It's 2012, we have single payer government sponsored universal health care.

[originalpckelly]

And a Republican wins the election.

What then?

[John Q. Citizen]

1. A meteor (or a giant volcano) destroys the earth and only a few small pockets of

humanity manage to eek out a subsistence existence in a few scattered places. As a result, 3rd party politics become more important than now.

[Donnachaidh]

2. be prepared to clean up yet another mountain of mess

Isn't that the Democratic party's function? To go in after these mindless corporoCons have torn things to shreds and to clean up after them?

[originalpckelly]

3. What happens when everyone in America is dependent upon the system...

yet the Republicans are elected?

Just look at the minimum wage. It was not raised after '96. For ten years they ignored the poorest of the poor.

That's why we need to have universal health coverage that's separate from the government, so that the Republicans can't fuck it up.

[John Q. Citizen]

12. Wrong. That's just the Reagan line. (People good, government bad)

People are responsible for how well their governement works or doesn't work. Thomas Jefferson went so far as to recommend a revolution every 20 years.

There is no such thing as "Universal coverage that's seperate from the government."

Are you suggesting also getting rid of minimum wage laws? It sounds like it.

[Virginia Dare]

4. It took them years to screw up social security...

that might buy us some time.

[originalpckelly]

5. Why rely on the government? Why does it have to be the government?

Why not some private foundation?

With a private foundation we can get universal health care now, but we don't have to worry about Republicans screwing it up.

[Virginia Dare]

6. If it's workable, I'm all for it...n/t

[Phredicles]

8. Because the government, unlike a private foundation, is accountable to us;

This private foundation would have to be strictly regulated to make sure its CEOs aren't abusing the system for their own profit anyway. It would be better simply to cut out that layer.

[originalpckelly]

9. Gee, I don't know, maybe we just don't give them any money unless

they show us the books. It would be a collectively owned organization. Everyone who contributes would have a vote in how it works, and it's decisions would always be made through that democratic process.

They could elect a President or some type of high executive to run the day to day stuff.

I would also submit to you, that when Republicans are in charge, the government is not directly accountable.

[John Q. Citizen]

13. "It would be a collectively owned organization." Wow, just like the government,

or Blue Cross Blue Shield.

So how would that help? We already have those things and we spend double per capita on health care than the next most expensive system in the world, yet get less health care.

We now pay double to get less.

Why is that a good thing, and how would keeping the status quo change that?

I don't understand your logic or your reasoning.

You are saying, essentially, that because it's possible the Republicans might again get elected, that we should do health insurance the way the Republicans want it done.

That's ridicules.

[Phredicles]

15. The accountability for when the Publicans are in charge is that if

we don't like what they do, we throw the bums out. Obviously it doesn't always work, but with this private foundation, we wouldn't have even that.

[woo me with science]

16. Right wing talking point this morning: If they can't even manage Walter Reed...

do you want them in charge of all health care?

[John Q. Citizen]

17. Yep. It's so transparent. n/t

[Phredicles]

18. I also heard that after Katrina: "See? The Government can't do anything!"

Or, as Al Franken would say, "Republicans claim government doesn't work. Then they get elected and prove it."

[woo me with science]

19. LOL! nt

[soothsayer]

7. reeelax, 2012 is the end of the Mayan calendar, when the 7 time

lords return (they created the calendar in the first place) and there's a big party and all of creation is invited!

[GreenPartyVoter]

10. If the people like it, they won't let them touch it.

[Donnachaidh]

11. The same was said when Bush came into office

So much for THAT theory. :shrug:

[John Q. Citizen]

14. So when did this site become "Libertarian Underground." Every man woman

and child for themselves.