December 18, 2006
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Charity
Charity is a fairly widely misunderstood term which we currently seem to relate to private contributions to people or groups working with people less fortunate then ourselves. The idea of charity is one of our basic values here in America and giving is considered a Good Thing.
Historically, the concept of charity probably started with tribal community help efforts where some tribe member who had a misfortune was helped back on his feet by the rest of the tribe. This became a more-or-less religious obligation and was often controlled by the religious leaders but with the development of larger and more urban cultures, it often became part of the government's responsibility. In some (mostly Eastern) cultures poverty became a sort of religious condition and all members were urged to support the religious leaders who had to give up all their worldly goods and live completely on charity. Modern examples are Buddhist monks, who must beg for their food every day.
Early Christian groups followed Jesus' command that they care for their neighbor and carried the idea of charity somewhat further than was the custom in their time setting up guest houses and making extraordinary efforts to succor the poor and infirm.
During the Middle Ages, most charity was administered through the Church but with the rise of powerful governments and the Protestant Reformation charities became more and more secularized and the religious teachings of charity became part of the basic value system of Europe. The idea of "poor houses" and government help for those citizens who needed it gradually magnified into the Social Insurance programs most developed nations have today.
Probably here in America the next great step in government sponsored social charity will be Universal Medical Care.
Curiously, such a "Socialized Medicine" program will probably result in much lower over-all medical costs for the nation, as has happened in the case of Medicare for old folks - a program which essentially pays for itself and certainly keeps old folks healthier and out of the poorhouse.
Is this going to be a good thing?
Comments (16)
It works well in France adn Germany, I cannot speak for other countries as I am not familair with their medical stytems, but given that Americans pay higher taxes than many countries and they certainly deserve to have a public medical system, as well as a public higher education system that offers free college education.
Unfortunately, our basic value system also has the concept of "Hard Work is virtue", which makes us leery of giving anybody anything free - they have to earn it. We like the idea of personal charity but find government charity distasteful.
I would definiately like to find some way to keep the "old folks healthier and out of the poorhouse." However, I don't think Universal Medical Care is the answer. And it is certainly not paying for itself in other countries. Most European countries that have Socialized Medicine have a big problem with keeping qualified doctors, and the costs have almost broken their system. Even the medicare system in the U.S. is costing more than is taken into the system.
Socialization of anything has never worked in the long run, because such a system stiffles creativity by removing incentive. How would you overcome these problems?
Universal Medical Care is very popular in all the countries I know of. There are a lot more busses full of old folks going to Canada (for their meds) than there are busses full of people coming south for expensive medical care.
By law Medicare is a pay as you go program - just as social security is. The deficit in medicare is Medicaid - which is a welfare program paid out of tax money. Medicare rates are set in each state by a board made up mostly of MDs who determine the fair rate for services. most medical costs are the result of a MD-Pharma-Insurance agreement that has artificially inflated prices and priced medical costs out of the reach of between 30 and 40% of Americans.
As far as socialization never working - How do you think roads are built? How is your water supplied? Garbage picked up?
Of course often these are not public utilities, but I remain unconvinced that a for-profit corporation is able to do the same job for a lower cost.
Here in Florida we have a real good example of the results of privatization of social services. The worst example is Florida's Child and Family Welfare system - google it if you want a real horror story (they have lost a pretty sizable number of children - little children). It's right up there with our election- voting machine fiascos. BTW: State personnel services were privatized at a cost of much more than before privatization. the Co. did manage to cut their costs though, they outsourced personnel records to India.
Obviously there are many areas where private enterprise can do better than public ownership - I just don't happen to believe that people should become rich as the result of other people's misery. Don't tell me about all those miracle drugs and techniques - most of the real important ones were the result of either university or government sponsored research. The fundimental discoveries were often made in countries with "socialized medicine". If you have had one of those new laser/cornea cutting operations to improve your eyesight - thank the Soviet government - those techniques were invented there.
I think our belief that we have the world's best medical system is a delusion. We do certainly have the world's most expensive medical system and there is absolutly no incentive to reduce medical costs - unless the government steps in.
OK enough ranting. Have a Happy Holiday
I won't dispute that socialization has produced some good. And certainly people should not abuse the sytem to get rich on the backs of the elderly.
I merely say that in the long run" it can't sustain itself. You used the example of the Soviet Union; it no longer exists no longer exists. East Germanany no longer exists. The Soviet controlled nations went steadily down hill under control of that way of life, and in the far east, Korea is on the edge of having that happen to them. China is finding the it must change, because it cannot keep up with a pure socialized form of government.
The cost of socialized forms of government has always been born by the people, who tend to experience very little gain for what it costs them. Opps - gotta go to work. Maybe more later.
I have mixed feelings on the issue myself. While I'm generally in favor of small government, I recently faced the disappointment of remaining legally blind because I'm not one of the fortunate sons who can afford that kind of health care in this country. On the moral level, it seems ridiculous that in a country with our resources, the "life" portion of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" is only available to those who can afford it.
On the other hand, the destiny of any government is to try to grow larger and more powerful. The people can't really stop that - but we can have a say in the direction the government grows. Right now, the government is headed in the direction of militant theocratic nanny-state, not a good way to go. If the people allowed the government to grow - but only in a manner that serves us - for example, allowing universal health care and better public schools rather than Reverend Lawmaker policing America's bedrooms, we'd find our tax dollars put to much better use.
I somehow or other don't think Universal Health Care in the U.S. will result in our "putting another S in the USA". Sheri's (That's Relativty) comment is well taken.
It will result in more people getting better health care - cheaper. I will also result in MDs making less while other health workers may make more; pharmas making a great deal less; and insurance companies having to actually insure people for the things they were originally set up for - like fire, storm, accident, and life insurance. I also don't think medical costs would continue to climb at double or triple the inflation rate, as they are now doing.
Maybe some things, like medical care, should not be governed by the free market. While commerce is certainly an excellent incentive for innovation, in cases like medicine, it may be necessary to allow for the fact that everyone needs this particular product, regardless of the amount of capital they posess.
Universal health care seems to have done Canada's economy a favor, in that companies are drawn by (among other things) not being burdened by exploding health care costs. Workers compensation isn't necessary - another boon for companies. Even litigation is stemmed, as there are no health care costs.
To be clear, I love capitalism - the free market is my friend. But maybe capitalism, like all other systems, needs a degree of balance. As Americans, particularly post "pinko commie" era, we are idealogically entrenched in capitalism. Maybe this isn't good for us. Perhaps the best government isn't run on any ideaology - but on simply taking a step back and seeing what works.
On the other hand, though, any time the government is given control over a given area - it is necessary to gaurd against their trying to seize too much power. If we take universal health care as an example - can the government then forbid smoking, trans fats, and sunbathing to protect its own interests? What about mandating exercise or allocating meal rations for each person - again, in the interest of protecting government investment?
Once again - the issue of balance comes in to play.
Holy hell - Florida's child welfare system is privatized? I knew ours was pretty bad, but I have heard some things about Florida's system that made my blood run cold.
To clarify the situation in Fla's Child and Family Services system. The most crucial privatized part is that concerning Foster Care of children. FL long ago shut down its facilities for caring for children and farms them all out to private individuals, who are paid a good bit and not very carefully either screened before acceptance nor supervised. This has led to scandals you wouldn't believe.
Thank God, we are finally getting rid of "our" Bush and the first important appointment his successor (Charley Crist) made was to appoint probably the most able politician in Fla to succeed the present CFWS director.
This appointment of Bob Butterworth (A Dem - not a Rep like Crist) is universally seen as a good thing, but he has an insurmountable job ahead.
These privatization scandals may be a formidable roadblock in Jeb Bush's drive at the presidency - but I wouldn't count on it.
Merry Christmas, Dick.
wow good topic, I agree on both sides. I dont have a whole lot of money, and no insurance and I need some dental care really bad. Im going to be taking out of my 401K to pay for it, leaching my fragile future securtity to take care of today's problems. I wouldnt have to do that if there was socialized medicine. But the US has the highest paid Doctors, which draws in the best doctors in the world, if we no longer offered the best pay, many of them would leave! Why do you think we have so many foriegn doctors here? Because the socialised programs in their own countries dont pay them much!
And I hate it, but I have to agree with the Gov. getting its fingers in deeper and deeper if they can, look at what it did after 911? We dont even really understand that stupid thing they passed! Who knows what all they have been doing in the name of 'Homeland Defense'? The same would happen with Health care, look at Food Stamps, its such a mess, I cant get them even though I really could use them right now, because I was responsible and stoped at ONE child. While the 22 year old single chick at work with two kids is pleased to be pregnant with another by her new boyfriend, and gets everything paid for! What a mess....
But like I said, it shure would be nice if I could get my teeth fixed without raping my retirement fund. And all in a country so rich we all have two TVs, playstation, and comps even in low-income homes... and Im not excluding myself there... maybe the program we should be working on is Simple Living (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_living)
But that wouldnt drive the Great American Capitolist Machine, now would it?
~Mia wait, weren't we talking about charity? lol
PS I finally posted a Cafe topic!
Mia: We already have a universal health care system - Medicare _ for "age challenged" folks like me - I've used it for more than a decade, I assure you I get the same kind of care insurance companies pay far too much for - I choose the doctors and everything.
" But the US has the highest paid Doctors, which draws in the best doctors in the world, if we no longer offered the best pay, many of them would leave! Why do you think we have so many foreign doctors here? Because the socialized programs in their own countries dont pay them much! "
This is a pretty common argument. Uhhh, where would they go?
Personally I'm not too keen on doctors who pay more attention to the bottom line than they do to their patients - which seems to be what we encourage nowadays.
Happy New Year
--yeah as a kid I loved the Little House on the Prairy books, and her father did the same thing! Thanks for the comment
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Thank you so much for the infomation. I really appreciate it and I feel much better now.
Happy New Year!
Emily
Is it okay to place a portion of this in my site if perhaps I submit a reference to this site?