Whats one of your unpopular opinions

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Originally Posted by buttons

can u explain the free market then?

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it means we run like america where you want a kid? that'll cost $20k in medical bills and people who need medical attention won't get it unless their insurance covers it or they have the money to spend on it iirc.

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Originally Posted by scottish

it means we run like america where you want a kid? that'll cost $20k in medical bills and people who need medical attention won't get it unless their insurance covers it or they have the money to spend on it iirc.

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The American healthcare system is a highly regulated system, it's basically government/corporate run.

The opposite of a free market system.

how is this going to help poor people?
ill keep the nhs. its done amazing things for my family after all.

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Originally Posted by buttons

how is this going to help poor people?

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Better quality care, no burden on the state (which poor people pay for) and more money in their wallets.

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Originally Posted by buttons

ill keep the nhs. its done amazing things for my family after all.

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The NHS has also delievered me, my three siblings and all sorts for my family members. But that doesn't mean I will worship it like a sacred cow if there's better ways of doing things. There were hospitals that delievered babies and saved lives before the NHS, and there will be hospitals delivering babies and saving lives long after the NHS has gone.

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Originally Posted by Empired

I'm against all these benefits that the unemployed can get. Popular among some people, but people who are on benefits really hate me for that. I've always believed you should work for your money. That's what's gonna make the world go round.

I'm not totally against benefits for the unemployed; I understand some people cannot find themselves a job even though they're trying really hard. However I've always thought that if you refuse to work (despite being able to), you should only receive the minimum that you need. You should get a card which the government puts money on each week and you can go out and buy food with it. The card will not let you buy alcohol, cigarettes, a new TV or anything. No luxuries, just the things you need to survive.
If you want more, you should be made to go out and do a voluntary job in public service five days a week. Even if it's just watering the flowers around the city centre, you're still doing something so you deserve more.

I've always thought that would make a few more people think twice about choosing not to work so they can sit in all day and watch TV.

Did that make sense idk

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Hahahahaha. In about 30 years there's going to be some many unemployed people due to technological advances that the only way to counter it will be to have a 'basic income' for everyone. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_income
Think about it, google already have a driverless car up and running. When that's finally perfected that's Thousands and thousands of jobs gone in the click of a finger. Lorry Drivers, Forklift Drivers, Tax Drivers etc etc. Eventually so many people are going to be out of work that we'll have to provide a basic income to everyone, and if people want to earn more then they go off to uni and attempt to get into one of the remaining fields which aren't completely dominated by Artificial Intelligence.

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Originally Posted by -:Undertaker:-

The American healthcare system is a highly regulated system, it's basically government/corporate run.

The opposite of a free market system.

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how so, if it's a free market then the corporations behind the medical system are setting the prices (consumers aren't going to have a say, if you need a life saving operation you're not gonna say oh that's £1,000 too much nvm), so it means the poor aren't going to get any much needed medical attention and only the rich people/people with the appropriate insurance to cover the costs of them (which we all know insurance companies will do anything to void a contract/avoid having to pay up when necessary)

idk the specifics behind american, but from what I've seen the corporations set the price, consumers either need insurance to cover it or pay up when they want something and enjoy getting a massive bill after they've been in hospital.

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Originally Posted by -:Undertaker:-

That I don't support the NHS or state-run healthcare and believe the free market would provide a better system.

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Like in the USA before Obamacare? Where people had to remortgage the homes they had saved all their life for to prolong their lives? No thanks.

just because we have AI doesnt mean we will replace humans with it on a large scale

well i need more explanation. nhs has done more than help my mum give birth, its saved someones life and given others life saving surgery and what i need to know, is this free market going to allow us to afford rehab and therapy that my brother needs for the rest of his life? i know the nhs is going to be able to so im fine to stick with that

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Originally Posted by scottish

how so, if it's a free market then the corporations behind the medical system are setting the prices (consumers aren't going to have a say, if you need a life saving operation you're not gonna say oh that's £1,000 too much nvm), so it means the poor aren't going to get any much needed medical attention and only the rich people/people with the appropriate insurance to cover the costs of them (which we all know insurance companies will do anything to void a contract/avoid having to pay up when necessary)

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In a real free market system, the laws of competition force companies to lower prices in order to compete. In a highly corporate system such as America or a state-run corporate system like the NHS, there is no competition and companies can then charge whatever they want.

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Originally Posted by scottish

idk the specifics behind american, but from what I've seen the corporations set the price, consumers either need insurance to cover it or pay up when they want something and enjoy getting a massive bill after they've been in hospital.

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Corporations set the price in the NHS, infact even more so because under a government-run healthcare system (or any system for that matter) you have companies which are able to charge the government whatever they wish for things such as rubber gloves, building contracts and so forth.... and the government stupidly pays them because the government hasn't got to worry about running a tight budget as it will simply tax everybody to get that money back.