Wot is the problem with a national health service in USA????

[Tinkerbell TX 0]

The USA is meant to be a 1st world country but when it comes to health care, most people cant afford it. Yes, the hospitals will treat people, but they are landed with huge bills they cant afford to pay!

I'm amazed that a country like the USA allows their own people to suffer but will spend billions of $ on warfare in Afganistan & Iraq!! crazy!

Well, the US is meant to be a 1st world country in a lot of areas but fails miserably short (think: high school education, vacation time, crime rate, etc.) so why should it be any different with health-care? I think it is enough for certain Americans of a particular political persuasion to just run around shouting 'USA No. 1' without that ever having to truly be the case. It is just so much easier to think it than to work to make it true.

Spot on there. The US has fallen behind in most industries yet people don't even realize this. In the others they're not doing too bad in, international companies are rapidly catching up.

The irony is that it's not folks from well off areas that are complaining, well they complain too if their taxes increase, but I find it's many blue collar workers from medium to small towns. Who basically do not know what they are talking about. They have an opinion but are too preoccupied with sport or their local NFL team's success. Therefore, nothing changes. The country's infrastructure is on pay with countries like India and Mexico.

Pride has destroyed a lot of nations. Egypt, Greece, Rome, Ottomans, Spanish, Dutch and even the English. America is now facing the same destiny. Everyone of those nations at one stage thought we are the best Egypt Egypt Egypt.

Here is an example: Compare the two roads.

Typical small town US road:

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=40....337.95,,0,13.25

An Australian road in the middle of the bloody desert, with 110 degree heat

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=-29...,342.02,,0,7.44

I'll be travelling that bit of road in OZ in just a couple months and can't wait (110 will feel just like here).

BUT, that said, to do an apples to apples comparison, when were both roads built, how much vehicle traffic is on each, is there significant temperature changes from night to day (obviously on the Stuart) and from summer to winter, rainfall in each area, etc....

just saying..............

[Heracles 417]

I'll be travelling that bit of road in OZ in just a couple months and can't wait (110 will feel just like here).

BUT, that said, to do an apples to apples comparison, when were both roads built, how much vehicle traffic is on each, is there significant temperature changes from night to day (obviously on the Stuart) and from summer to winter, rainfall in each area, etc....

just saying..............

You will see it first hand.

Here is an example of a freeway.

Key points are no potholes, reflectors in every lane, street lighting, safety dividers in the middle, emergency telephones. Left emergency lane is also a bike lane.

Edited August 12, 2009 by haza

[Heracles 417]

I find it interesting that anyone would defend such incompetence. After all, that is what it comes down too. A country is what you make it or not. The US is not that far off from ending up a Philippines or a Mexico. We built and modernized our cities, you guys allowed most of them to become ghettoized and ran for the burbs.

For those in other developed countries, countries first literally means country first and that includes their citizens and legal residents.

Same deal with health care. Everyone else is in the 21st century. America along with Sudan, Kenya and Somalia etc don't believe in UHS. Awesome. Great to know your equivalents are third world countries.

Edited August 12, 2009 by haza

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I think I'm going to jack off to pics of reflectors in Australian roads.

[Tinkerbell TX 0]

I'll be travelling that bit of road in OZ in just a couple months and can't wait (110 will feel just like here).

BUT, that said, to do an apples to apples comparison, when were both roads built, how much vehicle traffic is on each, is there significant temperature changes from night to day (obviously on the Stuart) and from summer to winter, rainfall in each area, etc....

just saying..............

You will see it first hand.

Here is an example of a freeway.

Key points are no potholes, reflectors in every lane, street lighting, safety dividers in the middle, emergency telephones. Left emergency lane is also a bike lane.

key points are when was the road completed??????? so again, let's compare apples to apples, eh?

[Heracles 417]

key points are when was the road completed??????? so again, let's compare apples to apples, eh?

Doesn't matter when it was completed. They build new roads all the time. They also renovate and renew others. You guys don't. That is choice. Investing in America is not important here. A road is just for getting from A to B, as are limited trains and the airports. Whereas, everywhere else in the world, excluding your Kenyas and Somalias, it's all about quality of life. A nice road, A nice and modern rail system. A nice modern airport. A nice park for the kids. A nice downtown for people to visit.

America is a winner takes all country. It's all about winning right. Same with your presidential system compared to the parliamentary system used by most of the countries with the top GDP per capita, that is, the ones above the US. Above as in better. As in beaten. You guys just fail to connect the dots and realize that in most rankings not only are you not your prided number one, which being first is so American, but you usually rank 20th to 30th. So not only are you not Numero Uno but you 30th, yet still cannot see and think man we are doing poorly.

For most other countries it's not about being one. They don't care really nor do they promote that as being the and all be all of their society. We help each other out there. We want to build our country. We don't say we are the best until we have factual evidence showing it. It's Australia's generosity, compassion and mateship that allowed my family to build wealth beyond that of most Americans. Allowed us to be educated in schools that quite frankly no poor person in America could even visit.

Edited August 12, 2009 by haza

[Ban Hammer 13,333]

I'll be travelling that bit of road in OZ in just a couple months and can't wait (110 will feel just like here).

BUT, that said, to do an apples to apples comparison, when were both roads built, how much vehicle traffic is on each, is there significant temperature changes from night to day (obviously on the Stuart) and from summer to winter, rainfall in each area, etc....

just saying..............

You will see it first hand.

Here is an example of a freeway.

Key points are no potholes, reflectors in every lane, street lighting, safety dividers in the middle, emergency telephones. Left emergency lane is also a bike lane.

yeah but the signs are on the wrong side of the road

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I'll be travelling that bit of road in OZ in just a couple months and can't wait (110 will feel just like here).

BUT, that said, to do an apples to apples comparison, when were both roads built, how much vehicle traffic is on each, is there significant temperature changes from night to day (obviously on the Stuart) and from summer to winter, rainfall in each area, etc....

just saying..............

You will see it first hand.

Here is an example of a freeway.

Key points are no potholes, reflectors in every lane, street lighting, safety dividers in the middle, emergency telephones. Left emergency lane is also a bike lane.

yeah but the signs are on the wrong side of the road

That's because they're in the southern hemisphere, stupid. Even water in the toilet flows the other way down there!

[Heracles 417]

yeah but the signs are on the wrong side of the road

[Chica Yeyé 41]

I think I'm going to jack off to pics of reflectors in Australian roads.

Just please don't take pics of yourself while doing that, mmmm'kay???

[Tinkerbell TX 0]

key points are when was the road completed??????? so again, let's compare apples to apples, eh?

Doesn't matter when it was completed. They build new roads all the time. They also renovate and renew others. You guys don't. That is choice. Investing in America is not important here. A road is just for getting from A to B, as are limited trains and the airports. Whereas, everywhere else in the world, excluding your Kenyas and Somalias, it's all about quality of life. A nice road, A nice and modern rail system. A nice modern airport. A nice park for the kids. A nice downtown for people to visit.

America is a winner takes all country. It's all about winning right. Same with your presidential system compared to the parliamentary system used by most of the countries with the top GDP per capita, that is, the ones above the US. Above as in better. As in beaten. You guys just fail to connect the dots and realize that in most rankings not only are you not your prided number one, which being first is so American, but you usually rank 20th to 30th. So not only are you not Numero Uno but you 30th, yet still cannot see and think man we are doing poorly.

For most other countries it's not about being one. They don't care really nor do they promote that as being the and all be all of their society. We help each other out there. We want to build our country. We don't say we are the best until we have factual evidence showing it. It's Australia's generosity, compassion and mateship that allowed my family to build wealth beyond that of most Americans. Allowed us to be educated in schools that quite frankly no poor person in America could even visit.

yes it does matter when it was completed. You cannot compare a year old freeway (dual carriage road) to a 40 year old secondary road!

We don't build roads all the time???? Coulda fooled me! Funny that because I'm driving to work on a brand new freeway (that complete 18 months early). I'm sorry but you are just wrong. One of our airports here is undergoing a major expansion as are others around the country I'm sure. Can't argue on trains or rail.......I'd really like to see more light rail for commuting. Parks? We have plenty of nice parks for the rugrats.

Perhaps you mistake being better with just being different. Why do we have to be the same as everyone else? It is our differences that make us interesting. If we are so awful why are so many people trying to get here?

I'm glad for you that "your family" to build wealth but now you are coming off as an elitist snob.

[Heracles 417]

yes it does matter when it was completed. You cannot compare a year old freeway (dual carriage road) to a 40 year old secondary road!

We don't build roads all the time???? Coulda fooled me! Funny that because I'm driving to work on a brand new freeway (that complete 18 months early). I'm sorry but you are just wrong. One of our airports here is undergoing a major expansion as are others around the country I'm sure. Can't argue on trains or rail.......I'd really like to see more light rail for commuting. Parks? We have plenty of nice parks for the rugrats.

Perhaps you mistake being better with just being different. Why do we have to be the same as everyone else? It is our differences that make us interesting. If we are so awful why are so many people trying to get here?

I'm glad for you that "your family" to build wealth but now you are coming off as an elitist snob.

See that is a prime example of why America is where it is. Regardless of the facts, you guys just cannot accept that you are no longer leaders. Okay, show me where America cities rank when compared to other international cities. Show me where the US ranks in terms of quality of living or the Human development index. These are facts. Not some personal opinion of mine.

I'm not pointing this out like hey I am better than you or top ######. I'm just trying to say you guys need to wake up. Australian conservatives are progressive. We are building the country, as is China or Dubai, which creates jobs. American conservatives hate change and falsely believe only tax cuts will fuel an economy.

I have traveled throughout America. Infrastructure is nowhere near as good as that of other first world countries. Now you're in Texas, which does have so good roads for the US but there are so many other places that are embarrassing. Like your nations capital. The NE of the US, in particular, is quite embarrassing and run down. Lets not even bring into the equation the sheer number of ghettos or run down cities in the US. May of which if you covered any signs, anyone visiting would think they are in a third world country. Texas actually has quite a few places that remind me of Aus.

Edited August 12, 2009 by haza

[Tinkerbell TX 0]

yes it does matter when it was completed. You cannot compare a year old freeway (dual carriage road) to a 40 year old secondary road!

We don't build roads all the time???? Coulda fooled me! Funny that because I'm driving to work on a brand new freeway (that complete 18 months early). I'm sorry but you are just wrong. One of our airports here is undergoing a major expansion as are others around the country I'm sure. Can't argue on trains or rail.......I'd really like to see more light rail for commuting. Parks? We have plenty of nice parks for the rugrats.

Perhaps you mistake being better with just being different. Why do we have to be the same as everyone else? It is our differences that make us interesting. If we are so awful why are so many people trying to get here?

I'm glad for you that "your family" to build wealth but now you are coming off as an elitist snob.

See that is a prime example of why America is where it is. Regardless of the facts, you guys just cannot accept that you are no longer leaders. Okay, show me where America cities rank when compared to other international cities. Show me where the US ranks in terms of quality of living or the Human development index. These are facts. Not some personal opinion of mine.

I'm not pointing this out like hey I am better than you or top ######. I'm just trying to say you guys need to wake up. Australian conservatives are progressive. We are building the country, as is China or Dubai, which creates jobs. American conservatives hate change and falsely believe only tax cuts will fuel an economy.

I have traveled throughout America. Infrastructure is nowhere near as good as that of other first world countries. Now you're in Texas, which does have so good roads for the US but there are so many other places that are embarrassing. Like your nations capital. The NE of the US, in particular, is quite embarrassing and run down. Lets not even bring into the equation the sheer number of ghettos or run down cities in the US. May of which if you covered any signs, anyone visiting would think they are in a third world country. Texas actually has quite a few places that remind me of Aus.

I really think you are laboring under grave misconceptions about the majority of Americans. I could really care less if we are percieved as leaders or not (in the I'm better than you sense). I prefer not to compare cities (yeah go ahead, I know you're going to slam me for that) BECAUSE each place is unique. What makes one city desireable to one person typically isn't the same to another person.

Yes, you were. You have your own unique set of problems in OZ than we do here. As for your diatribe about conservatives, generalize much?

Jobs are what fuels an economy, lower the taxes on small businesses and you will see an explosion of growth.

Depends where you go, eh, as far as infrastructure goes, just like anywhere. Washington DC, or parts of it, are abysmal, I won't argue on that. as far as the NE is concerned, if you are talking about the roads, winter freezing takes it's toll very fast. That's just a natural process.

Ghettos? yeah, we have them, so do you. Run down cities? same.

OZ has quite a few places that remind me of Texas.

Now back to the topic...............

we have 2 National Health services already in existence.......Medicaid and Medicare. Why are we not just fixing (and they do need to be fixed) and expanding those? Why do we need to completely change something that is working for 80% of the population?

Edited August 12, 2009 by Tinkerbell TX

[Anh map 2,098]

That's the problem! The potholes and ghettos are between us and the free hospitals!

The aging of the baby boomers and the demands they put on the system might get the health care world revamped. Because the boomers will get out there and vote.

[rebeccajo 14]

I think I'm going to jack off to pics of reflectors in Australian roads.

bwahahahahaahahahah