http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2008/12/07/this_doesn_t_happen_in_sane_co Comments On: This Doesn't Happen in Sane Countries by Dan Savage en-us Copyright 2009 The Stranger. All rights reserved. This RSS file is offered to individuals, The Stranger readers, and non-commercial organizations only. Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact The Stranger. webmaster@thestranger.com (The Stranger Webmaster) Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:00:01 -0800 Wed, 25 Nov 2009 04:30:00 -0800 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Posted by luna.sea]]> Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:09:40 -0800 The Stranger
When we read stories like this one, we laugh at you and thank god we're not American.

HA HA HA! Enjoy your mercenary, for-profit healthcare system! Enjoy bankruptcy due to a car accident! Enjoy a long, painful diminishing unto death because you can't afford decent palliative care! Enjoy your insurance companies retroactively cancelling your insurance after cancer treatment because there was a typo on your application!

HA HA HA! You made your bed, and now you have to lie in it, America. And we're going to keep laughing at you, harder and harder--tears welling in our eyes as we clutch our aching ribs, as we watch you destroy yourselves as hard as you possibly can. You are the laughing stock of the world, and you're the only ones who don't understand this.
Posted by Rob]]> Tue, 09 Dec 2008 18:23:38 -0800 The Stranger 1. Woman has pregnancy, a WANTED pregnancy. 2. Fetus develops abnormally, has defect that will eventually be fatal to fetus. 3. If pregnancy progresses with deteriorating fetus, damage to uterus will occur. Health of fetus would continue to decline, would no longer has heartbeat, procedure to remove fetus (by this time, very likely a stillbirth) damages uterus, thus no more pregnancies.
By terminating the pregnancy, I was bringing an early and merciful end to the inevitable. The fetus was not going to live, and the pregnancy ended before the fetus could become more developed.
See, in your feeble mind, if I'd had a painful, horrible loss of that pregnancy at a later stage, possibly losing my chance to have another pregnancy - or possibly losing my life - you'd say that's God's will. People like you see life in absolutist black and white terms. You'll say abortion is killing, no matter what the circumstances. I'll say to you that you have NO CLUE what a woman goes through when there is a need to end a pregnancy.
You mock me for having no regrets. I regret that the random fate of life brought such a difficult pregnancy into my life. But when I see my beautiful child who brings joy into this world every day - who may not have been here had my previous pregnancy continued - then I say, no I have no regret for my choice. Perhaps I'm wasting my time trying to tell you, because you just don't get it, and likely never will.
Posted by Madashell]]> Mon, 08 Dec 2008 22:55:06 -0800 The Stranger
The modern health care system, including me buying my own health insurance, DOES NOT FUCKING WORK. Why the fuck am I being accused of wanting people to support me? Why doesn't this work in reverse? Since I am the model of health and have never used health care in my adult life, I ***expect to be supporting*** other people with my taxes, and I don't mind.

Here's a quote: "Who agreed that conservatives should defend the dysfunctional American health care system from all criticism? Who volunteered to take the bullet for every crummy HMO and overpriced surgeon in the country? Who decided that it was okay with us for tens of millions of Americans to lack health care coverage?"
--David Frum, Republican speechwriter

You can blast the idea of universal health care all you want, but is there really an argument to be made in support of the system we have? What's your fucking solution?
Posted by MBI]]> Mon, 08 Dec 2008 20:48:36 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Donolectic]]> Mon, 08 Dec 2008 19:56:35 -0800 The Stranger
kill a kid
so you can have a kid

don't look back
no regrets
Posted by forgotten and unmissed]]> Mon, 08 Dec 2008 19:35:55 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Madashell]]> Mon, 08 Dec 2008 19:32:45 -0800 The Stranger Posted by You didn't look it up, did you?]]> Mon, 08 Dec 2008 19:01:11 -0800 The Stranger Now look up your ass and see if you can find a clue.
Posted by Hitler's zygote]]> Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:53:58 -0800 The Stranger Don't forget Matthew Shephard.
Call it a fag, or call it a zygote; it makes it sting a little less when you kill it.
Posted by Lovechild]]> Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:50:15 -0800 The Stranger
Moron.
Posted by You Sanctimonious Twat]]> Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:46:28 -0800 The Stranger Nazi germany, Rwanda, or the abortionist lair; all the same
Posted by mommy!]]> Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:39:48 -0800 The Stranger
You are a moron.
Posted by Omelettes ain't murder]]> Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:19:44 -0800 The Stranger You are indeed wise to be wary when selecting an abortionist to
KILL YOUR BABY.
One must guard against the possibility of hiring a doctor with poor spelling skills or a pissy attitude as those might impair his/her ability to
KILL YOUR BABY.
Please do be vigilant, diligent and cautious when selecting a doctor to
KILL YOUR BABY.
Posted by your baby]]> Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:00:38 -0800 The Stranger You are so generous, FREELOADER.
You will lower your paycheck for taxes to pay your health care? Who are you kidding. Why don't you just take the money out of your paycheck and buy your healthcare, Mr Bigspender? Because you expect someone elses taxes to pay most of the cost of your healthcare.
Here is a counter-offer.
Keep your paycheck.
Keep your hands off my paycheck.
Buy your own healthcare.
Posted by not fooled]]> Mon, 08 Dec 2008 17:56:44 -0800 The Stranger Congratulations on the vagina!
Should come in handy with your DICKHEAD.
Posted by ;)]]> Mon, 08 Dec 2008 17:36:25 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Ian]]> Mon, 08 Dec 2008 15:14:34 -0800 The Stranger The docs I have worked with have rather high IQs. Judging by your posts, yours is lacking. For the welfare of patients everywhere, I hope that you are not a doctor.

As for anyone else who spouts the "people should be responsible for their own health, eat well, exercise, blah, blah, blah...": Yes we all should take good care of ourselves, but that does not exclude us from needing healthcare. We all eventually die, getting sick along the way if some tragic accident doesn't get us first. I've seen plenty of vibrant, healthy people have their lives turned upside down by cancer, brain tumors, infections, etc, by NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN. The problem is that insurance has always been the improper model for financing healthcare. Single payer, as utilized by the more evolved countries on theis planet, is the way to go.
Posted by Madashell]]> Mon, 08 Dec 2008 15:12:01 -0800 The Stranger
No, I think I should pay for it. Through my taxes. I am willing to lower my paycheck -- and believe me, if you saw my paycheck, you'd recognize that that's a big deal -- in order to have universal health care. I don't see how people on your side of the argument can so often accuse the other side of being whiners -- you guys are the ones bitching about losing money. I'm willing to pay taxes for roads, education, schools, and a robust national defense system, and I definitely don't believe I have a "right" to all that shit. I hate that kind of talk. It's not something that I have a right to. It's just a good fucking idea.
Posted by MBI]]> Mon, 08 Dec 2008 14:00:22 -0800 The Stranger However, that's raw costs (no state aid, research etc). I bet she could find a cheaper plan, but $325 isn't $12,000!
I guess you missed the part where she doesn't live in Washington. We are fortunate to have guaranteed access to individual insurance at reasonable rates, but in many states, you are at the mercy of the insurance companies, who tend to reject or severely limit coverage for people who aren't 100% healthy.

Ohio has some of the most bizarre regulations on individual health insurance of any state. A very limited form of guaranteed access is theoretically available for purchase there, on only one month per year. I swear I am not making this up: there is literally only one month in every year when you can go to a specific insurance provider and demand a reasonably priced (but restriced) policy, regardless of your health status. Now, different HMOs have their open enrollment at different times, but not all HMOs operate in every county. On top of that, the state can grant a waiver to allow HMOs to close enrollment, and there's always a 3 month waiting period for coverage to begin. Good luck!
Posted by Furcifer]]> Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:39:34 -0800 The Stranger Posted by mcfnord]]> Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:19:24 -0800 The Stranger
wow- Canada sounds a lot like Iowa
Posted by Is this Heaven?]]> Mon, 08 Dec 2008 11:35:21 -0800 The Stranger
And for the record, my father never smoked a day in his life. That's why heath care is so important. Mostly cancer happens to good people who never did a thing to deserve it.
Posted by Charm]]> Mon, 08 Dec 2008 11:28:02 -0800 The Stranger unsubstantiated but self-evident,eh?
Posted by Canadian Dumb Guy]]> Mon, 08 Dec 2008 11:14:14 -0800 The Stranger what'd I tell ya?
Posted by ...spineless suckers]]> Mon, 08 Dec 2008 11:07:48 -0800 The Stranger