@HHBH You need to realise that we in the UK and in other Commonwealth countries are completely used to a free healthcare system (which I know you know) and it's always been that way. So to challenge somebody in one of these locations for another alternative to fund the healthcare system is largely a waste of time, it's seen as free here and apart from taxation why should we need to take out insurance to pay for it and that is the view here. So when Astronomer challenges the US system, partly it's going to be from an element of shock and surprise as to why the USA isn't overly keen on adopting the British model.

Also we in the UK and I guess in the other Commonwealth countries are used to being cared for by the state to a large degree. The thought of an individual here taking on more responsibility and having less reliance on state services, is as about as shocking as having guns in our society.

Lots of people outside of the USA including myself, actually find the US healthcare system an interesting subject to look at, as it's all quite alien. Therefore non-Americans stepping into this thread are going to find the system there quite bizarre to say the least and will make errors of judgement on facts when talking about it, but that doesn't mean that they shouldn't discuss it.

Yeah, exactly. In Canada the system has been in place for the better part of the last 50 or 60 years, so the majority of the population here has had free healthcare for either most of their life or their entire life (like myself and my parents). The amount of tax that is paid to the government for this service is just a fact of life now and no one bats an eye. Americans seem so averse to paying taxes, when in reality, taxes help maintain the quality of life they've become accustomed to.

Mines was from a NYTimes article I read.

Source

I latched onto that percentage but they are talking about the stimulus.

HAH! I knew it!!!

I'm not even going to bother continuing this conversation because you've somehow turned it into a heated argument, this is exactly what I was talking about in the other thread regarding members responding so defensively and with such hostility to posts that were originally intended to simply be a point of friendly and civilised discussion.

I never dropped any non-factual statements, I got them all from government websites, and I apologised when my opinion was supported by incorrect information. Like I said, if you think the US healthcare act is working well and benefiting your country - so be it. I can't really comment on that because I don't live there, but I can comment on the fact that what is essentially "free" healthcare (so to speak with this use of the term) is something that makes our healthcare affordable in Commonwealth countries and what we are familiar with, just like other members like Burning Down and Unknown Soldier have responded with. And that is all I was ever doing in the first place.

Astronomer is right. Let's please try to keep the heat down in here. I realize it's sometimes difficult to maintain civility when debating polarizing issues, but if we can try to keep it from boiling over into a necessity for thread removal or infractions, it's really in your own best interests.

Thanks!

If you ever feel the need to close it and let people cool off as OP I'm perfectly fine with having that done and having it be re-opened at a later date.

I appreciate that, but I think we should try reasoning with the people first, then closing it as a last resort, even if it's temporary. :)

Apart from HHBH telling Astronomer that she shouldn't be on the thread as she doesn't understand the US healthcare system, I've not seen any angry people on here at all.

Affordable healthcare is nice, but the waiting lists are so annoying.