[Leica] Socialism?

[doubs43 at cox.net (Walker Smith)]

>
>
>Bonjour,
>
>  Walker, Walker, please...
>
>  If your american capitalist system is so great and wonderful, please
>explain why older United States citizens are presently coming to Canada,
>litterally by the trainload, to purchase medications they cannot afford (at
>a reasonable cost) in their own country.  Hmmm, after all maybe your country
>considers the health of it s citizens a luxury to be purchased...and too bad
>if you don t have enough greenbacks!
>  
>
Marc has done a pretty decent job of answering you. If one can save 
money, why not?

Perhaps you'll tell us why Canadians flock to the US to get operations 
and other medical treatment that your fine socialist medical system 
can't provide? Much like when I was in England, it's because everything 
is backlogged for months or even years.

Health isn't a luxury in the US. It IS, however, expected that people 
will provide their own health coverage. Like Marc, I'm a 24+ year US Vet 
and partially disabled. I'm on what's termed "Tri-Care Prime" and my 
medications come from the local Air Force Base pharmacy at no cost. My 
coverage costs me $460 annually and was promised originally at NO COST 
for life. Governments will lie to you. One advantage I have is being 
able to go on "Tri-Care For Life" rather than Medicare & Medicade. If 
TCFL doesn't cover a particular case totally, Medicare picks up the 
remainder.... at least as I understand it now. I'll find out in a few years.

>  The view you expressed regarding the US and it s involvment in world
>history is both one sided and plain inaccurate on many accounts.  Why don t
>you tell us about, let s say, 35 dictators the US have been involved with
>over the years, starting with Pinochet, Batista, Banzer, Somoza, Videla,
>Cordova, Stroesser, Suharto and all the others?
>  
>
I don't know if you're old enough to recall the Cold War clearly or not 
but Communism was not confinded to the USSR and Red China. Both nations 
were actively persuing world domination and Communist governments was 
one way to achieve that goal. Sure, the US did everything they could to 
ensure US and Allied-friendly governments were in power whenever 
possible and it was done to keep the Free World free. That would happen 
to include Canada. I don't think you can imagine what life up your way 
would be today had the Communists triumphed. But, you can ask those who 
were behind the Iron Curtain or in N. Korea or other Communist-ruled 
countries. I personally knew families who escaped from Hungary in the 
1956 uprising. Talking with them would expose you to very different 
viewpoints. Ever wonder why the borders of the Eastern Bloc nations were 
fenced and guarded? It wasn't to keep people out. It also wasn't the US 
that murdered roughly 20,000,000 of our own citizens. I believe that was 
Stalin's body count. Great guy, Uncle Joe.

>  Of course the United States has done wonderful things for freedom
>and...democracy over the years, but to better understand the present
>political international situation, one must also recognize the many many
>wrongdoings that country has been involved with (or has created) in it s
>history.
>  
>
No one is claiming sainthood for the US. We're human and we've made more 
than our share of mistakes over the years. I'm unaware of any perfect 
nations or perfect governments. But there must be something here for 
Canadians as from this time of year until Springtime, Interstate 75 will 
be packed with them heading to and from Florida. I hope they leave a lot 
of those Canadian dollars behind. ;^)

Best Regards,
Walker

>  Best,
>
>  Robert (Un chevalier sans blason, mais de tres mauvaise humeur ce matin)
>