Elections 6th May...

[OverWyreGrower]

Hell we could even turn the NHS into a "health-insurer-of-last-resort" - providing cover only for those (means tested) who can't provide for their own care (low income but hard working, disabled, elderly, orphaned etc).

EEK! I hate means-testing with a passion.... we both work and have a house/mortgage etc, and would never get any funding for stuff if it was means-tested, however, neither would we be able to afford any sort of medical treatment that we would need to pay for. We struggle with prescription costs some months (but aren't eligible for any sort of support). We have NO spare money - having to pay for a treatment would involve some of our bills not being paid!

I suspect a lot of families are in this situation, which is why the NHS is so important.

[organic]

If you can afford a mortgage you're already paying more than enough in tax and national insurance to cover private healthcare. If we got rid of the NHS as it stands and went to any one of the models I've mentioned in this thread you would have a LOT more disposable income, some of which would go on healthcare and the rest of which would be yours to spend as you wished. If you decided to pay the mortgage off quicker or something else at the expense of insurance that would be your choice - but you would have the money to do so - in fact, you'd have to spend less on healthcare than you do now... and if you weren't using the healthcare, I expect (just like other forms of insurance) your premiums would fall as a result.

[SarzWix]

One last post.

It's about time I left this discussion though [...]
Now - back to the gardening threads.

[...]And now I really am leaving the thread.

... ...

[organic]

What an insightful and helpful post. I think you've given us all food for thought with that one, Sarah.

In response to some well articulated posts that seemed like they deserved a reply, I've spent about 5 minutes in this thread today. You see, I appreciate when people take the time to jot down their ideas or a response to things I've said and I respect it enough to respond even when I hadn't planned to post again.

[HeyWayne]

What happened to the original thread subject?

Are you standing for election organic?

[di]

So just out of interest...which party has actually suggested they'd be selling off the NHS anyway?
Organic,you seem to have a wonderful vision of a Utopian Country where we'd all be looking out for each other but maybe time to get real?

[OverWyreGrower]

Over the last couple of days we've had leaflets from both the Labour and Conservative local candidates...

Very interestingly, the Labour one was a version of the 'cancer' postcard, with a couple of local facts thrown in, whereas the Conservative one was a little newsletter type thing, completely concerning local events/issues/news etc, with some very interesting points on.

If I had to vote on the basis of what I've received, I know where my vote would go!!

[HeyWayne]

Over the last couple of days we've had leaflets from both the Labour and Conservative local candidates...

Very interestingly, the Labour one was a version of the 'cancer' postcard, with a couple of local facts thrown in, whereas the Conservative one was a little newsletter type thing, completely concerning local events/issues/news etc, with some very interesting points on.

If I had to vote on the basis of what I've received, I know where my vote would go!!

I had a Liberal dude knock on the door and he simply asked "Can we look forward to your vote?".

I lied.

[OverWyreGrower]

I had a Liberal dude knock on the door and he simply asked "Can we look forward to your vote?".

I lied.

No-one has visited us yet... I'm quite upset, as I'd really like to question them about their ideas etc. Or maybe it's that I'm at work all day and they don't canvas after 6pm??

[zazen999]

If I had to vote on the basis of what I've received, I know where my vote would go!!

Green - as they've saved the planet by not sending out nonsense?

[Sorry hon, just playing with you ]

If you got one of the famous Cancer Leaflets; I'd save it and one day it might be worth a bit on ebay. They only went out to a very few number of people.

[HeyWayne]

No-one has visited us yet... I'm quite upset, as I'd really like to question them about their ideas etc. Or maybe it's that I'm at work all day and they don't canvas after 6pm??

Trouble is, I'm not really much for listening to people waffle on and on. I'm more an action man (without the plastic pants). If someone talks and talks at me - I switch off.

I often find that those with the most to say are the ones least worth listening to.

[Two_Sheds]

I expect those of a charitable slant (and I do believe we are a charitable nation, on the whole) to support groups which support those who can't provide for their own healthcare ... More available income means more generosity.

Not necessarily. This 2007 study, which found that the richest 10% in society are the most generous in percentage terms and in the size of their donations. However this remains a tiny portion of their wealth.

•The middle income groups are the stingiest

•The poorest 10% who give, give the highest proportion of their wealth.

[PAULW]

ORGANIC
Have you been having a crafty look at the manifesto's before they were released, just had a LABOUR candidate on the lunch time news advocate all what you said.

[pigletwillie]

How much of a banker do you think it is that vat will rise despite everyone denying it is in their plans?

[janeyo]

Can I just lighten the tone a little.... we had our first leaflet through the door this morning. before I could even read which party it was from... OH had picked it up, glanced at the local man on the front and put it in the recycling bin... his answer.. I'm not voting for anyone GINGER!