Home › Forums › General History Chat › Informed consumer
- This topic has 6 voices and 32 replies.
-
AuthorPosts
-
April 1, 2010 at 4:50 am #2055
willyD
ParticipantI read this recently and found it disturbing."The best answer and solution to rising costs of healthcare are for less government intervention, and to let competition and informed consumer choices to exercise a downward pressure on prices."My concern is to deal with the question of "informed consumer". In a nation that has 50 percentof the people disavowing evolution and 25 percent believing that Obama might be the much feared anti-Christ, and a large number who believe that the sun revolves around the earth,can we expect the "average guy" to be well informed on his health care options?Where can an "average guy" go to get unbiased advice on health care?
April 1, 2010 at 5:05 am #19912Phidippides
KeymasterWell, if you can't trust the average guy to know about his own health care options, then you certainly can't trust him to know how to do his own income taxes.
April 1, 2010 at 12:12 pm #19913skiguy
ModeratorSo people who disavow evolution are unintelligent?? Hmmm.
April 1, 2010 at 3:02 pm #19914willyD
ParticipantWell, if you can't trust the average guy to know about his own health care options, then you certainly can't trust him to know how to do his own income taxes.The coming VAT is not here yet.HR Block has lots of customers. I suspect there are some who are average guys.To comprehend your options under a health care problem would seem to be a very complex decision.Never having to make this decision myself I can only surmise the perplexity.Professional help is available in both cases-for now.
April 1, 2010 at 3:18 pm #19915willyD
ParticipantPeople who disavow evolution are NOT unintelligent. What a horrid thing to suggest.They are adhering to a faith or they have arrived at a conclusion that cannot be sustained in the scientific community, but to which they cleave with fervor. Even Scientology deserves respect and toleration. Today's cult is tomorrow's dominant religion--e.g. Christianity. Mithra was defeated.Many of my people believe that on Sunday they eat the flesh and blood of God--not symbolically, butthe real thing. I do not scoff at them--it is their faith. So too with people who believe literally in theirbooks--Bible-Koran--it is their faith and my opinions are of little interest to them.Our Constitution guarantees that we are free of and from any religious belief. We make our ownchoice--Huazzah!
April 1, 2010 at 3:33 pm #19916Phidippides
KeymasterThe coming VAT is not here yet.HR Block has lots of customers. I suspect there are some who are average guys.To comprehend your options under a health care problem would seem to be a very complex decision.Never having to make this decision myself I can only surmise the perplexity.Professional help is available in both cases-for now.
So people need to go to HR Block to get their taxes done? How much does that cost $500? $1000? So the poor guy who can't do his taxes on his own will be precluded from getting help, while the rich guy gets help from HR Block. Well, at least this happens to the guy who is "rich" enough not to qualify for free tax advice. I wonder why the federal government simply does not raise taxes on tax preparation services....that would be a great way to stick it to the man!
People who disavow evolution are NOT unintelligent. What a horrid thing to suggest.They are adhering to a faith or they have arrived at a conclusion that cannot be sustained in the scientific community, but to which they cleave with fervor.
I feel that you are missing the distinction between a philosophical conclusion and a scientific conclusion. One does not need religion in order to accept intelligent design. And if you are wondering, yes, I "accept" evolution, and I don't think that it precludes the philosophical understanding of intelligent design.
Our Constitution guarantees that we are free of and from any religious belief. We make our ownchoice--Huazzah!
I would like to see where our Constitution says that.BTW this thread fits the bill for being "non-historical".
April 1, 2010 at 3:35 pm #19917skiguy
ModeratorCongress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof
Some people seem to forget that part in bold.
April 1, 2010 at 5:02 pm #19918willyD
ParticipantI feel that you are missing the distinction between a philosophical conclusion and a scientific conclusion. One does not need religion in order to accept intelligent design. And if you are wondering, yes, I "accept" evolution, and I don't think that it precludes the philosophical understanding of intelligent design.I am unwilling to pursue this--thank you.
April 1, 2010 at 5:06 pm #19919willyD
ParticipantI pondered where to put this topic and placed it here hoping that it would lad into a discussion ofinformed consumer (citizen) being necessary for the working of a democracy. Unhappily, it did not flowthat way and probably ought to end here. My apologies--no pontificating was intended.
April 1, 2010 at 5:09 pm #19920willyD
ParticipantSo people need to go to HR Block to get their taxes done? How much does that cost $500? $1000? So the poor guy who can't do his taxes on his own will be precluded from getting help, while the rich guy gets help from HR Block. Well, at least this happens to the guy who is “rich” enough not to qualify for free tax advice. Last word: People have an option to go to HR Block--guy in the middle has a problem.It is our way.
April 1, 2010 at 5:56 pm #19921willyD
ParticipantOur Constitution guarantees that we are free of and from any religious belief. We make our ownchoice--Huazzah!I would like to see where our Constitution says that.BTW this thread fits the bill for being "non-historical".Try this:Read article I of the bill of rights:"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."I read the first part as a right not to have a religion and the second part as a right to have one--ergo:Freedom from and freedom ofDo I read this correctly?
April 1, 2010 at 6:13 pm #19922Phidippides
KeymasterRead article I of the bill of rights:"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."I read the first part as a right not to have a religion and the second part as a right to have one--ergo:Freedom from and freedom ofDo I read this correctly?
I don't think it means what you originally said: "Our Constitution guarantees that we are free of and from any religious belief." What the First Amendment says is that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. I don't equate that with a meaning of guaranteeing that people are free from any religious belief - something which is far broader in scope than what the First Amendment actually says.
April 1, 2010 at 7:19 pm #19923willyD
ParticipantI don't think it means what you originally said: "Our Constitution guarantees that we are free of and from any religious belief." What the First Amendment says is that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. I don't equate that with a meaning of guaranteeing that people are free from any religious belief - something which is far broader in scope than what the First Amendment actually says.We had different teachers--mine were Jesuits which may be a factor.
April 1, 2010 at 8:33 pm #19924Phidippides
KeymasterWe had different teachers--mine were Jesuits which may be a factor.
I don't see the relevance....?
April 1, 2010 at 8:44 pm #19925DonaldBaker
ParticipantI trust the people over bureaucrats every day of the week and twice on Sundays.
-
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.