A Socialist's Take on the Public Option for Healthcare

You've probably already heard more than enough idiots throwing in their two cents about the so-called "public option" for health care. Well, you're about to hear one more.

First of all, you should know that I am a socialist and do not think of much of either the Republican or Democratic parties. Secondly, I am not a fan of Barack Obama, nor did I vote for him. That being said, let me give you my take on the healthcare debate.

As a socialist, I support universal or public healthcare, but only under certain conditions. The first is, we have to be able to pay for it. Seeing as the government is over a trillion dollars in debt and projected to be several trillions in debt by 2020, taking on an expense like healthcare is unwise unless the government is able to generate way more revenue than they are currently.

The plan presented by President Obama is, in my opinion, a fantasy. The idea that the government will be able to pay for healthcare solely from the money saved by cutting abuse and waste in the healthcare system is ludicrous.

It's true, there is a LOT of money that could be saved, but nowhere near enough to pay for the President's plan. And don't think just because I am not in favor of the President's plan that I am pleased with our current healthcare system, either.

Our current system is one of the most colossal messes of greed and waste on the entire face of the planet. The purpose of our current system is to make money for insurance companies, nothing else. If a sick person happens to get well, great, but that is unimportant. What is important is that insurance companies make money by dictating to doctors, hospitals, and patients what they will and will not cover.

So I'm against the President's plan, and I don't like the current system. Exactly what do I support? I would support an end to all private insurance companies and the formation of one national healthcare system. How would I pay for it? First of all, I would cut, cut, cut government spending. We don't need to blow billions of dollars going back to the moon (and possibly heading to Mars), waging wars in countries that hate our guts, or giving bailouts to financial companies that screwed themselves by getting drunk on risky loans that they should have never offered in the first place.

Secondly, I would raise taxes. I know, that's unpopular, but I am a socialist, remember? The taxes would be only on the ultra-rich anyways (people making more than 500,000 dollars a year).Once we have paid off our debt, which might take a LONG time, we can start thinking about national healthcare. Until then, we just can't afford it.

So now you've got my take on the healthcare debate and, in particular, the public option. Feel free to head on over to a town hall meeting near you and scream about it.