Blog talkers on time!
Hooray, blog talkers for the week it was intended...
Do you think it’s the government’s responsibility to take care of the people? Why or why not?Hmmmm, this is obviously posted with whatever is going on in the USA election wise at the moment in mind, though we will be having local elections in a month or so.
As far as I'm concerned it's everyone's responsibility to take care of everyone else! I believe this to be not only a biblical imperative but a human one. We live in community, or we should, and we separate ourselves from others to our own detriment. Obviously Jesus said we should love our neighbours and in the famous parable of the good Samaritan extended that beyond religious and racial grounds - the same parable has a very practical side to it, as the Samaritan actually takes care of the injured traveller and pays for his rest and respite.
I have a left wing streak that compels me to say that those who have money have a responsibility to use it to care for those who don't alongside a right wing streak that says this care also comes with a responsibility on the part of the needy to do whatever possible to get out of their situation, and not take help for granted! In the UK we have a free (or almost free) health care system that actually, as they say in the literature, 'offers care for all free at the point of need'. This care isn't free as such, but all of us contribute a percentage of our income as 'national insurance' which seems right and fair to me - even if the richest wish to opt out and go private for their health care they are still responsible for supporting our National Insurance scheme - which also funds the state pension and social security provision.
For me, as someone who has grown up with this, (and seen the right wing's attempts to dismantle as much as possible over the years) it just makes sense - we are all responsible for one another and our care for the lowliest in our society is probably the best judge of our attitude to one another.
Comments
Here's a very useful website:
The Political Compass
It actually gives you a very good idea about where your politics lie in relation to other historical figures and political parties and at a very loose push... even composers.
Unfortunately for me, I am diametrically opposed to both New "Labour" and the Conservatives. It also puts me at odds with the Liberal Democrats who are right wing economically even despite their socially liberal leanings.
So although I'm in good company (Mandela and Ghandi are plotted at roughly the same area politically as me), I am isolated when it comes to voting. The Greens are a bit too close to anarchy for my liking and... being in England I can't vote for the Scottish Democratic Party.
This year I'm in even more of a quandry because my father of all people is standing as Conservative candidate for our local District Council seat. Fortunately, I think he's going against his own leanings and just going with the party that he thinks will put him in a position to best help people locally (he was courted by both the local big guns), because he had a "I'm proud of you" look in his eye when I explained that I was naturally left wing.
Oh what a tangled web we weave!
God bless
N
My baby was out of health insurance by the time he was 10 months old... but he was ineligible for private insurance and we "earned too much" to qualify him for Medicaid...
it was a horrific nightmare....
thank God, for us ... the police department here raised the "lifetime cap" this past November...
For now, we are good, but our baby is on a path to a third open heart surgery and I'm afraid we'll "run out" of coverage again sometime in his young life... he will need a lifetime of heart surgeries...
I have been speaking to the legislators of this state to do something!
If I were poor or an illegal .... my baby would be covered ... but since we are middle class... we get no help (all I want is affordable healthcare) ...
What am I to do if we run out again??? Move to England... or Canada... or Australia....