Van Jones: Let's Stop Trying to Please Republicans | Big Think

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[jeffreyjensen]

The Democrat vs. Republican stance is what is really damaging. Pointing fingers is part of the problem.

[StormiidaeBlogspot]

I'm just another Canadian looking south scratching my head. Single-payer equals lower drucg costs, among other things. Our system is far from perfect, but everybody gets decent basic heathcare.

[ProfessorWag]

While I don't support blindly partisan voting (there are some sensible Republicans) I must say your facts are straight and you made your case well!  Honestly, level headed progressives are hard to find lately.

[gamerbrony]

So, here is the thing about single payer vs private healthcare. As this man says, we all get sick, we all will, there is nothing we can do about it and it is guaranteed. So put in place a system that makes sure that people are looked after from one big central pot.

For a start, this type of healthcare is more efficient and it costs the taxpayer less in the long run. Comparable healthcare systems from other countries cost anywhere from 2 to 3 times less than the USA's current health system costs the individual taxpayer. That's right...you have private insurance, but you are still paying for other peoples medical care anyway...and at a rate that is far higher than it would be for a single payer system.

The next point I would like to make is that, by ensuring that everyone in a country is healthy, not just a privileged 'health class', you ensure greater productivity. That means more people, able to make more money and thus pay more in taxes and that is a benefit to the country and all citizens of that country. It makes no sense to say that the people paying and not using the healthcare are not going to see a benefit. They are.

Finally, after so long, you will see the cost of a single payer healthcare system decline. This would be due to initiatives in preventative care, treatment of ailments that are better caught early and thus dont become a problem will also help to drive healthcare costs down.

But no, the healthcare industry in the USA has convinced the stupid that people have a price. Their lives have a price and that some people are simply worthless and dont deserve to live because they cant afford to be healthy, while creating the very conditions that ensure that they cant afford to be healthy. Its sickening to think that in the western, supposedly modern world, people can actually think in such cruel, malicious and evil ways.

[Dionysos]

100% correct. I'd vote Van Jones as an Independent President.

[Thulgore]

I agree 100% with this. The thing I do not fucking understand. How the hell do people think the insurance companies make their money? By helping people? lol wtf I may not trust my government (regardless of leader), I sure as hell trust insurance companies far more. 

[teamsleep]

“There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party … and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat.”


― Gore Vidal

[CaptainComposte]

whether the individual mandate was a concession on the Democrats part or an idea originally created by Republicans or not doesn't matter.  It still just doesn't work.

[Shnipe]

No matter which side is correct, the Big Think channel has not given a balanced account of opinions on this single mandate policy. I don't know why people are not discussing this prejudice regardless of which side you stand by.

[Nebukadnezzer]

Thank god for the Tea Party. They've done more damage to the Republican Party, than any Democrat could have ever done. 

[TJ]

because the for profit model does not incentivize good health care.

[HighElvenGamer]

I say thank god there is a party devoted to preserving the republic. Imagine a world without the Republican party. You could just shred the constitution and kiss our beloved republic goodbye. Now that that is out of the way. Van Jones does make some good points.

[TheAlaric]

I live in Norway. I can tell you exactly how it is. Norway has done 0 R&D in hospital technology and the cost of living here is sky high. And now the USA will be like that so health care will forever be stuck at 2013 levals. But at least it is "Free". And worth exactly that.

[onepcwhiz]

OK Big Think.. allow someone to counter Van.  If you have, I'd sure like to see it.

[jos]

2:09 defines republicans pretty accurately. We are constantly taking 1 step forward and 2 steps back when we can't work together. It's simply counter productive

[thewalrusx]

I totally agree with his assessment of the current iteration of conservative politicians, but the problem is if we have two parties that won't or can't work together we have a dysfunctional government. Compromise is essential to a democracy. We need to undo the damage gerrymandering has done in radicalizing the GOP campaigns. We also need to get money out of politics. And lastly we need to step away from the two party system. There should be at least four equally powerful political parties so that every party will be forced to compromise to get things done. 

[FredC]

We have two parties in this nation. One is a center-right party, and the other is the GOP.

[Kefka]

Same can be said for Economics. Politicians follow their own economic incentives and make laws that either help friends, help themselves or will hurt the public via good intentions.

[mersk]

In may 1927, Hitler called himself a scocialist.

In May 1927, Hitler called himself a socialist.

The main difference between socialism and fascism is, who signs the worker's pay check.

[parkerdinhwilliams]

I get why you don't want this. I do. It's annoying to think someone is taking your money, especially the federal government. But it's different for health insurance, at least for me. Because I've seen friends get cancer, my dad has cancer, my neighboor just died of cancer, my friend's sister was hit by a car and severely injured. I see sickness and pain everywhere, and it's time the country came together to make sure these families don't need to suffer physically AND financially.