Is it worth returning to Poland in old age?

@Lyzko9bda5804d1feebf

Inuave no idea what you just said, but...

I'm saying that on the Federal Register there are laws that forbid anyone from being denied medical care for any serious or life-threatening ailment regardless of economic or citizenship status. The law is called the EMTALA (or something close to that). Guess what? It was signed into law by Ronald Reagan in 1986.

Calling an entiry not-for-profit is a bit misleading. It has nothing to do with whether they have more revenues than liabilities-it's about tax exemption status and meeting the tax exemption criteria for whatever type of tax exempt entity an organization is claiming to be.

Two-thirds of US hospitals are tax-exempt "not-for-profit. "

@AntV▲ 0▼ 0

However prior to '81, things were a lot less rabidly commercial, fact.

@Lyzko9bda5804d1feebf▲ 0▼ 0

@Lyzko9bda5804d1feebf

Even later than that.

BTW, those "not-for-profit" hospitals are just as commercialized (if not more) the "for-profit" ones.

The cost of health care needs to be addressed, but it's not Reagan's fault.

@AntV▲ 0▼ 0

No, but what do you think coded language such as "......get gov't. off the back of the American people..." was all about, huh?

@Lyzko9bda5804d1feebf▲ 0▼ 0

It means government has an important but limited function in a free society.

Government, regardless of which party controlled, was growing and getting involved in way too much. Tax and regulation was overburdening businesses and individuals. Governance was being more centralized in the federal gov instead of state gov. Etc, etc.

@AntV▲ 0▼ 0

You've only had relatively little and that has led to some very bad things for society, consumers and the environment.

@jon357▲ 0▼ 0

@jon357

Relatively being the operative term. The US is not suffering from anorexic canons of law.

Certainly there were times when regulations were needed when they weren't there. I don't think laisseznfaire economics or allowing every and anything to be emitted into air or dumped into water serves the common good.

But, over-regulation is just as detrimental to the common good.

The trick is find the sweet spot that allows for growth, entrepreneurship, and innovation without harming the common good. Centralizing power removes decision-making from the playing field, while having no rules creates chaos that eats up the masses.

@AntV▲ 0▼ 0

In other words, gov't. should be basically an indifferent caretaker, a passive observer vs. an active participant, as envisioned by Jefferson, later by FDR, is that it? Gov't should stand idly, sadistically by while all those lazy crybabies drop dead because they weren't clued in to bribery and connections like our sitting president, is this your meaning?

Now we see why there's so much violence in America today.

@Lyzko9bda5804d1feebf▲ 0▼ 0

@Lyzko9bda5804d1feebf

Well, Lyzko, it's not surprising that's how you'd interpret what I wrote. But, what I wrote was not how you interpreted it.

@AntV▲ 0▼ 0

What the did you mean, just curious.

@Lyzko9bda5804d1feebf▲ 0▼ 0

And food standards, industrial safety standards, vehicle safety and a few other things.

Businesses don't have any sort of right to operate without the say so of the society they're in.

Better regulations than lawyers getting rich afterwards from suing.

@jon357▲ 0▼ 0

That government is essential for an ordered society, but it should be limited and not interfere in every little detail of society. That individuals need incentive and room for cost-effective free exchange, experimentation, risk-taking, etc.

Also, laws and government decision making should be at the most local level as possible, because the needs and concerns of communities of people are best known at the most local level -different communities have different needs and concerns, itnis not one-size fit all ; granted not all things can be local, like national defense, international or interstate trade, patents, etc, therefore need for a federal gov.


Right...and the society will say so by not giving such businesses patronage


Those are good examples of where gov has a proper role...as long as it regulates within reason.

@AntV▲ 0▼ 0

Eh - how are people supposed to feed and clothe themselves then ? Totally rely on the govt ?

@cms neuf▲ 0▼ 0

That's rather odd. Are you suggesting that the only alternative to unrestrained capitalism is no private industry at all?

@jon357▲ 0▼ 0

Once we start an agency, like cancer, it will grow beyond its original mission. As an example, see USAID and its sick LGBT programs in the crapholes the majority of Americans don't give a damn about.

@Novichok▲ 0▼ 0

Apparently he is

@Lyzko9bda5804d1feebf▲ 0▼ 0

Your statement was more extreme - that everyone who runs a business only does so at the whim of the govt. In most western countries the governments are elected by way less than 40 percent of the population - and the composition includes many whi have never worked outside state sinecures

@cms neuf▲ 0▼ 0

The role of the state is to protect it's people in every way,from defence to not letting them be ripped off by free enterprise let loose.
However, in my opinion,govt should allow free enterprise to flourish as long as it is not harming or ripping off people.
More freedom from govt intervention and less taxes is what we need.

@Miloslaw▲ 0▼ 0

I agree with the first paragraph of your statement. As to the second, Scandinavians pay a hefty state as well as income tax, yet feel at least they get something for it. They get what they pay for in contrast to us in the US

@Lyzko9bda5804d1feebf▲ 0▼ 0

And there is the problem, lots of people have different views on what is rip off. Utility companies are a necessity and should be state owned, regulation doesn't work. Healthcare should be universal and free at the point of provision, the counter argument is that without the profit motive new drugs and procedures won't develop. I suggest that the profit margins are way past usury levels and need reined in.

Free enterprise does not mean anything goes. All the concerned citizens against tax don't seem concerned about snake oil salesmen or the existence of a trillionaire oligarchy created by government contracts and stock manipulation. Even mentioning them is verboten for their deluded shills.


Its government that sets health and safety law, laws the billionaire class fights against with their PR memes and oligarch press. This not harming thing is easy to say but requires equality in access to the law which is another problem for the billionaire class and their shills. The term lawfare was coined to describe how rich people and their institutions deny justice to ordinary people but has been hijacked by billionaires looking for pity.

@Barney▲ 0▼ 0

Look what happens when parents allow the state or teachers to raise their children. The moment you say "the government should do it," you're taking your responsibility and handing it to the least competent person in the room. Polish parents are no different, and the consequence is that their children will eventually place them in institutions to be cared for while they go on enjoying their own lives.

@Rufus▲ 0▼ 0

While I agree parents are the ideal ones to raise and educate their children, what's wrong with the gov't. occasionally lending a hand when needed?

After all, parents as a rule aren't professional teachers nor are they expected to be.

@Lyzko9bda5804d1feebf▲ 0▼ 0

My daughters' teachers were a lot better as parents during the first 7 hours of each day than I was in the next 7. They were never drunk, never had loud arguments, and knew how to behave. Not even close...

My parents were just as bad...always busy, never conversing, or showing any interest outside of theirs...

On the plus side, this taught me not to count on them and be self-dependent.

It also made leaving Poland supremely easy. No tears...no looking back...When they died, it was just a matter of 3 am calls.

@Novichok▲ 0▼ 0

I am sorry it ended like that with your parents Novi.

Concentrate on breaking the cycle, not passing it down through generations

@cms neuf▲ 0▼ 0

Is He supposed to live forever?

@Alien▲ 0▼ 0

By legislation of course. Society and the environment come before investors.


No, that is not 'extreme'.

And who mentioned a "whim"?

Businesses can operate when the community they are in permits that.


And very few businesses are elected at all.

Every developed society has rules, regulations, responsibilities and rights. Everyone, including people trading or manufacturing, follow those rules.

@jon357▲ 0▼ 0

Untrue, Romuald, untrue. Very rarely used, mainly on formal letters (very occasionally) but hardly ever in speech. If you were to go to the UK and star siring and madaming the way Poles do, people would think you just landed in a time machine from the 1920s. Which is how Poles sound to other cultures that aren't buttoned up in verbal formality.


No, Rysio's right on this rare occasion. It's pretty creepy. And, again, time-traveller-from-the-past behavior. But unlike the pan/pani stuff, the hand kissing really does seem to be disappearing.


The German 'Bismarck' healthcare model (same as Poland's) is completely vile. You can lose access to all but emergency care if you aren't keeping up 'insurance' payments. The worst of all possible worlds: heavy tax payments but the system lets you down if you can no longer pay and aren't granted an exception. A horrible old Prussian hangover - if you go further west or east, countries have real state healthcare systems (Beveridge model) which are free to all at the point of use, even if you aren't currently paying in tax, but in the likes of Poland or Germany they have THIS grim thing. Germans would make you pay for the air you breathe, if they could get away with it.


Polish cynicism. Nobody can really be that nice, right? Because at heart we're all huge misanthropes. Or maybe that's just Poland...


God, this lame old claim again. Well, it's not entirely because Poland is so dramatically better than it was - OK, it's no longer absolutely terrible - but that after earning German wages for several years, Polish repatriates can now afford a very significantly better standard of living than if they'd never left, or than the people that stayed in Poland.


Polish 'restrooms' aren't the worst in Europe (they're actually pretty good, by and large). That prize goes to the Spanish. If the door locks and there's paper AND soap, go and buy a lottery ticket, because your luck is unbelievable. It often comes down to that old mainland European thing of 'why should I pay for / provide something that isn't bringing me profit?' - same reason Germans and Italians won't give you free tap water in restaurants. There can be a lot of very mean and miserly behaviour in this neck of the woods. A lot of very cheap bastards.

@PanPani▲ 0▼ 0

The most typical Polish response in such a situation would be some kind of judgement, complete with haughty smirk. "It's hot - why isn't pan wearing a hat? Why didn't pan bring water? Where are pan's hiking sticks? Pan should have known pan would get exhausted and end up in this situation. O, pan is very foolish, I think!"

In Poland, you can always rely on the condescension of strangers.

@PanPani▲ 0▼ 0

Are you using that PanPani to annoy me?

@Novichok▲ 0▼ 0

Why should it annoy you? Help is for all, not merely those on a favored list

@Lyzko9bda5804d1feebf▲ 0▼ 0