"I am perhaps being overly optimistic about the future of Medicaid, and all other government programs, but I feel, on the other hand, people who are opposed to said same programs are often too quick to call them bankrupt, etc. "

Maybe because they are, or soon will be.  Most states have balanced budget laws, meaning that they can't spend more than they have.  The federal government has no such law.  They just go "oops we went over budget, so that means we need more in the budget" with zero thought on where that money actually comes from.  There is no lock box on where funding goes, it all goes into the general fund.  This makes sure that politicians can get airports built and named after them which very few people use and bridges to nowhere.

This year, Social Security is in the RED.  More money is being spent than being put in.

Mike, after I saw this video, I immediately thought of this question you asked a few days ago:

And when grocery stores are left to free market principles, it ends up preventing some people from getting food.  I return to my question:  where do you stop?  And I'm not being snarky.  Just pointing out that healthcare, or insurance, isn't the only thing that "translates to human lives" that is a for profit industry in this country. 

http://news.yahoo.com/video/us-15749625/wasting-strawberry-f ields-18847376;_ylt=AsKF0MORvcnAQ27ADV.LlSalHtAF;_ylu=X3oDMT E3OGh0NHYyBHBvcwMyBHNlYwNtb3N0LXBvcHVsYXIEc2xrA3dhc3RpbmdzdH Jhdw--

 Paul, I hear ya, man. We can agree to differ on points, but I think we get each other.

Thank you Mike.

Knut why think in classes? They are all Americans and should have the same health care and read comics and be happy.

I know that's an overly simplistic statement, but I do like the thought. Strip Congress of their healthcare and drop them in with the rest of us. Strip them of their eternal salary when they leave office too. Throw in set term limits and we might start to get somewhere. Representing in Congress was never meant to be a profession, but an honor, and then you go home and back to work. People are going to Washington for all the wrong reasons.

And hasn't Medicare/Caid been propped up with SS money for a bit now? Couple that with the ever increasing babyboomer retirees and everyone knows that Social Security and Medicare are both taking a long walk down a short pier. SS is going to need more than some tweaks to tighten the belt.

As for tyhe insurance, I think one of the places that they are looking to shore up cost is requiring all the younger generations to pay in too. The ones that are in relatively good health and usually don't buy in at all. I still see this as a win/win more for the insurance companies than the American citizen. I'd love to work in an industry where everyone has to buy your product/service...

Obama campaigned on the idea that he was going to trim the budget and cut out waste. Everyone says that, yes, but he even gave specific examples of how he'd do it. It's been a back-burner priority now because more important things came up (saving the flow of money in our economy by keeping banking and credit lines fluid, infusing emergency funds into needed social safety net programs to keep people clothed and fed while the economy stablizes, saving millions of jobs in a time of already dire job loss by stepping in and helping the American Auto industry, establishing a guarantee of health care for all Americans, givng them freedom to take whatever job they want,* etc) but he's got plenty of time to focus on trimming things now.

So, again, it might be me being too optimistic, but I am truly not worried about the fiscal state of our most needed social programs.

Now - about Joseph's video - I watched it, and I could tell that the people making the video wanted me to be outraged at something, but I couldn't figure out what it was I was supposed to be mad at.

The farmers couldn't sell the food, because of free market principles so they destroyed it. By the way? Nothing new in farming or capitalism. You guys know that we pay farmers to destroy food each season to keep the prices up, right?

So, then, the one angle I did agree with - that there are hungry people who could eat that food - the same angle that brought Bob Geldof to America in the 80's to ask Reagan and our Congress if we could send our surplus food to Ethiopia? That angle? At the end of the story, it was revealed that one guy did, in fact, allow food banks and charities come and take his extra stock.

I guess the only bad thing is that it was only one guy... but... I guess I'm missing the thing I'm supposed to learn there, other than that the invisible hand of the free market sometimes slaps people, but I think we all knew that already...?

*this bill does a lot for ME, but this one is one of my favorites - I've spent the last 5 years teaching EMRs - but for specific health care organizations. Now that I don't have to worry about pre-existing condidtions, or cost (meaning I can pick a more affordable company from the exchange pool) that frees me up to be a contractor, and travel all over America doing my job. Future is looking really bright for this guy.

It's a weighty responsibility.