Every government establishes a minimum standard of living in a country. We're disagreeing on where that minimum standard lies. I say it includes the necessities of life. You say it does not. Charity is something different.
I said no such thing. You seem to enjoy an air of superiority while suggesting others aren't as compassionate as you, but there's nothing compassionate about spending other people's money. While on the topic of minimum standards; the average welfare recipient in the United States has air conditioning, cable or satellite TV, a vehicle, a personal computer and a video gaming system. That isn't to suggest they live in the lap of luxury, the vast majority on welfare surely struggle to make ends meet. But the actual picture isn't exactly the tent cities in Grapes of Wrath that some would lead you to believe -just as it isn't fat, lazy people living in homes nicer than my own pumping out kids all day as others believe.
The Affordable Healthcare Act is particularly bad for young people who don't often go to the doctor, but my issue with socialized medicine is less about who pays for it than the power it gives government and takes away from the individual. In a private system, if you are obese, smoke, or have other health problems,
you pay higher premiums. With blanket coverage, we all share the costs of your unhealthy lifestyle. This gives the government the incentive to "force" lifestyle changes. For example, in New York, Bloomberg is still pushing a ban on sodas over 12 ounces.
The medical and insurance industries are definitely broken. My default position is to look towards free-market reforms, but admittedly, that is difficult in an industry this powerful. In the end, a lot of things just jump out at me in this Republican health care plan of Obama's. People stand to lose their jobs or have hours reduced. Healthy people will be charged more. Many of us will pay for things we don't want. But worst of all, I believe it will make people more dependent.