"Believe" is the operative word.
Reasonable but wrong. The majority of Americans were and probably still are in favor of healthcare reform and a majority are still for a single payer type system. That we rank 37th cannot make too many Americans happy. But majorities don't always win even in our democracy. Power wins too often because it can change the dialogue and make the good seem bad. Any idea that incurs costs is in trouble in America today because costs can be used to defeat the best interests of all the people.
Having traveled in Europe and a great deal in Canada, Americans have a kind of myopic view of the world. Our bad is better than their good. Weird because you'll notice not a single one of these nations have politicians running on a rollback of the social safety net. Same here when it comes to Social security, Medicare, or even emergency room care.
The luxury argument is a bit off base. Give a real life example, insured people are quickly removed after they have exhausted their coverage. But Medicare folks are treated wonderfully, because, well you can guess can't you: GOVERNMENT - 'socialism' to those who fail to consider society doesn't exist simply for the rich to exploit.
And the argument that something better is just around the corner is laughable. Consider this has gone on since Teddy Roosevelt....Yea, sure! Change gonna come, you just sit tight....
I think the premise holds, people do vote against the interests of all and in doing so against their own interests, but there is the twist because once you have something you like, fear of loss overcomes reasonable consideration. Add cost or add the real bogeyman to that, taxes, and all is lost, greed wasn't made a cardinal sin for nuttin.
http://www.photius.com/rankings/healthranks.html
http://www.kff.org/insurance/snapshot/chcm010307oth.cfm
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