The Obama Health Care plan is under attack from Republicans, and conservative Democrats, asking “How are we going to pay for this new government program?” The cost of Obama’s health care plan is approximately $1 trillion over 10 years - or roughly $100 billion per year.
Suggesting that taxes may need to be raised, on the the wealthy and perhaps on benefits, in order to pay for the health care plan. President Obama is meeting real resistance in Congress, that may end up scuttling his desire to pass real health care reform during his administration, perhaps setting back health care legislation for another generation.
For the cost of two unnecessary wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, that neither the people in those countries nor the American people want, President Obama could have his health care plan without the need to raise taxes. Yesterday, the Iraqi people celebrated with marching bands and fireworks, as 130,000 American troops withdrew to bases outside Iraqi cities. And today in Afghanistan, the U.S. Marines turned into the D.E.A, when 4,000 troops invaded an Afghani province to wipe out poppy farming.
The direct cost of these two unpopular wars is $80 billion per year - the indirect costs are much higher. Simply by ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, every American man, woman, and child, could have health care at no additional cost. And if the U.S. reduced it’s military budget by another $100 billion per year, by getting rid of bases we don’t any longer need in Europe for instance, the American people could have health care at no cost at all.
So, when you hear the debate over health care take place, and hear experts and politicians claiming that the nation can’t afford health care, can’t afford to raise taxes during a recession to pay for health care. Send them a note and tell them “Yes, we can. Yes we can afford health care. What we can’t afford is war.”
Here is a Green Retirement reason for national health care. If the U.S. had cradle to grave national health care for all it’s citizens, Americans under the age of 65, could retire with $150,000 less in retirement savings. Try the free retirement calculator at the Green Retirement website and find out how much savings you really need to retire. Traditional retirement planning overestimates your retirement savings needs by hundreds of thousands of dollars, forcing you to save more and work longer than necessary, damaging your retirement and the environment.
4 responses so far ↓
1 jim nievar // Jul 17, 2009 at 11:52 am
you stupid idiots, even biased liberals aren’t banking on paying for health care from the money being spent on wars, and they are not ending soon, particularly Afganistan. Tax the rich ($300,000 +) is the plan, pile on the deficit and distroy this country with saddling small business and those who have made something of themselves with more and more burden. Hand outs, that all you liberals want…give you more while this socialist closet muslim sticks it to those who have earned and worked to make something of themselves. Now i kn0w why it was time for my wife and her business partner to close up. And way to go liberals, cut the defence budget too. Are you people morons?
2 Green Retirement // Jul 17, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Jim:
Thank you for your insulting and ignorant comment. I suggest that you read “Deer Hunting with Jesus” by Joe Bageant, to better understand your ignorance, and to learn why you keep voting for people who rob you. Try yoga and meditation to deal with your obvious anger and propensity for insulting.
Also, you are confused, I’m not a liberal or a Democrat, I am a progressive member of the Green Party. And take it from me, my father is Muslim and my mother is Christian, Obama is not a closet Muslim - just a fake Christian like you. Jesus would vote to tax the rich and cut defense spending to provide health care for the poor.
3 HOTT // Jul 22, 2009 at 9:18 am
Hi Jim,
Not in agreement with the insults but Niever is correct. I believe our people need to understand economics, because our society is ignorant to the truth.
4 Les // Aug 12, 2009 at 7:14 am
The only way that these ignorant folks can continue to believe the way they do is to rely on fear and anger to guide them. The also have to ignore anyone who speaks intelligently because they might use their powers to control them.
The only way to help these folks is to try to educate them. This, of course strikes fear in the heart of the corporate conservatives who need these ignorant zombies to do their bidding. It was Karl Rove (GW Bush’s political advisor) who said “As people do better, they start voting Republican, unless they get highly educated, which means you can have too much of a good thing”
Leave a Comment