tbright1965 Member

Banana and a 0.5L of coffee. Usually an Italian Roast with a splash of heavy cream.

And neither will I ;)

Taxes should be rare and the greatest taxes should be local, not federal. Things like the TSA should be funded entirely by what is collected from passengers (if we are going to have a TSA, that's a whole different argument.) I am not so Libertarian that I think taxes are theft. HOWEVER, the way DC is doing it, a solid case…

Because we are a nation of free people. We are a Republic, not a Democracy. Majority rules gives you things such as slavery and bans on same sex marriage, and bans on interracial marriage and so on. This nation was not founded on collective rights. There is no right of the majority. Only INDIVIDUALS have rights. Not even…

I'd like to see the same people polled 5 years later. The study was done in 2014 (or at least published, then.) Since the ACA went into effect, have the 85% of people who had insurance witnessed lower costs and better outcomes since the ACA? Are those who had coverage pre-ACA more satisfied now, post-ACA? I do think The…

I didn't reply to the post about the article I didn't even quote the article. I doubt the article is going to change 50+ years of observing government and how it mismanages money. I have no doubt business does the same. The only difference is that I can fire a business if I don't like how they are doing things. I cannot…

I have read too much history to be shocked by the contradiction. Too many believe they can be trusted to make the 'right' choice, but others cannot, so they better take charge and decide for them. All in the name of the greater good, of course.

Why not voluntary? I'd argue many of the other things could be done for less if you take politicians out of it. Or at least they would be forced to earn their way. One example, in my community, public transportation only collects 20% of costs from fares. The other 80% comes from taxpayers. So people expecting their taxes…

If all of this is self-evident, why do we have to make it a law that people will participate? Again, if it is as good as you say, why isn't it already happening? What prevents communities or states from creating their own form of this? I am continually told how good it is. But then most of these things require mandatory…

Don't we already guilt trip people by making the false equivalency that if they are not in favor of single payer, that they must want grandma to die? Single payer is nothing but a big guilt trip. You "should" feel "compassion" for these people, so support single payer. If you don't, then you must be "greedy" or "selfish"…

So why assume anything? Let people decide for themselves. If they think Uncle Sam is the best choice, let them VOLUNTARILY sign up for a program with Uncle Sam and have that program pay for itself. No subsidies, no mandatory participation, etc. If it's better than what other insurance companies are offering, for the money,…

I have no problem if universal healthcare is voluntary and optional. My problem is when you FORCE people to participate or contribute. Have whatever system you want, as long as it is not mandatory and is funded ONLY with money voluntarily given. I have no problem with people helping one another. I have no problem with…

News flash, we all die. Why does someone get to reach into my pocket, without my permission and demand that I pay for everyone to get treatment because others have some form of guilt or other motivation to help using the fruits of my labor? That's the real question. Because that happens far more frequently than does the…

Make the case to their family, neighbors, friends, community, church or other worship group they are affiliated with. If those closest to them see they've been spending what would have been an insurance premium on toys as I've described above, they may not be so willing to fund their bill. If their story is one that is…

If insurance companies were the primary drivers of cost, wouldn't it be cheaper for people to just direct pay doctors and hospitals? I doubt there is any one thing. Cost shifting is one part of it. Defensive medicine is another. No doctor or hospital wants to be sued because they missed something. Tort reform is probably a…

It would certainly be a step in the right direction. Paying for preventative care, but if the person let something go on without getting the care, they would be on the hook for the difference. But ultimately, a free people should never be obligated to pay. They can volunteer to pay. But should never have the ability to…

I don't wish to bring back debtors prison. If hospitals can just pass along the costs of those who don't pay to others, what is their incentive to keep costs low? Don't allow them to pass those costs along to others. If they are really losing money, they will have far more incentive to find a way to lower costs than if…

Nor do you fix it by paying for them. You just pass the costs on to those who choose to take a more proactive approach. Stop passing along costs to others and the costs for those no longer having the costs of others passed to them will go down. If people wish to voluntarily take on those costs, I'm all for it. I'm not in…

I dunno what you pay for eggs. I was getting a dozen for $0.48, they have gone back up to a more typical $0.88/dozen here. Eggs are one of the cheapest sources of protein and IIRC the most bio available protein to humans.

First, great job on the loss of 27kg. The question is how can doctors help in a "don't offend me" world? I've lost 50# and my doctor told me he wishes even half of his patients took it seriously. Like most anything else, others cannot do it for you. One cannot be coached if they are not willing to be coached. As someone…

Maybe, instead of forcing hospitals to absorb the costs of emergency care, the costs are owed by those getting the care. Since patients can ignore the bill for emergency care, you may lower costs by changing the system so the patient is on the hook for the costs, period, making it a better choice for them to get care…

I'm a free market guy, so I wonder why we have ag subsidies. I mean, I understand the theory, keep prices stable. But warehousing tons of government cheese really doesn't resolve the issues with over production. In fact, in encourages overproduction, at the expense of the taxpayer. Just another example of shielding people…

I've personally survived cancer 25 years ago and have seen enough bad deaths to know that I don't want any heroic measures taken to extend a so called, low quality "life." I've completed my health care directives, and my family knows my desires. So what you may judge as bravado is actually an informed choice on my part.…

Because I'm not into a free people being forced to subsidize irresponsible choices. It's the modern day ant and grasshopper. If I'm putting 20% or so of my earnings into my 401(k) into an S&P500 index fund, and my neighbor who makes the same sort of money is buying a new sports car, motorcycles and boats frequently, why am…

What is our alternative? Leave it to the same government that has to keep extending the retirement age of Social Security and pays AIME (Average Indexed Monthly Earnings) at three different rates. Some wages are are paid at 90%, then 32% and finally 15% up to the maximum AIME. Those earners getting paid at 32 and 15…

I just want people to have the freedom to decide for themselves. I don't want politicians deciding how best to buy votes with taxpayer money by suggesting they are the arbiters of the greater good. That freedom would include each person deciding and choosing to contribute to helping one another as they, and not politicians…

But payroll taxes, which are 7.65% for the employer as well as the employee are based on salary and not total compensation. So they may save 7.65% on the 20k in benefits costs as they don't have to pay matching payroll taxes for that portion of compensation. Therefore, there is some tax incentive to offer benefits. If it…

Probably my use of the word choice. When you mention some people don't have a choice, you demonstrate that you are trying to create a straw man argument. If you don't understand, ask a clarifying question.

And I'd like to think it's obvious that I wasn't talking about those people since I specifically spoke of those who were making choices to lead to their conditions. I was also clear that people would be free to help one another. It should have been obvious I was speaking about those who have control over their…

My point is if people think they need someone to look out for them, and that government is the best way to do that, there is the military. I really don't care what others do or don't do. I mean, I want them to make good choices. But I don't want them to lose the freedom to make the choices that allow them to pursue…