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In reply to the discussion: Why are Americans so resistant to Universal Healthcare? [View all]Azathoth
(4,609 posts)Last edited Mon Mar 27, 2017, 02:55 AM - Edit history (1)
That and fear of change are really all it is.
People have something that works for them -- not well, perhaps not even sufficiently -- but they would rather stay with the devil they know than toss the whole system away and roll the dice to see what they get. When peoples' lives are on the line, they really don't like to step outside their comfort zone; they'll claw your eyes out in order to cling to a sinking life raft rather than swim for the island in the distance.
People also comprehend, deep down, that whatever they have comes at the expense of someone else. They can schedule appointments to see the doctor, or schedule surgery, without waiting because the poor people on the sidewalk can't afford to. They can pay their insurance premiums because sick people can't get policies. They don't have to worry about pre-existing conditions because their employer can afford to underwrite that cost in the group plan because it isn't hiring anyone else. And so on. These are people who made it into the Titanic lifeboats and are frantically beating back the poor souls who are still in the water.