Ron Paul on Healthcare

[liveonearth]

Here are the main points from the brochure:
-make all medical expenses tax deductible
-eliminate federal regs that discourage small business from providing insurance coverage
-not restrict our ability to use supplements (opposes FDA's recent move for greater control)
-opposes the directives of the UN's World Food Code (CODEX: http://www.codexalimentarius.net/web/index_en.jsp)
-give docs the freedom to collectively negotiate with insurance co's to bring down costs
-allow patients to buy cheaper prescription drugs from other companies (will also bring down costs)
-eliminate forced vaccinations and mental health screenings of US citizens
-authored HR 2117, Health Freedom Protection Act, to ensure we have access to uncensored info on supplements
-supports HR 2717, Access to Medical Treatment Act, "expands the ability of Americans to use alternative medicine and new treatments" (how? must look this one up)

Also in brochure: lots of statements about "socialized medicine" not "magically" working here. The image of long waiting lines, poor care, etc is invoked. Just the term "socialized medicine" provokes quite a knee-jerk reaction from most people these days, and people who know absolutely NOTHING about it have the immediate reaction that it is bad and to be condemned. So part of MY work is to begin the process of de-sensitizing this cultural "button". Socialized medicine is an overly simplistic name for a broad range of options by which a society can take care of its people. This is not all bad.

One more thought on Ron Paul: I checked the livejournal group called Libertarians yesterday and found that they are as anti-Ron Paul as they are anti just about everything else. Nothing will be good enough for them, short of anarchy. So fear not, because we all know one or two Libertarians of the ilk to which I refer: Ron Paul is NOT one of them.

Comments

[neptunia67.livejournal.com]

I agree, we need to find another term to use besides "socialized" when referring to a healthcare plan that will benefit all. People react to that word, the same way they react to the word "Marx" - because they have been told it has negative connotations and form an opinion on that rather than the truth.

[(Anonymous)]

I think that rather than changing just one word (socialized) we need to create a whole new paradigm for the kinds of services that we want our government involved in, and how they are structured. So change the word "medicine" too.....what should we call it?

[neptunia67.livejournal.com]

I agree. It warrants an entirely new way of thinking.

I think there is so much more to being healthy than Western medicine... there is body, mind and soul, and to be healthy we need wellness in all of those areas... so how about something along the lines of "National Health and Wellness Services"?

[gavin6942.livejournal.com]

I'm confused. You're both pro-Paul and pro-socialized medicine? Because they seem to me about as contradictory as it gets.

stripes and spots too

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

Yes. And of course they are polar ends of the spectrum. I have no problem with that because I see Ron Paul as a detox for this country. We (the people) are more socialist, by and large, than he is, and our policies will trend that way as long as the people are actually participating in government. When the people cease to participate in government and the corporations take over, we loose out the worst. So Ron Paul (and whatever other people of his mindset that get elected) will cleanse our nation of a scourge of parasitic corporations, and start us out again fresh, with nothing but a 9 trillion debt to pay off before we can afford socialized medicine.

My goals are broader than just one candidate, but there is no candidate who serves my purposes better than Ron Paul for president in 2008. I want to free us of fascism before the bloodshed gets any worse than it already has.

Re: stripes and spots too

[gavin6942.livejournal.com]

I'm still convinced Paul would only STRENGTHEN the corporations and lead us closer to fascism.

I'm really hoping he doesn't take the Libertarian Party's offer to be a candidate.