SOC 490, Week 2

In order to fully defend one side of a debate, you must understand what you opponent believes and the arguments they have to support it.   That is what makes a debate so appealing.  Seeing on how I believe health care is a right rather than a privilege, it is crucial that I understand where my opponents are coming from in order to completely defend my side.

After discussing this several times in class, I am led to believe that the biggest argument many people have is, “Why should I have to pay for something that other people aren’t working for?”  The wealthy class is continuously taxed to pay for things that the lower class cannot afford.  I know that is it harsh, but we live in an individualistic world; people have to become responsible and take action for their own lives rather than depend on those around them.

 I understand that this it is unfair to be taxed heavily in order to help the less fortunate; however, who are we to neglect someone in need?  It is impossible to go through and thread out the individuals that take advantage of our country, so why punish the ones that truly need help?

The second point that has come up frequently in class is the expense of Universal Health Care.  Universal Health Care only covers basic health care needs.  Because of this, people would have to pay for their own private insurance to cover what the government will not pay for.  In our Universal Health Care book, Ben Furnas stated that, “an accelerated growth in health care spending has translated into increased burdens on family budgets.”  What will happen to those that need to pay for the extra coverage that the government does not support?  The cost of insurance plans will skyrocket, leaving those that actually need it in most likely debt.

Even though these two points that I have brought up are valid, I still have to stand by my side and say that Universal Health Care should be a right rather than a privelge.  Then again, I am only a nineteen ear old girl taking advantage of my freedom of speech.  In all reality, it’s just another meaningless opinion.