RC>> That employer provided healthcare came across as a benefit   
    RC>> to attract and retain good help.   
      
    RC>> Keep this in mind as you all discuss Obamacare as the best   
    RC>> thing since the formation of the solar system.   
      
    ...   
      
    RW> There was competition for good workers, but with frozen   
    RW> wages other ways had to be found to compete for workers.   
    RW> HEalth care and other benefits packages proliferated.   
      
    RW> IN turn, those health care benefits meant that people could   
    RW> afford care who otherwise wouldn't.  Medical research took   
    RW> off, new techniques and technologies were developed.  Just   
    RW> go shake it, and fruit fell from the money tree.   
      
    I made that point 15some years ago. A local on the BBS said   
    health insurance was responsible for higher medical care costs.   
    He said if we didn't have insurance the costs would be a lot   
    lower. I said sure they would, cause we wouldn't have all those   
    treatments the medical companies developed because somebody was   
    going to pay for them.   
      
    ...   
      
    RW> industry goes to the lowest cost manufacturers.  That's why   
    RW> your Apple product isn't made in the USA.  Nor is your TV   
    RW> set, your microwave oven, or your kids' toys.  The computer   
    RW> on which you're reading this wouldn't be sitting in front   
    RW> of you if you were waiting for it to be made in the USA.   
      
    Mine is so old it might have been made in USA.   
      
    However, your point is valid, and that is why we need to end the   
    free trade agreements, and put tarriffs on imports from cheap   
    labor countries.   
      
    RW> Those lifesaving medical techniques and technologies aren't   
    RW> going to be available close to you if we don't have either   
      
    They wouldn't be available at all in a great many case. Not   
    enough rich people to justify the research costs.   
      
    ...   
      
    RW> This is why I commented to John the other day that we have   
    RW> a choice, find a way to pay for it, or go back to 19th   
    RW> century levels of health care.  IF our employers can't   
    RW> afford to provide it as a benefit, then the only other   
    RW> entity which can possibly step into the gap is the federal   
    RW> government.   
      
    Which would be a good place for having that "fair tax", a flat   
    tax on sales.   
      
    ...   
      
    RW> I have some real philosophical problems with big   
    RW> government, but there are just some things that only   
    RW> government can do effectively, if we force it to actually   
    RW> be accountable and responsible.  Can it do that, or will it   
    RW> become just another political football to be kicked around?   
    RW>  IF the later then the people lose.   
      
    IF the government would put some of the big money crooks in   
    prison there would be more jobs and income for the small   
    money workers, and less crime in the first place.   
      
   BOB KLAHN bob.klahn@sev.org   http://home.toltbbs.com/bobklahn   
      
   ... "All we are saying............ is give pizza chants."   
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