OT: Wealth Redistribution Experiment

[jficquette]

[quote=bubba99]The solution to health care is relatively simple – redefine the role of doctor, and pubicly fund it.

For 80% of all medical procedures/visits, a nurse practitioner is adequately trained. 10 years of med school and residency is not required to set a simple fracture, or treat a cold. Reduce the investment in “Dr.” and reduce the price.

Private medical insurance has not lived up to the high ideals of “privatization”. We have seen no innovation, no cost reductions through productivity increases, nor any capital efficiencies pushed into the industry. Each year we are seeing cost increases of 25% and more. This is hardly a great track record. The state could not be any worse.

When you start to look at the embedded capital costs created by privatization of true “Non-profit charitable Hospitals” you see where the giant increases in costs comming from. As a child I broke my arm. The doctor at the hospital emergency room set it and put on a cast after x-rays at a total cost of $100.19. This was done at a church hospital run by nurse/nuns Recently when my nephew did the same, the cost was closer to $10,000.00 The hospital for my nephews treatment was a former community hospital sold to Blue Cross, then resold three more times to “Private” non-profit entities owned by Caremark among others. Each time the “profit center” was repriced upwards creating new debt to be loaded on the “non-profit” entity. The end result, 25% year over year price increase to service un-necessary capital ocsts.

[/quote]

I go to a PA and the one I go to has excellent skills. You would have to limit malpractice suits because if you give primary health care for routine matters over to PA’s then they will begin to get sued as Docs are now. We have to get the lawyers out of health care if we ever want the costs to be reasonable.

I say do away with insurance, get rid of lawyers and let the Docs compete on price and service.

I had disc surgery in 2001 on my lower back. I had no insurance. The Doctor had his secretary call around and get bids on use of an operating room and a 24 hour stay. I got the MRI at half price because I paid cash and the Anethesologist also gave me half off since I paid him up front. The Orthopaedic did it for $2k, the fee under insurance would have been $5k.

All total the operation cost $6750. It was $3350 for the room. When I paid the clerk upon admittance she told me that I would be getting a bill for $10k in the mail because that is what they would have billed the insurance company had I had insurance.

If I had paid insurance rates the whole thing would have been around $20k.

I say just let everyone compete and get rid of the stupid lawsuits and insurance companies.

John

[kewp]

My idea for wealth distribution.

Every tax bracket gets a 10% (i.e., if you are paying 10%, now you pay 11%) increase, except the lowest one.

Everyone that files a tax return gets a quarterly bonus drawn from the 10% pool of income taxes of the bracket above them (except the uppermost bracket).

You can do whatever you want with the bonus, buy health insurance, eat fancy food, drink booze, invest it, give it to charity, whatever.

This accomplishes a couple things:

One: it gives an incentive for the lower classes to get at least one legit job so they can get the bonus check. It disincentives illegal labor and encourages payment of taxes.

Two: It leverages the free market to optimize social services. I can choose to buy whichever medical/dental plan I want with the bonus, for example.

Three: It improves the economy, by keeping wealth circulating domestically; as opposed to going overseas. The lower classes will tend to spend their bonuses pretty quickly.

[kewp]

My idea for wealth distribution.

Every tax bracket gets a 10% (i.e., if you are paying 10%, now you pay 11%) increase, except the lowest one.

Everyone that files a tax return gets a quarterly bonus drawn from the 10% pool of income taxes of the bracket above them (except the uppermost bracket).

You can do whatever you want with the bonus, buy health insurance, eat fancy food, drink booze, invest it, give it to charity, whatever.

This accomplishes a couple things:

One: it gives an incentive for the lower classes to get at least one legit job so they can get the bonus check. It disincentives illegal labor and encourages payment of taxes.

Two: It leverages the free market to optimize social services. I can choose to buy whichever medical/dental plan I want with the bonus, for example.

Three: It improves the economy, by keeping wealth circulating domestically; as opposed to going overseas. The lower classes will tend to spend their bonuses pretty quickly.

[kewp]

My idea for wealth distribution.

Every tax bracket gets a 10% (i.e., if you are paying 10%, now you pay 11%) increase, except the lowest one.

Everyone that files a tax return gets a quarterly bonus drawn from the 10% pool of income taxes of the bracket above them (except the uppermost bracket).

You can do whatever you want with the bonus, buy health insurance, eat fancy food, drink booze, invest it, give it to charity, whatever.

This accomplishes a couple things:

One: it gives an incentive for the lower classes to get at least one legit job so they can get the bonus check. It disincentives illegal labor and encourages payment of taxes.

Two: It leverages the free market to optimize social services. I can choose to buy whichever medical/dental plan I want with the bonus, for example.

Three: It improves the economy, by keeping wealth circulating domestically; as opposed to going overseas. The lower classes will tend to spend their bonuses pretty quickly.

[kewp]

My idea for wealth distribution.

Every tax bracket gets a 10% (i.e., if you are paying 10%, now you pay 11%) increase, except the lowest one.

Everyone that files a tax return gets a quarterly bonus drawn from the 10% pool of income taxes of the bracket above them (except the uppermost bracket).

You can do whatever you want with the bonus, buy health insurance, eat fancy food, drink booze, invest it, give it to charity, whatever.

This accomplishes a couple things:

One: it gives an incentive for the lower classes to get at least one legit job so they can get the bonus check. It disincentives illegal labor and encourages payment of taxes.

Two: It leverages the free market to optimize social services. I can choose to buy whichever medical/dental plan I want with the bonus, for example.

Three: It improves the economy, by keeping wealth circulating domestically; as opposed to going overseas. The lower classes will tend to spend their bonuses pretty quickly.

[kewp]

My idea for wealth distribution.

Every tax bracket gets a 10% (i.e., if you are paying 10%, now you pay 11%) increase, except the lowest one.

Everyone that files a tax return gets a quarterly bonus drawn from the 10% pool of income taxes of the bracket above them (except the uppermost bracket).

You can do whatever you want with the bonus, buy health insurance, eat fancy food, drink booze, invest it, give it to charity, whatever.

This accomplishes a couple things:

One: it gives an incentive for the lower classes to get at least one legit job so they can get the bonus check. It disincentives illegal labor and encourages payment of taxes.

Two: It leverages the free market to optimize social services. I can choose to buy whichever medical/dental plan I want with the bonus, for example.

Three: It improves the economy, by keeping wealth circulating domestically; as opposed to going overseas. The lower classes will tend to spend their bonuses pretty quickly.

[jficquette]

[quote=underdose]Full disclosure: I am a staunch republican in the libertarian sense. I strongly oppose Obama’s socialistic bent.

I will still vote for Obama. Neither candidate wants free markets. McCain stands for more of the same as the Bush administration has given us: deficit spending, sneaky taxation through monetary debasement, expanding militarism, suppression of civil rights, and appointment of complete incompetents (Michael Brown, etc.) to important posts (Sarah Palin).

All the criticisms of Obama are well founded. Those points do not make the valid criticisms of McCain as a horribly inferior alternative any less valid. The point made above that Bush (and McCain) would give the tip directly to the restaurant owner is spot on, except not extreme enough. The tip would go to the owner of the horribly mismanaged restaurant down the street with lousy food and worse fiscal savvy. Of course, this failing restauranteur would be great friends with McCain and would give McCain $1 out of every $5 received…

I’ve heard it put best: I did not leave the republican party; the republican party left me.[/quote]

LOL so you are going to vote for Castro Jr even though you are libertarian?? Socialism is the opposite of libertarianism. Something doesn’t add up with your post.

John

[jficquette]

[quote=underdose]Full disclosure: I am a staunch republican in the libertarian sense. I strongly oppose Obama’s socialistic bent.

I will still vote for Obama. Neither candidate wants free markets. McCain stands for more of the same as the Bush administration has given us: deficit spending, sneaky taxation through monetary debasement, expanding militarism, suppression of civil rights, and appointment of complete incompetents (Michael Brown, etc.) to important posts (Sarah Palin).

All the criticisms of Obama are well founded. Those points do not make the valid criticisms of McCain as a horribly inferior alternative any less valid. The point made above that Bush (and McCain) would give the tip directly to the restaurant owner is spot on, except not extreme enough. The tip would go to the owner of the horribly mismanaged restaurant down the street with lousy food and worse fiscal savvy. Of course, this failing restauranteur would be great friends with McCain and would give McCain $1 out of every $5 received…

I’ve heard it put best: I did not leave the republican party; the republican party left me.[/quote]

LOL so you are going to vote for Castro Jr even though you are libertarian?? Socialism is the opposite of libertarianism. Something doesn’t add up with your post.

John

[jficquette]

[quote=underdose]Full disclosure: I am a staunch republican in the libertarian sense. I strongly oppose Obama’s socialistic bent.

I will still vote for Obama. Neither candidate wants free markets. McCain stands for more of the same as the Bush administration has given us: deficit spending, sneaky taxation through monetary debasement, expanding militarism, suppression of civil rights, and appointment of complete incompetents (Michael Brown, etc.) to important posts (Sarah Palin).

All the criticisms of Obama are well founded. Those points do not make the valid criticisms of McCain as a horribly inferior alternative any less valid. The point made above that Bush (and McCain) would give the tip directly to the restaurant owner is spot on, except not extreme enough. The tip would go to the owner of the horribly mismanaged restaurant down the street with lousy food and worse fiscal savvy. Of course, this failing restauranteur would be great friends with McCain and would give McCain $1 out of every $5 received…

I’ve heard it put best: I did not leave the republican party; the republican party left me.[/quote]

LOL so you are going to vote for Castro Jr even though you are libertarian?? Socialism is the opposite of libertarianism. Something doesn’t add up with your post.

John

[jficquette]

[quote=underdose]Full disclosure: I am a staunch republican in the libertarian sense. I strongly oppose Obama’s socialistic bent.

I will still vote for Obama. Neither candidate wants free markets. McCain stands for more of the same as the Bush administration has given us: deficit spending, sneaky taxation through monetary debasement, expanding militarism, suppression of civil rights, and appointment of complete incompetents (Michael Brown, etc.) to important posts (Sarah Palin).

All the criticisms of Obama are well founded. Those points do not make the valid criticisms of McCain as a horribly inferior alternative any less valid. The point made above that Bush (and McCain) would give the tip directly to the restaurant owner is spot on, except not extreme enough. The tip would go to the owner of the horribly mismanaged restaurant down the street with lousy food and worse fiscal savvy. Of course, this failing restauranteur would be great friends with McCain and would give McCain $1 out of every $5 received…

I’ve heard it put best: I did not leave the republican party; the republican party left me.[/quote]

LOL so you are going to vote for Castro Jr even though you are libertarian?? Socialism is the opposite of libertarianism. Something doesn’t add up with your post.

John

[jficquette]

[quote=underdose]Full disclosure: I am a staunch republican in the libertarian sense. I strongly oppose Obama’s socialistic bent.

I will still vote for Obama. Neither candidate wants free markets. McCain stands for more of the same as the Bush administration has given us: deficit spending, sneaky taxation through monetary debasement, expanding militarism, suppression of civil rights, and appointment of complete incompetents (Michael Brown, etc.) to important posts (Sarah Palin).

All the criticisms of Obama are well founded. Those points do not make the valid criticisms of McCain as a horribly inferior alternative any less valid. The point made above that Bush (and McCain) would give the tip directly to the restaurant owner is spot on, except not extreme enough. The tip would go to the owner of the horribly mismanaged restaurant down the street with lousy food and worse fiscal savvy. Of course, this failing restauranteur would be great friends with McCain and would give McCain $1 out of every $5 received…

I’ve heard it put best: I did not leave the republican party; the republican party left me.[/quote]

LOL so you are going to vote for Castro Jr even though you are libertarian?? Socialism is the opposite of libertarianism. Something doesn’t add up with your post.

John

[urbanrealtor]

This is a comment regarding the original thread post.

If anyone thinks that insulting someone who serves them food is a good idea, I laugh at what stuff you have eaten in your life.

During college, I worked as a waiter. Make no mistake. The one who handles the food you put in your mouth has the ultimate control.

If someone gave me bad service I would give them 15% instead of 20% and mention it courteously and briefly. If it was terrible service, I would stiff them and then never eat there again.

If you think that going to a different server is a good enough measure, think again. Servers tend to party, drink, and sleep together. They certainly know which clients are pricks.

I recall one rude gentleman that thought it appropriate to lecture our staff on wine tasting and etiquette. He drank nothing but red Gallo cooking wine (in Chateauneuf-du-Pape bottles) for a year. He never knew about it but we got our revenge and usually a tip afterward.

[urbanrealtor]

This is a comment regarding the original thread post.

If anyone thinks that insulting someone who serves them food is a good idea, I laugh at what stuff you have eaten in your life.

During college, I worked as a waiter. Make no mistake. The one who handles the food you put in your mouth has the ultimate control.

If someone gave me bad service I would give them 15% instead of 20% and mention it courteously and briefly. If it was terrible service, I would stiff them and then never eat there again.

If you think that going to a different server is a good enough measure, think again. Servers tend to party, drink, and sleep together. They certainly know which clients are pricks.

I recall one rude gentleman that thought it appropriate to lecture our staff on wine tasting and etiquette. He drank nothing but red Gallo cooking wine (in Chateauneuf-du-Pape bottles) for a year. He never knew about it but we got our revenge and usually a tip afterward.

[urbanrealtor]

This is a comment regarding the original thread post.

If anyone thinks that insulting someone who serves them food is a good idea, I laugh at what stuff you have eaten in your life.

During college, I worked as a waiter. Make no mistake. The one who handles the food you put in your mouth has the ultimate control.

If someone gave me bad service I would give them 15% instead of 20% and mention it courteously and briefly. If it was terrible service, I would stiff them and then never eat there again.

If you think that going to a different server is a good enough measure, think again. Servers tend to party, drink, and sleep together. They certainly know which clients are pricks.

I recall one rude gentleman that thought it appropriate to lecture our staff on wine tasting and etiquette. He drank nothing but red Gallo cooking wine (in Chateauneuf-du-Pape bottles) for a year. He never knew about it but we got our revenge and usually a tip afterward.

[urbanrealtor]

This is a comment regarding the original thread post.

If anyone thinks that insulting someone who serves them food is a good idea, I laugh at what stuff you have eaten in your life.

During college, I worked as a waiter. Make no mistake. The one who handles the food you put in your mouth has the ultimate control.

If someone gave me bad service I would give them 15% instead of 20% and mention it courteously and briefly. If it was terrible service, I would stiff them and then never eat there again.

If you think that going to a different server is a good enough measure, think again. Servers tend to party, drink, and sleep together. They certainly know which clients are pricks.

I recall one rude gentleman that thought it appropriate to lecture our staff on wine tasting and etiquette. He drank nothing but red Gallo cooking wine (in Chateauneuf-du-Pape bottles) for a year. He never knew about it but we got our revenge and usually a tip afterward.

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