World, Writing, Wealth discussion
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If you're not in the U.S., what's up in your part of the world?
Nik is right about farmers having a wide range of grievances, but the overriding one is the zero carbon agenda.
Many of those driving that agenda, of course, are heavily invested in alternative man-made foods, so farmers are a group they'd like to marginalise.
Many of those driving that agenda, of course, are heavily invested in alternative man-made foods, so farmers are a group they'd like to marginalise.
The EU farmers have been heavily subsidized for over fifty years, the aim being strategic to ensure Europe can feed itself, but now the EU is thinking of bringing in Ukraine, those subsidies have to go or the EU will be bankrupted. The current issues are simply the EU taking action to ease the way. Global warming might be the excuse, but politics is the reason.
Ian wrote: "The EU farmers have been heavily subsidized for over fifty years, the aim being strategic to ensure Europe can feed itself, but now the EU is thinking of bringing in Ukraine, those subsidies have t..."Politics are always the reason.
In the States, we've been repeatedly told how "single payer" is the best system, and our system borders on a crime against humanity. But whenever I look into various national health services, I keep finding articles on patient dissatisfaction and shortages like this one.Hundreds queue at new NHS dental practice in Bristol hoping for treatment
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2...
What am I not seeing?
The NHS was founded just after WWII by Clement Attlee's Labour government - IMO, the best government we've ever had. It unquestionably improved the nation's health and has been an invaluable national asset for decades.
Unfortunately, it is now in a bad way. Labour will tell you it's down to under investment, Conservatives will tell you that it's because of bureaucratic waste on hiring countless diversity officers, and the like. I suspect it's a combination of the two. Blair's reforms also created problems. So did the response to covid, certainly in terms of waiting lists. I warned this would happen at the time.
Currently, waiting lists for many operations and treatments are at farcical levels. GPs have vanished. NHS dentists are like gold dust.
Now, if you can afford to go private, you do. If you can't, you grin and bear it.
Unfortunately, it is now in a bad way. Labour will tell you it's down to under investment, Conservatives will tell you that it's because of bureaucratic waste on hiring countless diversity officers, and the like. I suspect it's a combination of the two. Blair's reforms also created problems. So did the response to covid, certainly in terms of waiting lists. I warned this would happen at the time.
Currently, waiting lists for many operations and treatments are at farcical levels. GPs have vanished. NHS dentists are like gold dust.
Now, if you can afford to go private, you do. If you can't, you grin and bear it.
How many staff did they lose due to covid vaccine mandates. It happened all over the west. A severe reduction in the availability of front-line staff across essential services.It's almost as if that weakening was the end goal.
Weakening being an end goal, so as to eventually privatise it, is quite a widely held view over here, Graeme. Not so much to do with the mandates, though, but more generally.
In terms of numbers lost due to mandates, I don't know. As far as I can remember, the mandates were only actually enforced for people working in care homes. Even the MSM admitted this resulted in large numbers of employees quitting their jobs.
In terms of numbers lost due to mandates, I don't know. As far as I can remember, the mandates were only actually enforced for people working in care homes. Even the MSM admitted this resulted in large numbers of employees quitting their jobs.
I’m not doing private additional insurance layer on principle because in my opinion it ruins the public system because docs would always prefer doing the same things privately rather than publicly. Nevertheless I have undergone 3 orthopedic procedures/operations within last 2 years with a top orthopedist within reasonable time and not paying a dime. I might not always find a specific med specialist or have an immediate appointment in my town, but if I’m willing to drive not far away, I’d regularly find what I need in reasonable time. Everybody’s still complaining, but my impression is that the system functions fairly well.
Good to hear your experience, Nik. I hope the treatment has gone well.
Forgot to mention - an ageing (+ expanding) population and expensive, new procedures have obviously put huge pressure on the NHS too.
Forgot to mention - an ageing (+ expanding) population and expensive, new procedures have obviously put huge pressure on the NHS too.
The public health system in NZ has similar problems. Governments keep saying they have increased health spending over the last few decades and they have, bjut what they don't admit is that thanks to immigration, the population has increased b almost doubling over the period, and simply doubling running expenditure does not work - there has to be a corresponding increase in capital expenditure.I recently had a stint in our hospital system which will be ongoing for a while (cancer) and once diagnosed treatment was reasonbloy prompt and free (apart from a few dollars for relation's parking fees). While in there I encountered a number of other people, mainly Maori or Pacific Islanders, who would never have been able to find the money to pay for insurance costs or private treatment. The fact is, without "free" public health care (paid for from the taxation system) these people would simply be left to suffer until they died.
As another point about public heslth, the costs of operations, pharmaceuticals, etc in NZ is a small fraction of corresponding costs in the US.
All good points, Ian. Free at the point of consumption, regardless of the ability to pay, is what it's all about, but ability to deliver is under strain, for reasons given.
I very much hope your own treatment is successful. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.
From my own experience of quite recently seeing 2 very close family members go through the hospital system, the care they received was outstanding. Feedback regarding GPs isn't so positive. As for dentistry, unless you're v lucky, you'll need to go private over here.
I very much hope your own treatment is successful. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.
From my own experience of quite recently seeing 2 very close family members go through the hospital system, the care they received was outstanding. Feedback regarding GPs isn't so positive. As for dentistry, unless you're v lucky, you'll need to go private over here.
Thanks, Beau. What I found was the surgical team were extremely professional and the nursing care outstanding. One thing I found was the surgical ward got full so I got moved to orthopaedic for the final recovery. That would not help people needing orthopedic surgery.GPs here are under strain - not enough of them and getting to see one can be a problem. Dentistry here is all private unless extreme surgical treatment is required.
Beau wrote: "The NHS was founded just after WWII by Clement Attlee's Labour government - IMO, the best government we've ever had. It unquestionably improved the nation's health and has been an invaluable nation..."Pertinent to this discussion is a short digestible blog post that arrived today.
"Everything is presented as rock-solid until it falls apart.
Of the many signs of systemic decay in the late Roman Empire, one of particular relevance to our era is the Phantom Legion, military units that on paper were at full strength--and paid accordingly--but which were in reality no longer there: the paymaster collected the silver wages and recorded the unit's roll of officers and soldiers, but it was all make-believe.
REF: https://www.oftwominds.com/blogfeb24/..."
Bureaucracies hollow out.
Note the graph of physicians vs administrators over time ... the rot began in the 70s.
Is private insurance affordable for all?
I have to point out that bureaucratic failure is not a new thing https://youtu.be/7Qir4EEpawE?si=KFJlb...
Ian,Sorry to hear. Hang tough. You have plenty of us to aggravate....8^)
Thanks Papa and J. The good news at the moment is all the tumour is binned, but I am going to have to have some chemo, which unfortunately may make me more aggravating :-)
Ian wrote: "Thanks Papa and J. The good news at the moment is all the tumour is binned, but I am going to have to have some chemo, which unfortunately may make me more aggravating :-)"Geez. Best wishes for the chemo. I know it can be a brutal slog.
I shall let you know how it turns out. I know how brutal it can be because my wife, Claire, had to go through it.
Best of luck with the chemo and fast recovery!
Scout wrote: "Is private insurance affordable for all?"More or less, but it hollows out the public one and in this sense - probably unnecessary
My philosophical issue with "single payer" is two fold.1.) The "payer" is not the patient. The patient is the consumer, but the "payer" is the entity which is making the decisions about what will or won't be consumed.
2.) It eliminates competition. Nothing reigns in waste and spurs innovation as well as competition does. Without it the system has to rely on duty and altruism. Please, refer to the history of the 20th century for examples of how those can fail horrifically.
You will note that I did not state that the issue is "two part". I stated that it is "two fold" because they compound each other. This is why a very expensive NHS has people lining up at the only available dentist.
J, the benefit, in theory and usually in practise, of why European healthcare systems are better than the US model is simple - they're not based on ability to pay, so their benefits can be enjoyed by all.
Why should someone be financially crippled or turned away from an available treatment just because they don't have a healthy bank balance? It's uncivilised.
Why should someone be financially crippled or turned away from an available treatment just because they don't have a healthy bank balance? It's uncivilised.
Nik wrote: "Best of luck with the chemo and fast recovery!"Thanks, Nik.
J. wrote: "My philosophical issue with "single payer" is two fold.1.) The "payer" is not the patient. The patient is the consumer, but the "payer" is the entity which is making the decisions about what will..."
The argument about competition would be more compelling if it were not for the fact that the US health system is by far the most expensive in the world.
When I was in hospital here, I had tolerably close contact with about 8 others. Almost all of those were of a socioeconomic group that would never have been able to pay US costs or US insurance costs. The competition simply makes some people rich and many in deep trouble.
US healthcare hasn't been a free market in decades. The current war on competition began with the Clintons.President Clinton's proposal for health care reform: key provisions and issues
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7989016/
I wonder who benefited the most?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphi...
My guess is the Clinton crowd didn't do too badly out of that.
J. wrote: "US healthcare hasn't been a free market in decades. The current war on competition began with the Clintons.President Clinton's proposal for health care reform: key provisions and issues
https://p..."
Monopoly capitalism is anti-competitive by nature.
Once a monopoly/cartel forms it will actively suppress competition to ensure the continuation of the monopoly.
REF: The Godfather: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CDlB...
An entrenched monopoly/cartel operates to maximise profit and security for the owners - everyone else pays through the nose for what they need.
The current establishment attacks on farmers across western civilization is in this frame with the following strategy.
[1] Destroy the small/medium enterprise farmers.
[2] Big business buys up the land cheap as farmers vacate.
[3] Big Ag runs the farms, grows GMO crops sprayed with the finest products Monsanto can think up, while jacking up prices. Note that Bill Gates owns vast amounts of US farmland. He expects an outsized ROI, how will he achieve that ROI.
[4] Captured urban populations eat what they're given cause they can't grow their own food. A captive market.
[5] The poorest starve. The less poor eat bugs. The moderately well off eat GMO. The rulers and their enablers dine on real food grown on boutique organic farms operated without GMO, pesticides, etc, while the monopoly/cartel maximises their profits and entrenches their position.
I witnessed something similar to this in my home state of victoria over the last few decades.
I grew up on a dairy farm in a dairy farming/orchard district reliant on irrigation derived from the Murray river. The plot went as follows.
[1] The government decreed the Murray river was under stress, and that more water had to flow downstream for environmental reasons to 'save the river.'
[2] The irrigation was shut down. The dairy herds were sold. The orchards ripped up. Most of the farmers left the industry. A few (I know one personally as I grew up with him) managed to acquire nearby farms and operate dryland farming (crops, etc).
[3] Big Business (Westfarmers a major corp in Australia that owns a huge chain of supermarkets) held land downstream of the small irrigators who were now out of business, had planted mass water-hungry almond tree orchards bordering the Murray river. They took the 'environmental, 'Save The River,'' water flow and and the almond milk is 'better for you than dairy,' campaign began.
[4] The government that orchestrated this travesty is our local 'left-wing,' party who publically prides itself as standing up for the working class, the little guy, and the environment while sticking it to 'The Man.' Of note, the right wing fell into line with the plan too.
[5] In reality, the left wing (along with the right wing) are in bed with big business and together they shaft the little guy for fun and profit. The environment is just an excuse for consolidation of wealth and power into the hands of the already wealthy and powerful.
Monopoly Capitalism: It is Western Civilization's path to tyranny, totalitarianism, and pathocracy.
Russia got there with Marxism. Germany got there with National Socialism. Italy got there with Fascism. Our civilization is in 'the process' based on Monopoly Capitalism.
Apparently there is more than one way to reach hell.
Related to my post above, isn't the US seeing rural hospitals go broke, consolidating the delivery of health care into a smaller number of large operators?A process that was accelerated during the Covid Pandemic response.
Beau wrote: "J, the benefit, in theory and usually in practise, of why European healthcare systems are better than the US model is simple - they're not based on ability to pay, so their benefits can be enjoyed ..."And yet we do not wait for healthcare....
Papaphilly, in the US, if you can't afford to pay, you'll be waiting forever.
Tbf, it's difficult to explain our NHS's performance in blanket terms. It can depend on where you live and what operation or procedure you're waiting for. You might get lucky and get seen to immediately. You might not, and have a multiple yr wait on your hands.
Dentistry is an anomaly. I think I'm right in saying that it was Blair's reforms that really changed the equation. Basically, dentists can now earn far, far more working in the private sector, so there is a scarcity of those taking on NHS patients.
To answer Scout's question from a few days ago, I'd have to hazard a guess...
Maybe, as a rough estimate, 1/3 of the population can't afford private anything. They're totally reliant on the NHS. Another 1/3 might have a private dentist but rely on the NHS for anything else. The remainder have a private dentist and can probably afford to go private for other things, but only do so if absolutely necessary. Some big employers offer private healthcare as a perk.
My family is in the middle 1/3. Mostly, we have private dentistry and otherwise rely on the NHS. A while back, a family member was faced with a 2yr NHS wait for a hip operation, so, as she was in a lot of pain, we had to have a whip round and send her private.
Tbf, it's difficult to explain our NHS's performance in blanket terms. It can depend on where you live and what operation or procedure you're waiting for. You might get lucky and get seen to immediately. You might not, and have a multiple yr wait on your hands.
Dentistry is an anomaly. I think I'm right in saying that it was Blair's reforms that really changed the equation. Basically, dentists can now earn far, far more working in the private sector, so there is a scarcity of those taking on NHS patients.
To answer Scout's question from a few days ago, I'd have to hazard a guess...
Maybe, as a rough estimate, 1/3 of the population can't afford private anything. They're totally reliant on the NHS. Another 1/3 might have a private dentist but rely on the NHS for anything else. The remainder have a private dentist and can probably afford to go private for other things, but only do so if absolutely necessary. Some big employers offer private healthcare as a perk.
My family is in the middle 1/3. Mostly, we have private dentistry and otherwise rely on the NHS. A while back, a family member was faced with a 2yr NHS wait for a hip operation, so, as she was in a lot of pain, we had to have a whip round and send her private.
Beau wrote: "Papaphilly, in the US, if you can't afford to pay, you'll be waiting forever.Tbf, it's difficult to explain our NHS's performance in blanket terms. It can depend on where you live and what operat..."
You cannot be more wrong. You can walk into any hospital and get treatment. It is the law.
Papaphilly wrote: "You cannot be more wrong. You can walk into any hospital and get treatment. It is the law...."Up to one of several points.
"It's every patient's nightmare. You're sick, you go to the hospital, and they refuse to treat you. Can they do that? The answer, unfortunately, is yes. While hospitals are required by law to provide a certain standard of care to all patients, there are circumstances under which they can legally deny service.
... and ...
There are some situations in which a patient may simply be too expensive to treat. For example, if a patient needs an organ transplant or other lifesaving procedure that the hospital cannot afford, the hospital may refuse service. A transfer can also happen if the hospital does not take their insurance. This happens more often than you might think—and it's one of the most controversial aspects of our healthcare system.
REF: https://www.4grewallaw.com/blog/2022/... "
Any treatment can be deemed to be too expensive?
The hospital can refuse the insurance?
Or someone simply doesn't have insurance?
US Federal law says one thing, but there appears to be substantial latitude to deny care.
Uh, did you read the blog? They are being rerouted and that does happen, but they are not being refused treatment. It is also not happening at all for life threatening situations.
Post the recent NYC legal award against Trump, 'truckers,' is trending on X, as a blockade of NYC is being proposed.REF: X. https://twitter.com/HillbillyTkR91/st...
Questions.
[1] Will this gather steam?
[2] Will the truckers win or lose?
[3] Will the US Government freeze truckers and their supporters bank accounts as happened in Canada with their trucker protests?
[4] Other repercussions?
Graeme wrote: "Post the recent NYC legal award against Trump, 'truckers,' is trending on X, as a blockade of NYC is being proposed.REF: X. https://twitter.com/HillbillyTkR91/st...
Question..."
1) No
2) Lose
3) No
4). At worst, they will arrest, impound, and fine the truckers. Not for protesting for Trump, but blocking roadways and causing disturbances. As bad a loss as this is, Trump still has cards to play and it looks bad on its face. It look like a political witch hunt. NY is out to get Trump for being such an irritating ass.
Re 4). I think the proposed strategy is just not to deliver to NYC. Loads will not be picked up, transported and dropped off. The truckers will continue to work meeting the needs of other cities. No blockades.I.e. A simple refusal to do the specific work NYC requires.
Personally, if enough truckers get on board with such a strategy, then NYC will have real problems.
Frankly, if fuel and food truckers simply refused to deliver fuel and food (daily essentials), it could get ugly real fast.
There's a huge fault-line across western civilization between urban and rural communities. The rurals produce all the real material essentials of life that both rurals and urbanites consume.
The urbanites desire to get those materials at the least possible cost, driving rural poverty, and urban elites openly despise 'flyover country.' This one thing is a clear fault line under the possible trucker boycott of NYC.
I.e. The Urban/Rural fault line is a powder keg. The Engoron award against Trump is the spark. A trucker boycott of NYC is the fuse.
Spark -> hits fuse -> hits keg.
Graeme wrote: "Re 4). I think the proposed strategy is just not to deliver to NYC. Loads will not be picked up, transported and dropped off. The truckers will continue to work meeting the needs of other cities. N..."As a former trucker I can tell you for a fact this will not happen. There are always someone willing to deliver loads. Truckers are a not united bunch and all "general" strikes fail.
There was one guy who could pull off a general trucker strike, but he disappeared in 1975.
Papaphilly wrote: "As a former trucker I can tell you for a fact this will not happen. There are always someone willing to deliver loads. Truckers are a not united bunch and all "general" strikes fail. ..."You may be right. Certainly the near future will demonstrate the facts one way or another.
Papaphilly, so you walk into an American hospital and get your treatment. What happens next? You have to pay for it, don't you? And if you don't have the means to pay for it, then what? An early grave from financial stress is my guess. Lizzie's recent post on the bankruptcy thread makes sense. It's a bad system.
The future belongs to this trend.East Asia dominates science, technology and patents.
REF: Visual Capitalist: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/the-...
Beau wrote: "Papaphilly, so you walk into an American hospital and get your treatment. What happens next? You have to pay for it, don't you? And if you don't have the means to pay for it, then what? An early gr..."Unlike waiting for a routine operation? For all of you guys that keep telling me how bad the American system is, I know quite a few that come here because they cannot get their free healthcare.. Canada does not talk about it, but plenty of Canadians come across the border.
As for your comment, those that cannot pay don't.
I'm surprised you haven't got a Northern Border crisis, the way Canada:'s governed.
Anyway, what happens with those that can't pay? Does the state subsidise them or do the huge private healthcare companies take pity on them? Or are they bankrupted and their assets seized?
Anyway, what happens with those that can't pay? Does the state subsidise them or do the huge private healthcare companies take pity on them? Or are they bankrupted and their assets seized?
Beau wrote: "I'm surprised you haven't got a Northern Border crisis, the way Canada:'s governed.Anyway, what happens with those that can't pay? Does the state subsidise them or do the huge private healthcare ..."
The northern border is increasingly used by illegal immigrants.
Graeme wrote: "....East Asia dominates science, technology and patents....."Japan is a known veteran tech giant. As of the rest - the free entrepreneurial spirit might still be needed for the fullest realization of their potential. As China embarked on subduing entrepreneurs we'll see how it'll effect the biz
Beau wrote: "I'm surprised you haven't got a Northern Border crisis, the way Canada:'s governed.Anyway, what happens with those that can't pay? Does the state subsidise them or do the huge private healthcare ..."
I cannot answer that easily. I can tell you that public hospitals must take all comers. Private hospitals must take life saving cases. That is law and there are people movement that probably should not happen, but does. Yet, the disaster that everyone keeps saying happens is not nearly as bad as reported. Both sides have benefits and both sides have their issues. As for who owe, at some point the hospital either eats the bill or gets some money from the government. People do pay all the time.
World, Writing, Wealth
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I imagine they were applauding our patience since regular motorists stuck on the road bear no blame and yet suffer to help farmers make the point.