Not Everything in America Has to Make a Profit

[cwo_ghwebb]

Originally Posted by SamSpade

How do they come up with these anecdotal stories? Consider the source.

Are they trying to persuade us that there was a time in this country when doctors peddled their craft strictly for altruistic purposes? I just don't recall any hospital where I went as a youth waiving their costs because, heck, I was just a kid.

These clowns are trying to persuade us that capitalism is evil and socialism is heavenly under the benign guidance of the Messiah.

[ylexot (Premo)]

Originally Posted by eddy1

And then the liberal court sytem and lawyers got involved and said you have to take your child to a public hospital because the catholic hospital might have a cross in it. The lawyers said the thermometer didn't measure exactly to 96.8 so the hospital was sued for a 100 million dollars and went out of business because the liberal judges gave the poor downtrodden such a high award.

You go the story wrong...the thermometer had mercury in it and it broke (due to the child breaking it while the parent was nowhere to be found) giving the child mercury poisoning.

[ylexot (Premo)]

Originally Posted by SamSpade

Funny, when I busted my jaw as a kid, jumping in the pool and hit the side with my chin, we went to the doctor's, he patched me up - but it cost a bit more than 1.50, and I didn't get a lollipop (for obvious reasons). When my brother needed multiple surgeries for his knees and legs at age 12, it wasn't cheap. The doctor didn't charge a mere buck fifty to take my inflamed tonsils out at the age of 6. And that was the 60's.

How do they come up with these anecdotal stories?

Are they trying to persuade us that there was a time in this country when doctors peddled their craft strictly for altruistic purposes? I just don't recall any hospital where I went as a youth waiving their costs because, heck, I was just a kid.

The story is probably from the 20's or something...you know, back before people had medical insurance at all...

[SamSpade]

Originally Posted by cwo_ghwebb

These clowns are trying to persuade us that capitalism is evil and socialism is heavenly under the benign guidance of the Messiah.

Oh I know, and really, I don't get it. Somehow, I think they watched a little too many Scooby Doo cartoons, where the bad guy was always a greedy capitalist. It was never a tree-hugger fanatic. The article, like so many others, already assumes that the reader thinks capitalism is wrong.

I'm reminded of the exchange Michael Douglas has with the Japanese Mafia in Black Rain who have this strong sense of tradition and patronage.

Sugai: Sato. He might as well be an American. His kind only cares about money.
Conklin: Oh yeah, what are you in it for? Love?

It's the same thing. The Japanese Mafia in that movie DO have tradition and a form of honor, but there's no way in hell they'd be in it without profit.