Free healthcare for all...

[meazza]

http://www.montrealgazette.com/health/Cancer+patients+told+shop+around/7543579/story.html

 

God bless this progressive society...

[VABills]

It's Canada. Does it really count?

[/dev/null]

Forward!

[Nanker]

Can't wait for our healthcare system to get screwed like Canada's is.

Good luck to anyone on either side of the border who needs something more than stitches and a bandage.

[meazza]

Can't wait for our healthcare system to get screwed like Canada's is.

Good luck to anyone on either side of the border who needs something more than stitches and a bandage.

 

I believe the obesity rate is much lower in Canada in contrast to the US. I'd love to see the impact of the cost of adding all these people in bad health.

[Doc]

I believe the obesity rate is much lower in Canada in contrast to the US. I'd love to see the impact of the cost of adding all these people in bad health.

The US is the fattest country on the planet. That and other things makes the US population incomparable to other countries with socialized medicine. Which is why I've been saying that Obamacare will be the death of the country.

[CosmicBills]

The US is the fattest country on the planet. That and other things makes the US population incomparable to other countries with socialized medicine. Which is why I've been saying that Obamacare will be the death of the country.

It won't be.

 

But it should have been single payer -- instead Obama sold out to the insurance lobby.

 

You want to solve the looming American health care crisis, get rid of private insurance companies who do nothing but profit off of disease and death and go after the people who are poisoning our food. The Monsantos, Krafts, Pepsi co and Coke of the world.

 

But let's go on thinking the reason America is obese, cancer riddled and diabetic is because we're lazy. It's not. It's because we're being screwed in the name of bigger profits.

[meazza]

It won't be.

 

But it should have been single payer -- instead Obama sold out to the insurance lobby.

 

You want to solve the looming American health care crisis, get rid of private insurance companies who do nothing but profit off of disease and death and go after the people who are poisoning our food. The Monsantos, Krafts, Pepsi co and Coke of the world.

 

But let's go on thinking the reason America is obese, cancer riddled and diabetic is because we're lazy. It's not. It's because we're being screwed in the name of bigger profits.

 

So you're saying that we don't have the choice of this unhealthy lifestyle?

 

Newsflash, those companies sell all over the world yet only one country seems to treat it as their "delicacy". There is plenty of healthy food out there for those who want it.

[birdog1960]

So you're saying that we don't have the choice of this unhealthy lifestyle?

 

Newsflash, those companies sell all over the world yet only one country seems to treat it as their "delicacy". There is plenty of healthy food out there for those who want it.

yet we subsidize corn to make fructose corn syrup and expensive ethanol for fuel, as a form of corporate welfare for the likes of archer daniels midland and cargill. why not subsidize local growers and farmers markets, if we're going to subsidize at all? healthier food and less fuel to ship. makes too much sense and doesn't benefit big business.

[drnykterstein]

"or go private" is the key wording there. There is no one stopping you from keeping private health insurance and using private doctors with Universal HC.

[CosmicBills]

So you're saying that we don't have the choice of this unhealthy lifestyle?

 

Newsflash, those companies sell all over the world yet only one country seems to treat it as their "delicacy". There is plenty of healthy food out there for those who want it.

That's dodging the issue, M. Monsantos especially just waged war on information in California to the tune of over 400 million dollars. They outright lied, misled and stole a ballot initiative here by spreading lies and misinformation. These aren't just US companies -- they're global as you said. And they absolutely limit our choices as a nation specifically, but as a global community as a whole.

 

There are plenty of organic food options available -- but they're more expensive, pricing out the lower classes who, due to sheer economics, are more likely to consume the cheaper, genetically altered and chemically enhanced food products. A larger portion of the lower class has less access to information about proper nutrition and thus eat even more of the unhealthy, toxic food that is absolutely killing our population. It's criminal. It's calculated. And it's entirely driven by profits.

 

This isn't a bashing on free enterprise. This is a continuing manipulation of the population by a very powerful, very lucrative industry that controls an ever increasing percentage of global crop. And it's gotten to the point where they are now above the law. They own both parties (this isn't a GOP vs Dem issue or even progressive vs conservative and I don't mean to frame it in that way if that's how people are reading this), they control the regulation process on their industry, and they also control the patents.

 

They poison our food supply, we've seen drastic increases in intestinal cancers and diseases, diabetes is going through the roof, and the rate of obesity in our KIDS are at record levels. This isn't a cosmic coincidence nor is it the result of a political decision or party's errors. It's the by-product of their very lucrative business model that has put the bottom line ahead of the health of the people. And other sub-industries RELY on this continuing cycle -- health insurance and big pharma to name two.

Edited November 14, 2012 by tgreg99

[dayman]

It's business, it's culture, it's people, it's government...it's everything and it's been moving this way for a long time. Etc Etc...we're too fat right now but maybe we'll slim down ... that or go broke.

[meazza]

"or go private" is the key wording there. There is no one stopping you from keeping private health insurance and using private doctors with Universal HC.

 

And here's where you go full out asshat again.

 

So effectively, the average person pays roughly 10+K annually into a fund that is built to protect them from any health issues and yet they have to pay an inordinate amount of money more to actually get the treatment they actually need?

 

Also another thing asshat, there is a strong consortium of citizens who are against private health care even being an option since it is unjust.

 

Seriously you're !@#$ing dumber than dirt.

[CosmicBills]

It's business, it's culture, it's people, it's government...it's everything and it's been moving this way for a long time. Etc Etc...we're too fat right now but maybe we'll slim down ... that or go broke.

There is only one thing that makes a person fat, my friend.

 

It's the !@#$ing food.

[meazza]

That's dodging the issue, M. Monsantos especially just waged war on information in California to the tune of over 400 million dollars. They outright lied, misled and stole a ballot initiative here by spreading lies and misinformation. These aren't just US companies -- they're global as you said. And they absolutely limit our choices as a nation specifically, but as a global community as a whole.

 

There are plenty of organic food options available -- but they're more expensive, pricing out the lower classes who, due to sheer economics, are more likely to consume the cheaper, genetically altered and chemically enhanced food products. A larger portion of the lower class has less access to information about proper nutrition and thus eat even more of the unhealthy, toxic food that is absolutely killing our population. It's criminal. It's calculated. And it's entirely driven by profits.

 

This isn't a bashing on free enterprise. This is a continuing manipulation of the population by a very powerful, very lucrative industry that controls an ever increasing percentage of global crop. And it's gotten to the point where they are now above the law. They own both parties (this isn't a GOP vs Dem issue or even progressive vs conservative and I don't mean to frame it in that way if that's how people are reading this), they control the regulation process on their industry, and they also control the patents.

 

They poison our food supply, we've seen drastic increases in intestinal cancers and diseases, diabetes is going through the roof, and the rate of obesity in our KIDS are at record levels. This isn't a cosmic coincidence nor is it the result of a political decision or party's errors. It's the by-product of their very lucrative business model that has put the bottom line ahead of the health of the people. And other sub-industries RELY on this continuing cycle -- health insurance and big pharma to name two.

 

I don't know the issue about California to be honest but I will say that I know plenty of immigrants who survived on cheap food that wasn't necessarily "poison". I switched to meat and veggies which is much more expensive but you could easily feed a family with 99 cent pasta and some home made sauce. It amazes me how my parents who combined probably had five years of schooling could do so well with so little while our current generation seems to not have a !@#$ing clue.

[Chef Jim]

 

There is only one thing that makes a person fat, my friend.

 

It's the !@#$ing food.

 

That is so !@#$ing wrong it's pathetic.

[CosmicBills]

I don't know the issue about California to be honest but I will say that I know plenty of immigrants who survived on cheap food that wasn't necessarily "poison". I switched to meat and veggies which is much more expensive but you could easily feed a family with 99 cent pasta and some home made sauce. It amazes me how my parents who combined probably had five years of schooling could do so well with so little while our current generation seems to not have a !@#$ing clue.

But that's what I'm saying, it was a different world back then. Quite literally in terms of the way food is produced, packaged and distributed. Go to your supermarket and pick a random shelf outside of the organic aisle. Try finding more than 2 products in that aisle that do not have HFCS or a genetically altered crop in it. It's almost impossible to do. And worse, we're not even told which of the products we're consuming have GMOs in them because they don't want to tell us.

 

GMOs are almost quite literally in every product you see. Soy and corn are used in thousands of food products -- these soy and corn crops have all been genetically altered because of Monsantos Round Up Ready crop. And, this same crop is fed to the cattle and chickens meaning that even buying a steak or chicken breast that says organic ACTUALLY isn't because the livestock consumed GMOs from the feed.

 

So what does this do?

 

Well, let's say you want to prepare a healthy meal for your family. You read the news. You pay attention to stuff. You try your best to cook healthy stuff but you're not a crazy hippy so !@#$ that organic stuff. You go to Wegmans and you buy some meat, avoiding any with growth hormones, you buy some sides and veggies (and I'm trying to be specific but I'm a horrible cook so I can't even string together a worthy example) -- but turns out those sides have HFCS (which is GMO), and the meat was fed GMO feed.

 

Even the people trying to eat smart and healthy are still eating genetically altered poison without even knowing it. Why? Because Monsantos doesn't want you to know what's actually in your food. Think Neslte wants a GMO label smacked on every bottle of Pepsi? Nope. It'd be looked on like a poison label on a pack of smokes.

 

That is so !@#$ing wrong it's pathetic.

Obviously I am generalizing. But culture doesn't make you fat. Nor does business or government. Can't eat those.

[KD in CA]

You want to solve the looming American health care crisis, get rid of private insurance companies who do nothing but profit off of disease and death and go after the people who are poisoning our food. The Monsantos, Krafts, Pepsi co and Coke of the world.

 

But let's go on thinking the reason America is obese, cancer riddled and diabetic is because we're lazy. It's not. It's because we're being screwed in the name of bigger profits.

Bingo. All you need to do is take a look at the fat, sugar and/or sodium content of almost anything you pick up in the supermarket. Plus the 'roids and whatever else they have in the meat, poultry and milk.

 

 

So you're saying that we don't have the choice of this unhealthy lifestyle?

Of course, but the vast majority of the population isn't enlightened, motivated or financially secure enough to do so. I don't mean that as an excuse per se, just the reality of the situation.

 

Eating healthy ain't cheap. We pay out the ass for stuff like organic milk, meats, fruits/veggies from the farmers' market, etc. but most people can't afford to do that.

[meazza]

But that's what I'm saying, it was a different world back then. Quite literally in terms of the way food is produced, packaged and distributed. Go to your supermarket and pick a random shelf outside of the organic aisle. Try finding more than 2 products in that aisle that do not have HFCS or a genetically altered crop in it. It's almost impossible to do. And worse, we're not even told which of the products we're consuming have GMOs in them because they don't want to tell us.

 

GMOs are almost quite literally in every product you see. Soy and corn are used in thousands of food products -- these soy and corn crops have all been genetically altered because of Monsantos Round Up Ready crop. And, this same crop is fed to the cattle and chickens meaning that even buying a steak or chicken breast that says organic ACTUALLY isn't because the livestock consumed GMOs from the feed.

 

So what does this do?

 

Well, let's say you want to prepare a healthy meal for your family. You read the news. You pay attention to stuff. You try your best to cook healthy stuff but you're not a crazy hippy so !@#$ that organic stuff. You go to Wegmans and you buy some meat, avoiding any with growth hormones, you buy some sides and veggies (and I'm trying to be specific but I'm a horrible cook so I can't even string together a worthy example) -- but turns out those sides have HFCS (which is GMO), and the meat was fed GMO feed.

 

Even the people trying to eat smart and healthy are still eating genetically altered poison without even knowing it. Why? Because Monsantos doesn't want you to know what's actually in your food. Think Neslte wants a GMO label smacked on every bottle of Pepsi? Nope. It'd be looked on like a poison label on a pack of smokes.

 

 

Obviously I am generalizing. But culture doesn't make you fat. Nor does business or government. Can't eat those.

 

With scarcity this is where we are headed but it's no reason to be 350 + pounds.

 

Obviously this stuff will lead to future issues but that's not the principle issue I was talking about. My problem is that people would eat this **** even if it was laced with rat poison because it tastes good. I eat a lot of meat and veggies and there's a chance i'll have some form of cancer as a result when I'm older but I at least keep the odds in my favor by staying healthy (aside from the above).

 

Of course, but the vast majority of the population isn't enlightened, motivated or financially secure enough to do so. I don't mean that as an excuse per se, just the reality of the situation.

 

Eating healthy ain't cheap. We pay out the ass for stuff like organic milk, meats, fruits/veggies from the farmers' market, etc. but most people can't afford to do that.

 

I'm quite certain I could go through the average diet of someone who is obese and probably cut it down considerably to the point where this person would in the long term not be obese. I doubt money is really that much of an issue. As I said, my parents survived on much much less.

 

If the average person isn't really willing to do something to take care of themselves, then let Darwinism take its course.

[CosmicBills]

With scarcity this is where we are headed but it's no reason to be 350 + pounds.

 

Obviously this stuff will lead to future issues but that's not the principle issue I was talking about. My problem is that people would eat this **** even if it was laced with rat poison because it tastes good. I eat a lot of meat and veggies and there's a chance i'll have some form of cancer as a result when I'm older but I at least keep the odds in my favor by staying healthy (aside from the above).

You're right in that there are fat asses in the world. Plenty of them. And there is an issue of personal responsibility too -- but like you said, the food tastes not only good, but it's like !@#$ing crack compared to what was available 50 years ago. I know that's not an excuse but I do have some sympathy.

 

This is one of the most important issues facing our world today. I honestly believe that. And it's something very few people are talking about seriously because there's just too much money behind the food industry. It's criminal.