Why You Die

[GGT]

Also, I'm confused how legislators can claim being "pro life" means de-funding Planned Parenthood (which helps pay for family planning and birth control) and cutting Medicaid (which pays for a large percentage of seniors living in nursing homes) is in the public interest.

Wasn't that argument lost when McCain/Palin ran - and lost - on the notion that you could barter medical care for a chicken?

wiggin, as an academic working in the medical science field, you surely know about budget constraints. Your education, and your job, are heavily linked to public investments (ie policy and consequent taxes). While I think it's great that we're living in the greatest era ever....that doesn't preclude me from criticizing our faults and flaws.

I don't mind paying your salary, if I can benefit from your work. What I don't like is paying your salary, plus your golden parachute retirement plan, for things I can't afford to buy outright or don't have a defined benefit plan, and don't qualify for subsidy relief. In other words, what might be your bread-and-butter, studying things like genetic related renal failure (for example), might mean my demise. If I can't afford your "services" but I've paid taxes for decades that helped you get your skills, what's up with that disparity?

Getting older happens fast. Every year now seems like 5 or 10 when I was younger. I don't mind dying....but I DO mind if it's because of income disparities. See rural hospital funding.