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a couple of thoughts from an immigrant who doesn't get stuff sometimes(tm): having lived in the U.S. as a permanent resident for a lot of years (because citizenship is expensive to attain and we were POOR starting out), I do get why people think taxation is theft.
Maybe not for quite the same reasons, though there might be some overlap. For me, it's the pesky taxed, but can't vote thing. I'm not currently employed but for the many years I was, I did pay my taxes. Anyway, I didn't understand how taxes worked here--or in Australia really.
I just knew that in Australia we did get something for what we put into the community chest. Growing up, my mum was immune-compromised and often very ill, necessitating hospital visits and on a couple of occasions, emergency surgery. It was incredibly stressful for all of us.
The one stress we didn't have to worry about was how to pay for it all, or who to negotiate with about services. Granted my experience is limited as I immigrated at 21, but for my mother it was mostly smooth sailing on the user end.
Except one time when I was back there age 26 and broke my wrist. Since I was still an Australian citizen, and my Medicare card was still active, I was able to go to the ER and a couple of follow-up appointments without a lot of worry, just unfamiliarity after even 5 years away.
(It was really weird, when I was done with having my wrist set I asked at the desk "now what?" and the staff member said, "...you go home?" and looked at me like I was an alien. at that point I'd been living here long enough that I did feel like one--in both places, actually.)
I can't tell you what the exact quality of care was like, and I know that's a concern when people hear "socialized medicine." All I know is, my mother went through some scary shit and until cancer got her back in 2007, she was well cared for, up to and including an amputation.
Here, I have insurance, but it's tied to my partner's job. The deductible is REALLY high. I don't know what things cost because they can't tell you up front. And if you don't have a regular GP, the system is harder to navigate and in the end it seems easier to just not seek care.
And I'm lucky cause I HAVE insurance! My heart breaks for those who can't get it for any reason, or who can get it through work but now they're tied to a job they can't leave, no matter how much it kills them inside, or risk putting themselves/family in health jeopardy.
So I feel that taxation is theft here in the sense that there's not a lot to show for it on the ground. What does it mean to have the world's biggest military force if the nation's most vulnerable citizens can be wiped out by a single hospital stay?
What does it say about the system when a politician can occupy a seat for decades--receiving the kind of medical benefits their constituents will never see--and get a nice pension when they decide to head out, while many of their people can't even start a savings account?
obviously I don't have answers, nor am I suggesting you (the kind person who read to the end of this thread) will or should have them, either. I just think sharing personal experience is important to actually building a bridge across the aisle.
I can't bring a ton of experience to other discussions, so this is what I know: socialized medicine isn't the big bad it's made out to be, and I know because I had access to it. I also think we all deserve to be taken care of, and for our taxes to contribute to that net.
thank you to the three* people who read this incoherent thing, I'll be right back to retweeting pictures of raccoons and stuff, I promise.
*I'm feeling optimistic!
*I'm feeling optimistic!
