OT: Entitlements [was Re: Python usage numbers]

[Rick Johnson]

On Feb 13, 10:41 am, Tim Wintle <tim.win... at teamrubber.com> wrote:

> Imagine you go to a doctor and say "I've got the flu, can you give me
> antibiotics".
>
> In a Private healthcare system:
>
>  * The doctor gets paid for retaining a client.
>  * He is incentivised to do what you request.
> ... so he gives you the antibiotics.
>
> In a Public healthcare system:
>  * The doctor is paid no matter what.
>  * His job is to stop the population becoming ill.
>  * By reducing illnesses he reduces his workload, without reducing his
> wage
>
> ... so he'll only give you antibiotics if he feels you are at serious
> risk, and giving you antibiotics carries less risk for the population
> than the risk of the population getting immunities.

Of all the great arguments i have presented you choose the minor
"antibiotic comment" and run with it? But you take NO position on
"supporting the degenerates of society"? Would you mind making your
position known?

You see, you can have all the healthcare and healthcare dollars in the
world. But if your patient keeps eating greasy hamburgers, salty/oily
french fries, and blood-sugar spiking soda-pops, he is going to die a
nasty death! Sadly however, he will live for many years in a state of
poor heath before finally "kicking the bucket". All the while draining
the system of resources and money.

> [...]
> you can use that same argument for everything that taxes pay for - the
> only logical conclusion of that argument is anarchy (i.e. no taxes, and
> no government).
>
> If you are an anarchist then that's a different argument all together
> (not saying it doesn't have intellectual validity).

I am not an anarchist. Stop trying to label me.

> > Healthcare is expensive. Do you want a minimum wage doctor curing your
> > ills? And the frivolous lawsuits are not bringing the costs down
> > either.
>
> It's so expensive because of the marketing, and because of all the
> middle-men.

You're thinking of pharmaceuticals NOT healthcare. And while marketing
is a large expense for pharmaceutical companies; R&D, lawsuits, and
brown-nosing are the main cost of doing buisness.

> They also don't need to put up with people who aren't seriously ill - I
> don't know how long your private appointments are, but here in the UK a
> standard doctor's appointment is 5-10 minutes. If they decide you're
> actually ill they may extend that.

Five to ten minutes? Is the doctor an a-hole or a machine? Can a
doctor REALLY diagnose an illness in five to ten minutes? Are you
joking? And if not, do you ACTUALLY want the experience to be
synonymous with an assembly line? You don't fear misdiagnosis? I envy
your bravery!