly I would rather fight the enemy in their country than on the shores of our lakes and rivers and in and around my families home.

The fact of the matter is that not only her plan to withdrawl troops but her immagration and healthcare plans aren't really what I would think is a "good move" for this country. Making healthcare mandatory or having a universal system in place is a recipe for crappy crappy service. You get what you pay for and I would rather pay an arm and a leg to get quality service than the alternative. But like I said I respect everyone's opinion because thats what makes this country so great I just want to know what everyone see's in clinton thats all.

[Anonymous]

Cuttthroatkiller your killin me. I respect everyone's opinion and personel views But I cannot honestly see what you or anyone else for that matter see's in Clinton? I have done my share of research into the matter of change and where all the different candidates stand on immigration, war, and healthcare and with everything I've have read about and heard about Hillary Clinton is not a safe choice. I mean safe in a very literal sense. I can understand that a lot of people want the troops to return home and for the seemingly meaningless war to be over however the people we are fighting over here are not the type of people to let by gone's be by gone's ya know? and personelly I would rather fight the enemy in their country than on the shores of our lakes and rivers and in and around my families home.

The fact of the matter is that not only her plan to withdrawl troops but her immagration and healthcare plans aren't really what I would think is a "good move" for this country. Making healthcare mandatory or having a universal system in place is a recipe for crappy crappy service. You get what you pay for and I would rather pay an arm and a leg to get quality service than the alternative. But like I said I respect everyone's opinion because thats what makes this country so great I just want to know what everyone see's in clinton thats all.

100% disagree, but 100% respect your opinion, as you are entitled to your beliefs. Healthcare in our country is in shambles -- low income families and those that make little have no coverage and it's plain wrong. If you haven't been there then it's hard for you to relate. Either Barack or Hillary could or could not solve it, yet to be determined, but let's be realistic - not Mr. McCain. McCain wants our troops in Iraq for another 100 years if needed, and honestly that's a bit long in my mind. The war will never end, we will always have to be on guard for the next possible threat or attack, but that's life - it's not safe, and it's dangerous, so be it. I honestly believe that a Barack/Clinton duo would be awesome for this country, along with many other millions of Americans. I teeter on the fence of socialism to some degree. I think her immigration plan is amazing along with her healthcare plan. We just differ in our opinions. Now back to fishing

[A9]

Health care in our country is not in shambles. It's one of the best places in the world for health care. People from Canada (ring a bell? Free health care? Yea but there health care isn't the least bit impressive) will come down to get surgeries done and see a doctor in the states...

McCain, if I believe I heard correctly, didn't say he'd keep troops there for 100 years. I think he said he would keep them there for 100 years if there was reason for them to be there....

Barack and Clinton aren't going to back each other up if one or the other drops out...

[Anonymous]

Barack and Clinton aren't going to back each other up if one or the other drops out...

How do you know? Also...health care is in shambles if you are poor and can't afford it - it should be mandatory - like car insurance. And in my opinion, we shouldn't even have invaded Iraq, what happened to Iran and other neighboring countries. We got ourselves into a huge mess right now, and it's going to take someone like Obama or Clinton to pull us out - not a McCain...he doesn't support rapid troop withdrawal.

[A9]

Look at the two. I would seriously be shocked if one of them when they back out will support the other.

Car insurance is mandatory, but we still have to pay for it. It's all in the private sector of business I believe? Hence why it is competitive and the companies are fighting for your business, trying to balance the best price with the best service. Government run programs cut down on a lot of jobs too.

Here's a little information from the Insurance Bureau of Canada:

What “government-run” really means

Huge start-up costs. Depending on where you are in Canada, the average cost to establish a government-run insurance company would be $300-$500 million. This is the money required to buy buildings, hire staff, obtain sufficient start-up capital and cover operating expenses. It includes the costs associated with providing the resources to handle all the claims, to provide insurance for all the cars in the province and to make up for the shortfall in funding for public services resulting from the withdrawal of taxes and health levies currently paid by the private insurance industry.

Huge bail-outs. All government-run auto insurers in Canada have required taxpayer subsidies as a result of charging too little in premiums and having insufficient start-up funds. In 1975-76, BC taxpayers had to bail out their government-run insurance company – Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) – in the amount of $181 million ($645 million in 2006 dollars), just two years after it had begun operations. This money has never been repaid. At the same time, ICBC had been so mismanaged, with insurance being sold significantly underpriced, that the government was forced to increase rates by at least 25%.

Reduced private sector investment. Private home, car and business insurance companies directly invest in the provinces in which they do business. Direct investments include corporate shares, bonds and real estate. The size of the investment varies from province to province. In Ontario, for example, insurers’ investment in the province totals more than $6 billion.

Limited choice for customers and poor customer service. Government-run auto insurance provides limited choice for consumers and no incentive for good customer service. It offers a “one-size-fits-all” solution for consumers (e.g., fixed deductibles, no multi-vehicle discounts). A privately run auto insurance system provides powerful competitive incentives for insurance companies to offer the lowest possible rates, strong service delivery and a wider range of policy options.

Lack of product innovation. Government-run auto insurance companies have no incentive to understand the needs of customers. They have a captive market share. Product innovations such as first-accident forgiveness, replacement cost coverage, and roadside assistance were all available in privately run auto insurance systems long before they were adopted by government-run auto insurance companies.

Price volatility. Consumers in the government-run systems of BC, Manitoba and Saskatchewan have experienced repeated periods of sharp rate increases with intervening periods of rate stability. Because private insurers operate under regulatory oversight, and capital and financial adequacy requirements, “rate shock” for their customers is limited, primarily, to periods of very high inflation and claims cost pressure.
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Private insurance works

Competition works. Auto insurance is purchased competitively in almost every jurisdiction in North America. Most people believe in the free market for nearly all the products they buy. In fact, governments have deregulated several former public monopolies over the last number of years, and consumers have won every time. Thanks to competition and choice, consumers now enjoy lower long-distance telephone rates and more choice and real competition in cable television services.

Insurance rates reflect true cost. Premiums in a competitive environment reflect the real cost of insuring a driver. Auto insurance premiums are set based on a host of factors that affect the frequency and cost of claims. The likelihood of being involved in a collision or having a vehicle stolen, geography, type and age of a vehicle, insurance claims records, other drivers in the household who use the vehicle, driver age, driving records, driver gender and traffic congestion all affect risk and claims. It's the cost of claims, more than anything else, that determines the premium level for consumers.

Unlike private insurers, government-run auto insurers have been able to increase rates without ever having to apply for a rate increase. Government insurers have increased the number of claims paid directly by the customer by increasing deductibles, and have moved more drivers into higher-priced territories by making changes to insurance rating territories.

Employment. Private auto insurance systems provide vital injections of investments, jobs and taxes into regional economies. The private insurance industry in Canada employs almost 100,000 people, either directly or through its support of a broker workforce.

The argument that is always presented by those promoting government-run monopolies is that the monopoly provides often much-needed jobs. This is simply not true; in fact, jobs and investments increase when more companies compete for business.


If you feel compelled to look more into this article, here's the link: http://www.ibc.ca/en/Car_Insurance/Intr ... n_auto.asp