Obamacare, or, I might be up a creek w/o a paddle

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Originally Posted by iris lilies

While I'm not interested in the warm weather countries south of the border (can't grow anything that I want to grow there! ) I wonder what the entry requirements are for citizenship to grab those social programs?

I do really understand and admire a lifestyle that isn't devoted to 40+ hours of work for The Man, but I do not characterize the America I know as being that. You (the generic you) pick and choose your friends, your community, your society. If that's all that you experience, I say: find new friends, get the h*ll out of Dodge and move to another Dodge in another state. Personally, I find Phoenix to be one of the most ridiculous places on the planet-- conceptually. It's a megatropolis in the middle of the freakin' dessert. What a plastic, artificial place. But then, I love cities so it's not as though I am Miss Nature BackToTheWoods. I love real cities, old cities, the older the better and I have (illogical!) disdain for the new.

Am losing my point here except to say: The U.S. offers so much, how myoptic it is to generalize. I urge everyone to strike out and find "Your place" and "Your people." I've found it here in my city for 25 years, but I'm having a yen for something else. I'm very drawn to New Hampshire and the Libertarian movement there, that old Yankee Do It Yourself mindset, and the fascinating old houses and just the OLDNESS of the places. But am not drawn to more winter and shorter growing season.

Yet the perfect growing season, western Oregon would put me in with too many "progressive" citizens and I'd have to live in a 1960's ranch because I don't think there are any houses older than that (haha, a bit of a generalization.)

We are so fortunate in this country to have freedom of movement. Oh wait, I forgot, this thread is about How Bad Is America. Sometimes I can't keep on message.

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I will come back and post a long answer to your post later today or tomorrow, am kind of busy today. I did want to agree with you on one thing though - one thing that IS GREAT ABOUT AMERICA - yes, I did say that - is that you can have most any climate you want and all kinds of landscape/terrain. In Chile one can have some of this due to the dry deserts to the North and also due to the Andes. But somewhere really small like Uruguay - not so much. Better like the climate you move into there because you are stuck with it wherever you go.....You do have a great point here, IL. Rob

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Originally Posted by gimmethesimplelife

Spartana, I have often said how much I appreciate your reactions to my posts as you often make me think. Once again you have made me think and BINGO - I think you have a very valid point here. As I have posted elsewhere in these health care threads we have going now, it looks like I will be on Medicaid to start with come January 1st and from what I understand it's going to be a freebie except for extremely minimal copays on visits and meds. Do I like this? Of course. Is it fair? 50/50 on that one. Honestly, I think there should be some kind of work requirement involved, even if it is something akin to volunteering at a food bank 25 hours a week or planting trees somewhere or collecting trash from the side of the road - it is not unfair for some kind of requirement to give something back to society. And this free Medicaid does not require this. LET THE CONSERVATIVES HERE NOT DROP DEAD OF SHOCK! I don't think it's right that since I am able bodied I should be handed this insurance with no strings. In Austria, where my mother's family is from, and a country I dearly wish the US was patterned on, there would be a requirement that I contribute somehow to society to justify the insurance. Even it were just 25 hours a week doing something brainless - some contribution to society somehow. I'm seriously thinking of volunteering at thrift shop at least a day a week to feel OK about having the insurance. Surprise to the conservatives out there! Rob

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Thanks Rob - I always appreciate your posts as well. You and I are pretty much on the same page as far as feeling that some sort of healthcare is needed for all. Including medicaid for the needy. And I have seen the most hardworking, frugal savers go from boom to bust and become destitute rapidly. A divorce, death of a spouse, illness, disability, loss of employment and bam - it can all be gone over night. So while I think medicaid should be for those who truelly aren't able to pay for healthcare themselves because of circumstances rather then choice, I believe it is much needed for those who can't work, or don't earn enough at their job - and are unable to find higher paying jobs -to buy affordable insurance. But I would like to see there be some incentives and regulations for healthily fit people who can work to get off medicaid. Be that job training or some kind of volunteer work while they are collecting medicaid and can get back on their feet.