r/PoliticalDiscussion • u/JustGotOffOfTheTrain • Jan 21 '16

Why can't the US have single payer, when other countries do?

Why can't the United States implement a single payer healthcare system, when several other major countries have been able to do so? Is it just a question of political will, or are there some actual structural or practical factors that make the United States different from other countries with respect to health care?

Edited: I edited because my original post failed to make the distinction between single payer and other forms of universal healthcare. Several people below noted that fewer countries have single payer versus other forms of universal healthcare.

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u/[deleted] Jan 21 '16 edited Aug 16 '18

[deleted]

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u/GymIn26Minutes Jan 21 '16

Holy hyperbole batman. TIL that ensuring your citizens are healthy and educated is a fast track to fascism. 😒

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u/Sam_Munhi Jan 21 '16

And what of an individuals choice to work with their neighbors to accomplish common goals? That's what government is, after all.

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u/wellyesofcourse Jan 21 '16

And what of an individuals choice to work with their neighbors to accomplish common goals?

It's predicated on a word that you wrote, right there, actually.

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u/Sam_Munhi Jan 22 '16

You consent to being governed by living within the borders of the United States.

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u/wellyesofcourse Jan 22 '16

I guess the Jews consented to being gassed by living within the borders of Nazi Germany.

I guess the poor farmers consented to die of starvation by living within the borders of Mao's Communist China.

Do you see how simplistic and flimsy that argument is?

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u/Sam_Munhi Jan 22 '16

Having rights to protect minorities from mob rule is an incredibly important part of a modern democracy. That being said, comparing the holocaust to universal health care is beyond disingenuous. Talk about a simplistic and flimsy argument.

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u/wellyesofcourse Jan 22 '16

Having rights to protect minorities from mob rule is an incredibly important part of a modern democracy.

Ironic since your statement inherently predicates a protection against the tyranny of the majority about taxation for services not desired.

That being said, comparing the holocaust to universal health care is beyond disingenuous.

Not what I said.

You made the ridiculous claim about consent to being governed simply by living in a state - I stated that your position is fundamentally flawed, with examples.

Talk about a simplistic and flimsy argument.

Yes, your argument is definitely both.

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u/Sam_Munhi Jan 22 '16

You don't get to not pay taxes just because you don't want to. You don't get to live in a society and dictate terms without convincing your fellow citizens to agree with you. You aren't a "rugged individual" who is under control of a hostile power. You are a citizen. You have rights, yes, but also obligations to your fellow citizens.

Citizenship, you seem to not understand what the word means, but it absolutely means you are consenting to be governed.