71 responses to “What about health care?”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Like us on Facebook
What is the World In Conversation Project?
Talking About Race in the USA
USA RiseUp is an online magazine where everyone can engage in race matters.
Archives
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- June 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
Copyright © 2012 World In Conversation Project.
I believe that you have to experience immigration, as I have, to have a slight right of judgment. Unfortunately, we cannot choose where to be born. Some countries have endless wars and some do not have enough colleges to educate half their population. Some do not have enough jobs and some have less freedom than they would in an American prison. The United States is full of resources, power and opportunities. It has endless jobs and a valued economy. Immigrants simply move to the United States of America to have a better life and earn a better way of living. I believe that people should have the freedom to immigrate to the United States because they help the economy and deserve the same opportunities as those born in the United States. .
A frequent dispute among those opposing further immigration is that immigrants seize U.S. jobs that are needed by American citizens. Surprisingly, many argue that immigrants are ruining the economy by taking such jobs for lower wages than Americans would. But most immigrants fill low skill jobs that are not wanted by Americans, jobs that are looked down upon. Immigrants do what they can to survive and help their families, and by doing so they help the economy in a many ways. More workers means more output. Julian L. Simon, author of The Economic Consequences of Immigration, states, “Immigration does not exacerbate unemployment … Immigrants not only take jobs, but also create them. Their purchases increase the demand for labor, leading to new hires roughly equal in number to the immigrant workers.” More people means more consumers spending money on food, rent, and a range of necessities and luxuries that spur production and create jobs elsewhere. Opponents of immigration fail to recognize these secondary effects of immigrant employment. They focus only on the original taking of jobs without accounting for job creation and economic growth. If these factors are taken into account, it becomes clear that immigrants actually inject much-needed support and vigor into the economy. If the United States is having economy trouble than they should look elsewhere before they blame immigrants.
Currently, the government is spending $8 billion per month on the continuing occupation of Iraq <a href="http:// (www.speaker.gov).” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow”> <a href="http://(www.speaker.gov).” target=”_blank”>(www.speaker.gov). Immigrants, legal or not, do not harm the economy in any way, they improve it. There are many immigrants who successfully graduate college and pursue a career. There are many immigrants who agree to work really hard for such a little money to feed their family. And most importantly, there are many immigrants who would work day and night to save money for their kids to go to college, so they can achieve what their parents could not. The economy is corrupted by many things and immigration is not one of them. According to office of national drug control budget records, The U.S. federal government spent over $19 billion dollars on the war on drugs while the state spends another $30 million.<a href="http:// (www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov)” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow”> <a href="http://(www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov)” target=”_blank”>(www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov) Fixing the economy does not have to mean killing more people at the Mexican border, we just simply need to have more rational actions. Immigrants take the low skill jobs that pay low wages. They pay taxes, rent houses, buy car insurance and groceries just like everyone else. How can they possibly hurt the economy? Some might argue that immigrant workers might raise American taxes using welfare and other programs to help them financially. But it is the fact that Americans also pay hundreds of dollars to support war, which always puzzles me, who would rather choose to support killing people instead of helping others start a life?
What a sticky situation to be in. I feel like immigration is such a difficult topic to talk about. But I do think that it is impossible for a country who is founded on immigration to take a stance that is against immigration. Immigration is fundamental to our economy. I think when people hear the word immigration they automatically think of illegal's crossing the border to our south and forget about the other kinds of immigration. I think immigration is one of the least understood concepts because as with everything, there are a few people who cross the line and ruin everything. Because really the majority of people who come into this country are good people who are just trying to make a living and are coming to this country for the right reasons.
I think a good way of thinking about immigration is by putting yourself in the immigrants shoes, so to say. Let's take a second to think about this. Let's assume for argument sake that you are living in Mexico and you have done so for your entire life. You are moderately poor and you work hard every day to feed your family and yourself. Now I realize that this isn't a story that is extremely common but some variation on it where your country is incredibly poor and to vastly improve your quality of life all you have to do is walk north. I don't know about you but I think that this is a reasonable decision to make and many of us if not all of us would make a very similar decision. Really I think that these people are very hard working and hold jobs that many of the citizens of this country who say they steal our jobs would never want to hold. I mean they aren't here stealing jobs from the business, medical, or political fields.
As far as health care goes I think that of course immigrants should be afforded treatment. I mean if the United States did not offer healthcare to all peoples in their country I think that it would create a very slippery slope in the fact that when we go overseas we expect to be treated. I think that not offering care to injured people is just ridiculous. But they don't pay taxes right? Yeah but neither do children or congressman does that mean we shouldn't treat them? Now I realize that these two things are not the same but still the principle applies. Immigration definitely needs reform and probably some more oversight. This change will not come overnight and will definitely not be easy but I think that if we educate people about the situation real progress can be made.
I think every American and every illegal immigrant from anywhere in the world has an equal right to free health care in the USSA. It doesnt matter if you are half way around the world, or you are from right here in the USSA. I dont even care if you are a terrorist. You are human after all. Further, I dont think you even need to work for health insurance. If you dont feel like working, it should be provided for you for free on the sweat of those who do work. Those that are the most wealthy must surrender more of their earnings than any other, and the incentive to prosper must be eliminated. In fact, we need to chase the wealthy and the remainder of the manufacturing industry clean out of the country by imposing more taxes and stricter regulations on production which dont exist in third world countries. Now that we have nationalized health care, we can finally look forward to permanently high unemployment rates as enjoyed in the other modern nations who have adopted nationalized health care plans. Please, everyone, everywhere come get the best healthcare on the planet at no charge. My kid needs a surgery, but just because he is citizen and I pay taxes does not give me any more right to the benefit of the surgery than that of an illegal immigrant who has never paid an American tax in his life. Fair is fair and human is human.
Well it depends on what kind of immigrants we are talking about. Did they come here legally or are they in the country illegally? If they are came here illegally, then no. They do not have the right to government run healthcare. They are working under the counter and not being taxed, and it is the citizens and legal immigrants of the United States that are essentially paying for their health care. Is it the humane thing to do? Probably not. I can not imagine being the doctor or nurse in an emergency room who will have to deny a man or woman help because they can not afford it without health care. This is especially troubling if we are talking about life or death situations. But this comes down to the individual doctor. If he wanted to, he could risk his career to save a man without health care, but I don’t think we should just hand out health care to everyone, legal or illegal, just because they are within our borders. They put an extreme burden on the other taxpayers, and they make no contribution to the running of our government or even the enforcement of our military, local police, National Guard, etc. Yes, they work extremely hard, and in some extreme conditions might I add, but it comes down to nickels and dimes. They don’t pay a cent to the government, and frankly every service in this society has a price. We can not just do everything in this world for free or else most people would lose their motivation to work. Most people do their jobs because it pays the bills. For instance, people don’t clean public bathrooms and empty trash because they love to do it. They do it because it pays the bills. Money makes society work. It gives people a reason to work harder and do jobs they normally wouldn’t want to do. It makes people want to obtain higher levels of education so they can reach that next pay scale and live a more comfortable life. We can just go around doing things for free or else it would just tear the basic structure of our society. Also, I would imagine it to be a big insult to the doctor for instance, if a patient came and ask for his services. This doctor put in years of hard work to learn his trade and spent a fortune to pay for that education. For someone to come in and ask for his services for free is just a big F U to the face. So to summarize, I believe that health care should be a right given to people in the United States, but only to those that pay their taxes. Thus, only native born citizens, and legal immigrants should have that right.
I do no think that illegal immigrants should have access to a government-sponsored healthcare plan because it’s coming out of citizens’ taxes. I think that giving them access to it would be unfair to the people in this country who are not able to receive healthcare. People who are American citizens are sitting in emergency rooms dying because they are not covered, and doctors rather help the people who are covered. I think they should be allowed to live in this country, but they should become actual citizens before they try to receive all of the benefits that we as citizens have. I do believe everyone is entitled to healthcare, but people who do not pay taxes should not get a free ride.
Should healthcare be an equal right for everyone, I take a look at it both ways. Yes it should be a right for everyone, who decided to be god and tell people that that they don’t have the chance to live because they don’t have the money to get help but the resources are available then why not. Health care is fundamental part of life but is it really a right or more of a luxury, in the end people who control healthcare will end up controlling healthcare and if those people are in charge and its their industry then they can actually exclude who ever they want to really. It’s a sad thing to say but that’s the world that we live in.
I think that health care should be an equal right to everyone who is legally living in this country. Even if they are here on a visa and are not US citizens they should have the right to have health care that is the best that they can afford. Just because they weren’t originally born here doesn’t mean that they should be unable to have health care. I was two years off from being born in Hong Kong but I have lived here forever and I can’t imagine coming back to the states and not having the option of healthcare.
I think that healthcare should be available to everyone in certain circumstances. Obviously if someone is gushing blood, a hospital should simply treat them regardless of their legal status. So I think that's a yes in the case of emergencies. Perhaps in other instances that are non-life threatening, the person can be put on a waiting list or something…I know that sounds selfish after I typed it. If I were the immigrant at the hospital, I'd probably get pissed off if I was on a waiting list. It's just that if we as a society start providing all these services free of charge to anyone that walks in the door, people are going to start to get the idea that they don't have to at least try to come here legally. Because they will be able to have all the amenities of a citizen no matter what.
I'm so excited that healthcare here is changing now, because now people who are gay or lesbian identified can finally visit their partners in the hospital. Imagine being denied the right to sit and hold your loved ones hand, because in the eyes of the Government you both aren't really together. Imagine not being able to give that last hug goodbye or say those last words because you are gay and it doesn't count that you have a "union." Now, these people finally have a small portion of what they have been searching for. We are taking big strides in this country towards equality and I can't see what else is to come.
I think this question can be easily answered if immigrants are divided into being legal and illegal. The question seemed to be asking about legal immigrants so I will talk about them. I feel as though legal immigrants have just as much entitlement to health care as a United States citizen. Immigrants live in our country, work for their families, pay taxes, and obeyed the law by coming here legally. If an immigrant can afford health insurance or paying for medical bills, I see no reason why they should be denied medical care. An immigrant should be able to provide health care for their family if they have the financial means to do so.
This is a pretty vague question so I hope I am answering correctly based on what was asked. First I want to ask a question if anyone wants to respond because I don’t want to act like I know everything about this subject matter. If you are permanently residing in the United States and you have yet to obtain citizenship, that is against the law in the first place, right? So how are illegal immigrants receiving health care? I didn’t ask this to sound condescending I am actually curious because I am definitely not the most knowledgeable person on this issue. Aside from that I’ll give my opinion based on what I think I know and believe. It is a tough question because the thought of denying someone health care that is needed for them to live seems very wrong. However, I think that in order to receive health care you should be a citizen paying taxes like everyone else. Bottom line, it is not fair that Americans are paying taxes that go toward their health care and others are receiving the same services without having to pay any taxes. Some argue that they are working hard to live in the United States, but so are the rest of the citizens who have to pay for what they receive here. Health care is expensive in the United States because it is top of the line. I know that people argue it's ignorant and morally wrong to deny someone healthcare, but that is just the way it has to be. There are middle class families who bust their butts and are not receiving any government aid. And even the wealthy families, they worked to get where they are today. Some may think it’s not worth it to spend so much time and money on school just to be “successful”, but for others it is, and they deserve what they worked for. Why should someone who came to the United States that is not even a citizen receive perks over people who are? My grandfather came to America from Italy on a boat by himself when he was only 15 years old, and he started a business so he was eventually able to take care of his family. He worked to be able provide for them and did not expect to remain an illegal citizen. He knew it would be hard but he was willing to do it because he wanted to live in America and he knew that is what he had to do to live here. Yes, it's a struggle, but in America you work for what you receive. If I wanted to go to another country I'm sure I wouldn't be able to stay there illegally. Everyone has a story or a reason for why it is wrong, but I think Americans shouldn't be suckered into believing optimum health care needs to be provided for everyone.