Aseahawkfan wrote:Has there ever been a young generation in history that voted more than older people? I'm asking because I don't know.
Millenials will age. If they maintain their socialist inclinations, things will change just like the younger generation voted in legal weed.
I don't know, RD. I don't know that I trust companies to deliver old people and the disabled medicare/medicaid. The profit motive can lead to bad outcomes in medicine in my opinion. I almost prefer a socialized medical system with the profit motive removed. I always think, "What does medicine profit from?" The answer I come to is sickness. Using the profit model of every business, what would make medicine more profitable: selling people on as much sickness as possible. More sickness, means more profits from medications and services. The profit motive discourages medical companies from wanting people to be well. It encourages the creation of sickness, sometimes sickness from nothing. I believe the drive for antidepressants and other mental issue medications is driven more by the profit motive than true issues with humans. The medical industry is doing their best to find a pill or medication for everything.
I feel we could socialize the system, remove the profit motive, and focus a certain percentage of cash for profitable research rather than the system we're using now with vastly overpriced drugs and medical services.
If I could trust companies not to seek the highest possible profits at all times, then I would support a private system. I don't trust humans when engaged in seeking profits. The ability of humanity to justify just about anything when pursuing the almighty dollar causes me to mistrust doctors. I may vote for Socialized medicine if given the opportunity. I'd rather have equal delivery absent the profit motive. I don't care for this over-medicated group. I'd rather have a board like Great Britain's forcing people to lose weight and eat healthy. I'd even support taxing people that smoke cigarettes, drink too much alcohol, or do drugs. I'd use the tax system to make people pay. If you don't maintain a healthy weight, exercise, and avoid dangerous activities, then you pay a higher tax into the medical pool. I'd actually be ok with this over having to worry about if my doctor is trying to stuff as many pills as possible in me to make more money.
There's always been a certain segment of the younger generation that doesn't think about their long term future, and you're right, they do change as they get older and are faced with their own mortality. I've had experience with 3 generations: Baby boomers (my generation), Gen X, and Millenials, and IMO Millenials are by far worse at caring about their future. I really don't have any proof or reference other than my own experiences, but I do recognize the fact that every generation complains about the previous one, so who knows.
As far as trusting companies goes, yes, they are always going to go after the highest possible profit, and that's not a sin, it's the basic principle of capitalism. As long as the labor market is not overwhelmed, and with our historically low unemployment rate it's currently not, successful companies will be the ones that attract and retain good employees. One diference between Millenials and previous generations is that they are more likely to change companies several times before they find the right one, so if they would prioritize things like 401K's and health care plans in their job searches, companies will offer competitive benefits.
But if the government gets out of the health care business and passes it along to the private sector, there is going to have to be some sort of government oversight, similar to minimum wage or pension regulations, to insure that they'll always cover their employees to a predetermined standard. It would also prevent companies from doing stuff like what you mentioned about the Brits.
Anyhow, it's just my thoughts on the matter. I do not claim to have all the answers. All I know is that the current system is doomed.