> The US health system by itself is not at fault, it's the people in it
> who are mainly interested in their personal benefit, mostly monetary. It may
> be due to our never having been run over and enslaved by the Norse, the
> Gauls, the Romans, the Spanish, the French, the Germans, the Soviets, etc.
> That sort of experience tends to unite a people to a common cause, hence the
> dominance of socialist economies and governments in Europe and the
> demonisation of socialism here in the colonies.
That's a pretty interesting analysis. The USA has always been a
collection of factions. From the very founding of the colonies to
sectionalism to modern-day urban vs. suburban vs. rural divisions. We
fight amongst ourselves because there isn't any existential threat
binding us together. If there was a medical crisis that hit us, the
equivalent to the plagues, which required a singular approach to
universal health care, I believe we'd do it in a heartbeat with no
turning back. But there isn't, so we won't.
This attitude extends to other areas of threat too. Climate change,
debt crisis, the rise of the Chinese superpower and what not are
things we don't want to think about because it's not something that
will destroy ME today.
I'm a bit disgruntled with the health-insurance thing because I just
got done with my 2016 enrollment. I'm paying more for about half the
features and benefits from last year because Mr. Obama determined that
I had a Cadillac plan that didn't meet his approval so I couldn't keep
it even though I liked it.
To bring this full-circle to photography, I haven't purchased a new
full-frame digital camera because I haven't absolutely NEEDED to do
so. It's a decision I manage to keep putting off and putting off and
putting off. I suppose I'm missing out one a lot of greatness, But I'm
such a great photographer that I've been able to cover for the
low-tech cameras I use. If my very existence depended on my buying a
new camera, The friction heat of swiping the Credit Card would be
generated this afternoon.
AG Schnozz
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