I agree the rich are paying for those things and I think we should all be paying for them. Everyone from the poorest to the most wealthy should pay the same.
Everyone who pays taxes pays in. Just the same as we all pay for roads and bullets.
I have not looked at the Aussie way, I will do that. I never thought to check it out since I dont like so many other things about Aussie land, like no guns, forced voting exc. But I will check it out.
Have you ever been there? I always get a kick out of the folks who seem to form some sort of judgement on an entire country, because of a handful of things that they percieve about a place that overshadows everything else.
But I am not surprised you hadnt heard much about the Australian system, because it is generally successful, and that doesnt fit into the agenda and talking points that the righties seem to endlessly scream about despite being shown otherwise as I explained to Andy in an above post.
As for requisite voting and guns, firstly, they dont have a 2nd amendment. But the situation in being able to aquire guns or participate in shooting/hunting activities is far overblown. In my travels down there I managed to do quite a bit of hunting.
Then to touch briefly on compulsory voting...I dont see how it really is a bad thing to actually have a majority of people participate and to more likely take the time to know the issues and individuals involved. I know the GOP has a history of discouraging some people from voting, but it has done quite well for Australia.
The long standing compulsory voting in Australia avoided what could have been a potentially violent situation back in 2000 during the Constitutional referendum on whether to keep the Queen as Head of State.
but for those who need it and use it often, it seems to me they would rather carefully get a really good bill passed than just shove through a bill full of problems.
Well as I said earlier, nothing is being shoved down anyone's throat. This legislative debate has been coming for years, and should not come as a surprise to anyone.
And I wished we still lived in a country where people did not think others owed them and others should pay for them and their needs.
I will never understand some people
I think you are describing a very small portion of people, at the expense of the vast majority. Except I believe I am also in the majority of people who see the utter hypocrisy in being gung ho for military conflict, but have an absolute mental meltdown when it comes to having thier tax dollars go to ensure that all Americans can afford to see a doctor.
You do realize the potential financial and health dangers we face by not ensuring everyone can afford a doc...dont you?