thejimmymeister
Mill Regular

Well, that's true but it isn't very good history.

5) That's one thing that private healthcare does well - if you throw enough money at the doctors they'll perform any treatment, no matter how risky or unusual. The NHS only does things if they are cheaper than what they already do. I can't ask an NHS doctor to try an experimental surgery on me - though if something looks promising (i.e. similar effect, less cost) they'll do trials to see if it works.
6) How did he manage that? What did he say that was borderline racist?

5) Don't they do Chemo for Leukaemia? Assuming you have the money, of course.
6) Yeah, they should've allowed it and then let it die by itself. I'm almost certain that somebody had swam the Gibraltar Strait before, it's only about a mile. I got into an argument with somebody the other day who wouldn't believe me and my two friends when we said that potatoes came from South America. He insisted they originated in France. We have the arguments about immigration here too; either from people bitching about Indians - many of whom have lived here longer than the xenophobes (Not that anti-immigration is xenophobia, but the two tend to go hand in hand) have lived at all. And when people living on welfare complain about Polish people stealing their jobs it drives me crackers.

5) I don't think you quite understand cancer, it can't always be cured by surgery. Leukaemia etc.
6) To be fair, why not just make a non-discriminating Athletes Society? It would get more members. We don't have any political clubs at college, and I'm glad, because the things I hear in History make me doubt the ability of my peers to understand politics. There was a huge debate last week about Hitler being an idiot for not teaming up with the USA (yes, the USA) to invade Britain. I quickly dissolved that argument when I got fed up of the shouting and turned around and said 'FDR didn't like Hitler and did like Churchill'. It then dissolved into a shouting contest about which one of them was the one who didn't know this.

4) True, but GDP of the USA is double that of the country behind it.
5) In some cases it does - what about radiotherapy or chemotherapy?
6) My college (not a university) has a Christian Union. It sends me emails about cake (with the subject line 'cake') but to get the cake I have to attend Christian meetings. Also, I tend to notice Americans seem to deal in absolutes a lot when it comes to religious and political issues. That's cool, I'll call you Maxmillian P. Niss.

4) I think it would stay the same, more people to tax would be countered with more to treat.
5) Cancer is fairly common and requires long term treatment.
6) At least nobody listens to the church here any more - the PM would probably lose votes if he started talking about Christian family values! Well, my Mum's maiden name is Keenan which is a fairly common Irish name...

4) What is the average cost for an American? EDIT: I looked it up again. Your employer pays half of your National Insurance here. It is cheaper.
5) If your health can't be cared for long term, then you don't have healthcare.
6) I wish they were Godless, religion and politics don't mix. Besides, they started being half-decent during and after the First World War. Or Mc/Mac ;_;

4) For a lot of people here it is less than £1500.
5) No they don't. Do you understand what healthcare is? If I had a disease that required long term treatment, but no money, I wouldn't be treated in America. That means my right to healthcare isn't guaranteed.
6) Like I said, they were originally classical liberals (in the 1800s) but started to become a mess of rudimentary socialism and libertarianism in the 1910s. Liberalism in the UK is similar to the American definition and the European definition (the Liberal Democrats here promised to not do anything on economic issues but increase personal liberty.) whereas in Europe Liberal parties are usually classical Liberals - similar to the Republcan party but with a lot less telling people how to live. Just the bare minimum control required for society to function. Sadly my lastname doesn't have O' in it ;_;

4) It still doesn't cost $8000, so it is cheaper.
5) Emergency care would only treat the immediate symptoms of a long lasting disease, rather than provide long term healthcare. Charity's, as much as they can try, cannot guarantee a person right to healthcare.
6) Like I said, if you don't have money you don't get healthcare. And, yes, the Liberal party was the major party - but the American definition of Liberal is not the true definition of Liberal. Liberal originally meant (and still does mean) a party that promotes freedom for the economy and the individual. Similar to Libertarianism, but not so extreme. The Liberal party throughout the 20th century gradually got more and more vague on it's promises (it promoted economic freedom, yet set up a(n extremely basic) welfare state and a free school lunch system) until the Labour party (socialist) took over. Oddly enough, my Great-Grandfather moved here from Ireland for better economic prospects.