Mike Church on Healthcare (transcript)

Begin Mike Church Show Transcript

[Clip] President Obama: ...fulfill one of the highest responsibilities that we have, to ensure the health and well-being of our nation’s children. It’s a responsibility that’s only grown more urgent as our economic crisis deepens, as healthcare costs have exploded, and millions of working families are unable to afford health insurance. Today in America eight million children are still uninsured. More than 45 million Americans altogether. And it’s hard to overstate the toll this takes on families, the sleepless nights worrying about somebody getting hurt or praying the sick child gets better on her own.

Mike: Listen.

[Clip] Obama: The decisions that no parent should ever have to make.

Mike: Really.


[Clip] Obama: How long to put off that doctor’s appointment, whether to fill that prescription, whether to let a child play outside knowing that all it takes is one accident, one injury...

Mike: All right, that’s it.

[Clip] Obama: ...to send your family...

Mike: Let him finish that sentence there. Let me hear the part about kids aren’t allowed to play outside now because Dad is worried about a hospital bill. Go ahead, play it.

[Clip] Obama: ...to send your family into financial ruin.

Mike: Back it up 10 seconds.

[Clip] Obama: Families joining us to...

Mike: Back it up 10 seconds.

[Clip] Obama: ...getting hurt, or praying – more than 45 million Americans altogether. And it’s hard to overstate the toll this takes on families, the sleepless nights worrying about somebody getting hurt, or praying the sick child gets better on her on. The decisions that no parent should ever have to make, how long to put off that doctor’s appointment, whether to fill that prescription, whether to let a child play outside knowing that all it takes is one accident, one injury, to send your family into financial ruin.

Mike: All right. That’s what I wanted to hear. Do you believe this is coming out of the mouth of the President of the United States of America, insinuating that there are people out there, and that it is so bad – and let me tell you wascally wabbits something at work in the healthcare industry. Why don’t we just find all these doctors that won’t do these doctor’s visits, and let’s just round ‘em up and kill ‘em. I got a better idea. Why don’t we all just – why don’t we just chain them to a pole right in the middle of the school ground? How about that? Hey, it’s your day at the pole, pal. You shiftless, worthless loser. You went to med school, and you think you can charge for a doctor’s visit? Who in the hell do you think you are? Step inside this stockade, sir. And that goes for you, too, Miss Licensed Practical Nurse, practicing nurse. You will stand here, and you will care for these children because you were going to charge them. And you will see them for free. And if they need a prescription, well, then, dammit, you’ll go and pay for it. And you, Mr. Shiftless Evil Despicable Drug Company, you think that you need to pay people to do research and development for new drugs to save people’s lives? Well, your days are over, pal. Nobody gets paid to save a life anymore. We all do it for free.

If I worked in the medical profession, I would be livid over this. I also am livid and take offense at this, at the insinuation that the rest of us out here that aren’t groveling and do what must be done to care for our children, and don’t put off a doctor visit because, you know what Mr. President, I happen to have spoken with Dr. Tom Coburn, I happen to have spoken with Dr. Ron Paul, and I happen to know that they never refuse care. If somebody doesn’t have the 50 bucks for the office visit, don’t worry, bring them in, we want to see your child. This is a lie. This is the kind of demagoguery and fear mongering this guy runs around accusing other people of. And he insinuates that they’re just a bunch, a bunch of heartless, uncompassionate, uncaring people in the medical industry. And if you just turned it over to the government, and if everyone else pays for your kid’s subsistence, well, then, it’ll all be better.

** my note: of course the medical professionals are not going to do these things for free, The govt will pay them - but how much? Will they receive the same type of pay they are receiving now or will they all have to take pay cuts because the money will have to come from the public pot? Do you know how many doctors and nurses have left Canada in order to practice in the United States? I don't know the stats either but the documentary I watched last year suggested as many as 10% left, or perhaps more. They trained here and then got the heck out. Think about how much money is going to be needed for a Universal Health Care program!! All of the people will receive every visit, xray, cast, stitch, mammogram, physical, sore throat check, treatments, etc for free (using everyone's tax money). And the nurses, doctors, specialists, support staff, technicians, etc will be paid with tax money. As well, the institutions themselves will need tax money to keep running - equipment, utilities, cleaning staff, disinfectant, disease control measures, security, repairs, you name it. And the drug companies will need to pay for their staff, buildings, research, support staff, and so on with tax money. WHOA. Where is all that money going to come from?? Honestly, think about it. What about your local pharmacy that makes money to pay it's staff by charging a small fee on prescriptions? If you get them for free, who is going to pay the pharmacist and assistants? Tax payer pot too I guess eh? Tax money already gets used for a zillion different things like paying all govt employees, roads, bridges, police, fire, etc does it not (property taxes, etc locally)? How are you going to pay for even more with universal health care????

I am not saying it is a bad idea, why would it be bad to make sure that people can be cared for without losing their home due to bills? It would be wonderful = but is it REALISTIC? Is it PRACTICAL? Is it even POSSIBLE?? That is what people need to think about. The money isn't from a bottomless pit, especially since the US is already over 10 trillion dollars in debt with more being added. Just think of the crippling cost of paying for universal health care and ask yourself if it is even feasible.

One more thought - what if your specialist has to take a pay cut and loses HIS home instead? Because of seeing you and every other patient for 'free' and having to bill the govt and receive less money, what if he loses what he has built for himself all this time? That is another possibility. If so many others are losing their homes because they cannot afford them or have to sell and move to something smaller, could that not happen to your doctors and nurses now too? The very people we rely on to save our lives having to pack up and move just because you wanted free health care? Hmm... just another something to think about.