So your solution is to abolish those government programs and charity from churches will fulfill that role? Of course, I would want to know what you be the result of such an experiment although I hope I would not be affected by it.
You seem to imply that the experiment of the socialist state somehow is not failing the poor and in the face of current trends will prevent everyone from becoming poor.
Actually, Big Pharm likes the GOP. Presumably that had something to do with the Plan D expansion to Medicare specifically prohibiting the program from using its massive bargaining power to hold down drug costs.
Where does Big Pharm get the money for their Research & Development?
More honestly, it is closer to 5-6% of GDP. The CIA Factbook now places it pretty much at just under 4%, but notes that things like the $24B the department of energy spends on nuclear weapons is not included, nor is much of our war spending in Iraq and Afghanstan (always leaving them off the budget and funding principally through emergency supplementals skews the figures).
So the free market cannot be trusted? The drug companies cannot exist unless we intervene and create 18% inflation for it?
Funny … I asked three legitimate questions … where does the money come from to pursue high risk R&D … and I get statements about using government to beat the pharmaceutical companies to reduce their pricing.
I’ll explain my answers further:
I’m sorry, you’ve been buying into a few too many US healthcare myths. Look at new drug patents and the ownership of the assignee companies. Also, look at the FTC’s study into the matter of ownership and anti-trust issues:
They are not ‘given’. They exist for the most part because of unfortunate circumstances. The poor do not exist for yours or anyone elses spiritual growth. They are separate human entities with idealy the right to the same opportunities as anyone else. The problem with charity is that it’s unreliable. Will charity pay the rent for someone who has just been made redundant? Will charity help people pay insurance premiums. Will charity fund the education of children from with low income parents who can’t afford private schooling? If not then charity alone is of limited effectiveness.You seem to imply that the experiment of the socialist state somehow is not failing the poor and in the face of current trends will prevent everyone from becoming poor.
God exists and he did not fail the poor. The greatest treasure anyone can have is life and an opportunity for eternal joy and happiness. God could only fail if every soul became morally bankrupt and impoverished and went to suffer eternal damnation. God sends us the poor as a blessing to give us a very small glimpse of the suffering we will face in hell if we do not build up spiritual riches in heaven.
Ditto with your unfounded accusations of bribery, corruption and dumptrucks full of money. You should practice what you pread about,
I must be dense as I don’t know if I understand your point with regard to what I underlined. Are you saying that somebody but the company should make decisions on how much to invest in research, marketing, or the amount of dividends?
Again, I’m a little dense on your point. Do you mean right wing Geo. Bush’s Plan D? I don’t think that there are many on the right or left who doesn’t think that a large customer can’t negotiate significant discounts. I for one think it wholly appropriate. Secondly, your statement seniors are paying more is untrue. Average prices of drugs that were being sold to seniors prior to the passage of the law is down. There are both market and government forces that make this true. The reason that total pharma costs of seniors is higher is that they now can afford more different pharma treatments. In short, they are recieving more at lower marginal costs.
Again, I’m dense. I don’t understand how this addressses the point. Please clarify.
I would like to make three points:
The inherent link between socialism and atheism, or at least,deism.
You take a pessimistic as well as a naive view of life. The poor exist because the world is not fair and has never been fair since the very beginning when humanity first fell into sin. Go blame Adam not me. The poor exist because humans are imperfect and because not a single one of us is created equal to the other (talents and abilities) and because humanity is not in control of its environment and never will be. Take that up with God if things are no progressing according to your plan; but I think God is still in control.
another way of saying “everyone has their place”?
so you don’t think society should try and ensure every child gets educated? My idealistic ‘system’ is what excatly. Adequate funding for schooling? Oh heavens,communism by stealth. Equalising opportunity (or at least providing adequate opportunity) is not the same as equalising outcomes. Yours is just another convenient misprepresentation.There is no valid concept anywhere in nature that suggests that anyone has a universal God given right to equal opportunity. This is a liberal fantasy and becomes even flaggelant to consider that its within our human ability to change. This kind of idealistic and naive thinking would lead us to believe that everyone should live at at least common denominator level of existence; an existence where no one is motivated to do anything to help themselves get ahead for fear of putting somone else behind. Your idealistic system would remove incentives for innovation and make conforming to the status quo of universal medicrocity the standard of “excellence”.
envisiging a society where everyones children can go to school, where it’s possible to attain some healthcare (if you work) and where wages are set so that the lowest paid can still afford to eat - this is lowering humanity in the aggregate to its lowest common denominator.
Did I say lets abolish private property and have governemnts pay everyone the same wage. No, so this is irrelevant.
no I’m saying that charitable groups do not have the money or organizational ability to provide for those who agenuinely require a hand up back to self sufficiency en masse. What is wrong with the state provided welfare to someone who had just lost their job as long as there’s a time limit. Would having such person become homeless (with just about zero subsequent chance of finding further employment) be a better option. Would letting low income workers children go without school be a good, just so we can say we didn’t involve the ‘Godless state’. The idea that tax is theft and thus evil is an extreme point of view. Tax is an unfortunate neccessity without which half our countries populations would have grown up illeterate for most of the last century.
I’m here too, you are not alone…not only that but back in the day, Catholics were democrats - Civil Rights, Human Rights, Social Programs, all things demonstrate dignity of humanity. About the pro-life issue - I’m pro-life, but what did they do? They had 6 years unchecked and NO changes to abortion…odd if that is what they are being voted in for!
When I read this, I can’t help but hear John Lennon singing “Imagine” in the background.envisiging a society where everyones children can go to school, where it’s possible to attain some healthcare (if you work) and where wages are set so that the lowest paid can still afford to eat - this is lowering humanity in the aggregate to its lowest common denominator.
Lennon? Mocking himself? Never!
Unchecked?? What fantasy world are you talking about? There has not been a 6-year, pro-life majority and certainly not the super-majority required to end abortion-on-demand. There was some progress in those 6 years the Republicans were in control of both branches, but there was certainly plenty of resistance available from the Left and moderates in their own party.