Originally posted by Dr McBeefington
How about being able to choose your doctor?
In general, all people are free to choose their doctor, but the doctor is - technically - able to refute to take a patient, which pretty much never happens. What happens is, unless you're a private patient (=50,000 Euro+ a year), you could end up on a long waiting line. Just as an example: It's possible that you have to wait for one month to get an appointment at the eye doctor of your choice.
The exception to the "chose your doctor" rule happens, when you're brought into a hospital as an emergency case. There, of course, your doctor will be whoever is suited for your case. But, even then, private patients are usually attented by a head physician or the chief of medicine.
So, essentially, everyone is free to chose his doctor, with the "poor" people having to wait longer for an appointment. But this, and I'm not sure if that's the case in the US, is just the case, because every doctor is paid equally for a certain treatment. That means, for example: a good psychiatrist doesn't earn more money than a bad one - per patient. He will, probably, just have more of them, hence get more money. The same is - ironically - true for lawyers over here. And, even more fun, the latter don't even get contingency fees, if they win a case.
I think, now you know why I'm neither a lawyer nor a physician.
Where did you get this statistic from?
You're talking about the various bubbles that were doomed to fail. I'm not really understanding what you're saying. Are you saying in our country the rich get richer while the poor get poorer? This is somewhat true but there's many reason for it.Profits made by US companies abroad don't even factor into our GDP which is hilarious. This is the problem with the fiat money system. And what you're explaining is outsourcing which is by far one of the worst things America has done over the past half century. We go from being a manufacturing economy to a service economy. Everything we do now depends on other nations. Hence our shift from a manufacturing and saving nation, to a consuming and spending nation. It's ridiculous.
I'm not just talking about the bubbles but about a certain mentality that is present through-out the entire society. People just strife to get rich and famous - preferably both and, preferably, without real "work" involved in that process. Just have a look at the damn casting shows that spread like a viral infection through the daily TV programmes. Education? Studies? Learning a regular job? No way. "I want to become a superstar". Greetings from "American Idol".
This trend has also lead to an enviroment, in which work in general (and with "work" I mean "labor"😉 isn't respected any longer. 20 years in the past, workers - at least here in Germany - had strong bonds with the companies they worked for, expanding over a "normal" relationship between employer and employee. The workers identified themselves with the company they worked for, and had respect, because they had work. Today, you're only respected if you're either famous or, talking about everyday business, when you're rich. And thusly, people strife for becoming rich. Ironically, the bankers that were on the edge yesterday, are just demanding bonuses today. What was that in N.Y.C? One banker wanted more than 100 million $ as a bonus, despite the fact that he had bankrupted his own company. Congratulations. That's a sort of mentality that should be extinquished.
Good god that's terrible Nai. Taxes are a product of the fiat money system. They wouldn't be necessary in a gold standard. Taxes are also a result of demand boosting policies. I don't know why they exist and why governments and economics choose to concentrate on them, rather than supply boost policies(manufacturing).
Lmao. You really believe that? Taxes are a product of the fact, that a state (or the governmental body) needs to spend money for something. They were present long before the fiat money system. Do terms like "ecclesiastical tithe" or "socage" ring a bell? And the point isn't, that governments are now trying to boost the economy - the problem is that they are, without asking one question, helping the banks that caused the entire catastrophe, while the victims are left behind.
Possibly. But again, we're getting ahead of ourselves. I'm all for something in between what you have, and what we have, or rather both programs. It's just not economically feasible though..
That is - sorry to say so - bullshit. In Germany, the Health Insurance Funds earn billions per year. The system is pretty easy: Everybody transfers money to his Health INsureance Funds, depending on the respective income - each month. All medical treatments are payed from that funds. Usually, people don't get sick every month and especially rich people (private patients) will almost never cost more than they pay (at least 7500 Euro per year). So the system is based on a redistribution of money.
The down side here is, that as physician, you probably will have to work more than in the USA to earn the same amount of money - if that's even possible. So, just as example: Instead of treating one patient for 10,000 Euro, you may have to treat 10 patients for 1000 Euro each.
Btw how's Germany doing? I keep hearing these German economists claiming the worst is over, yet your unemployment rate is over 8% and rising, and your trade surplus is gradually declining.
You have to keep in mind, where Germany is coming from in that two departments. In 1997 the unemployment rate was at 11 %, and it reached an all-time-low (7,8 %) in 2008. Although I think that most unemployed people live better here than some people who actually do have jobs in the USA. I mean...tz. Unemployed people get something that's called "Hartz IV" here, which is around 400 Euro ($560) per month. If they just lost their job recently, they even get up to 60 % of their last monthly income. Boohoo?
And the trade surplus? There is a reason why we are the world-champions of export. Unfortunatelly, this also has it's down sides.
Originally posted by Borbarad
In general, all people are free to choose their doctor, but the doctor is - technically - able to refute to take a patient, which pretty much never happens. What happens is, unless you're a private patient (=50,000 Euro+ a year), you could end up on a long waiting line. Just as an example: It's possible that you have to wait for one month to get an appointment at the eye doctor of your choice.
The exception to the "chose your doctor" rule happens, when you're brought into a hospital as an emergency case. There, of course, your doctor will be whoever is suited for your case. But, even then, private patients are usually attented by a head physician or the chief of medicine.
So, essentially, everyone is free to chose his doctor, with the "poor" people having to wait longer for an appointment. But this, and I'm not sure if that's the case in the US, is just the case, because every doctor is paid equally for a certain treatment. That means, for example: a good psychiatrist doesn't earn more money than a bad one - per patient. He will, probably, just have more of them, hence get more money. The same is - ironically - true for lawyers over here. And, even more fun, the latter don't even get contingency fees, if they win a case.I think, now you know why I'm neither a lawyer nor a physician.
I'm not just talking about the bubbles but about a certain mentality that is present through-out the entire society. People just strife to get rich and famous - preferably both and, preferably, without real "work" involved in that process. Just have a look at the damn casting shows that spread like a viral infection through the daily TV programmes. Education? Studies? Learning a regular job? No way. "I want to become a superstar". Greetings from "American Idol".
This trend has also lead to an enviroment, in which work in general (and with "work" I mean "labor"😉 isn't respected any longer. 20 years in the past, workers - at least here in Germany - had strong bonds with the companies they worked for, expanding over a "normal" relationship between employer and employee. The workers identified themselves with the company they worked for, and had respect, because they had work. Today, you're only respected if you're either famous or, talking about everyday business, when you're rich. And thusly, people strife for becoming rich. Ironically, the bankers that were on the edge yesterday, are just demanding bonuses today. What was that in N.Y.C? One banker wanted more than 100 million $ as a bonus, despite the fact that he had bankrupted his own company. Congratulations. That's a sort of mentality that should be extinquished.
Lmao. You really believe that? Taxes are a product of the fact, that a state (or the governmental body) needs to spend money for something. They were present long before the fiat money system. Do terms like "ecclesiastical tithe" or "socage" ring a bell? And the point isn't, that governments are now trying to boost the economy - the problem is that they are, without asking one question, helping the banks that caused the entire catastrophe, while the victims are left behind.
That is - sorry to say so - bullshit. In Germany, the Health Insurance Funds earn billions per year. The system is pretty easy: Everybody transfers money to his Health INsureance Funds, depending on the respective income - each month. All medical treatments are payed from that funds. Usually, people don't get sick every month and especially rich people (private patients) will almost never cost more than they pay (at least 7500 Euro per year). So the system is based on a redistribution of money.
The down side here is, that as physician, you probably will have to work more than in the USA to earn the same amount of money - if that's even possible. So, just as example: Instead of treating one patient for 10,000 Euro, you may have to treat 10 patients for 1000 Euro each.
You have to keep in mind, where Germany is coming from in that two departments. In 1997 the unemployment rate was at 11 %, and it reached an all-time-low (7,8 %) in 2008. Although I think that most unemployed people live better here than some people who actually do have jobs in the USA. I mean...tz. Unemployed people get something that's called "Hartz IV" here, which is around 400 Euro ($560) per month. If they just lost their job recently, they even get up to 60 % of their last monthly income. Boohoo?
And the trade surplus? There is a reason why we are the world-champions of export. Unfortunatelly, this also has it's down sides. [/B]
Originally posted by Lord Lucien
Obama's already spent trillions of dollars on a useless war and occupation? Damn, he's good.
The "useless war and occupation" is debatable.
http://blog.heritage.org/2009/03/24/bush-deficit-vs-obama-deficit-in-pictures/
Also, Obama kick started the depression better than Bush ever could. Gotta love leftist/keynesian economists.