Reason.tv: No American Should Have to Choose Between Health Insurance and Getting Drunk

President Obama's prime-time health insurance speech underscored an important point: No American should have to choose between health insurance and paying rent, between health insurance and getting groceries--or getting drunk, getting designer jeans, or protein powder.

We hear so much about hardworking Americans who need health insurance, but what about the rest of us? Millions of uninsured Americans could afford health insurance, but it would mean giving up some really cool stuff. Support President Obama's plan to cover all Americans, because no American should have to choose between health insurance and protein powder.

Approximately 1.10 minutes. "Tough Choices" is written and produced by Ted Balaker. Director of Photography is Alex Manning.

For more information on the uninsured, go here.

For more videos, go the Reason.tv.

Comments

[JLap]

I can believe that a lot of people do choose to pay for stupid things, and get angry about being uninsured.

I can't believe these people got a guy to say in one interview, that he paid $300 a month for protein powder, and to blame the US for not having public healthcare for him.

[JW]

Can't we do both?

Universal micro-brews now!

[I\' Kahn O\'Clast]

You see, this is the problem when people get to choose! They choose bad! See we can get them their health coverage and force them to forgo the bad stuff they would otherwise choose by raising their taxes! That's why Europe is so great! They have less stuff but more services! Cool!

/total snark

[@]

It is my understanding that every American wants health insurance. But that video says that some people have other priorities. Are they the ones that President Obama branded "irresponsible" last night? If so, it seems to me that they should be punished in some way, because they are threatening the welfare of the collective.

[sage]

All together now:

Independence limited
Freedom of choice
Is made for you, my friend
Freedom of speech is words that they will bend
Freedom with their exception

[Cabeza de Vaca]

Every year the Labor Day parade in my town goes past my house. This year a bunch of people where marching down the street chanting: WHAT DO WE WANT? HEALTHCARE! WHEN DO WE WANT IT? NOW! Which doesn't make any sense. You can get healthcare now, all you have to do is go to the hospital.

[Randy]

$300 per month for health insurance would be a pretty good deal.

[Episiarch]

"Freedom of choice/Is what you got
Freedom from choice/Is what you want"

Remember, nobody knows, so let's find out.

[PR]

If you choose food over health insurance you'll be healthier than the other way around.

[Lefty S. Shriekmuffin]

The government should feed us, clothe us, insure us, intoxicate us, enable our vices, provide us with a panoply of entertainments, and awaken us each morning with gentle fellatio.

[sage]

But what about the poor, guys? Won't you think of them? If you're against Obamacare that means you want to do nothing! NOTHING! I mean sure, there's Medicaid, the federal-state partnership designed to get healthcare to those who can't afford it, but that's not Obamacare! Racist.

[PR]

If you choose shelter over health insurance you'll be healthier than being homeless with a Blue Cross policy.

[callmekennedy]

"...awaken us each morning with gentle fellatio."

If they get Pelosi to do it... Uh. No. Never never.

[Ryan]

People should be responsible for their own lives and we should set up a system that allows that. If these people don't want health insurance we don't need to force them to get it, such a practice is immoral. If they get sick or injured, they should pay for themselves, plain and simple. Having the governement intervene will only drive the cost of healthcare up as it impededs competition. If you allow for competition, than you can allow for lowered healthcare costs. We really don't need insurance, what we need is an expansion of people saving their own money, (like rainy day funds). Then people will pay for their own care and instead of getting a prescription for a new highly advertised drug that costs 100$ a pill, than they could have a cheaper generic drug that does pretty much the same thing at a reduced cost. With insurance people tend to choose the more expensive drugs and tests because their "insurance" pays for it, but that practice only dirves costs up and up. It can't be sustained, people need to pay for their own healthcare. Insurance throws everyones money into one big pot, and the healthy people pay for the sick. Government healthcare does the same thing. If we want to help the unfortunate we should allow for the expansion of charities even for-profit charities. To force someone to pay for someone else is stealing, whether its the government forcing everyone to pay taxes to pay for the heathcare of others. At least with insurance you choose to get it and everyone throws their money in together. With government controlled healthcare you don't get to choose and your money is stolen from you in taxes. People should control their own lives. If you want to help those in need than do so, but not by forcing others to tag along, that is wrong.

[I, Kahn O\'Clast]

Left,

That was discriminatory based on gender!

Shame on you.

[I, Kahn O\'Clast]

"Lefty", I meant to write ...

[SugarFree]

Episiarch,

Wow, that's just the reference that ran through my head.

[@]

The government should feed us, clothe us, intoxicate us...

I'd settle for a Nancy Pelosi vs. Hillary Clinton all-out slap and tickle cage match. T-shirts and panties. And there would have to be mud. And whisky.

[SugarFree]

I'd settle for a Nancy Pelosi vs. Hillary Clinton all-out slap and tickle cage match. T-shirts and panties.

Ew.

[Episiarch]

NutraSweet, Devo knew all, before anyone.

[Chris]

funny stuff PR. I was thinking awake us with gentle anal intercourse.....or is that an oxymoron?

[callnekennedy]

"I'd settle for a Nancy Pelosi vs. Hillary Clinton all-out slap and tickle cage match. T-shirts and panties. And there would have to be mud. And whisky."

You hate everyone, don't you? Why, why dear god would you want to see this?

[Lamar]

"No American Should Have to Choose Between Health Insurance and Getting Drunk"

Nobody chooses to get drunk. Alcohol abuse is a serious illness, and drunkenness is a symptom of that illness. You don't choose to get drunk any more than you choose to get the swine flu.

[barf]

[@]

Kicks?

[dbcooper]

Protein! And no "my new haircut" link from Episiarch yet?

[Episiarch]

"MA!!! I'm outta protein!!!"

[SugarFree]

Why, why dear god would you want to see this?

I support it if it ends in both of them experiencing lesbian wrinkle death.

Balko tweeted about me:

251 people clicked over to Reason.com this month after searching for "lesbian wrinkle death." weirder: phrase only returns 2 Google hits.

Where I create the term and define it.

Where I anagram it for the only other google hit

[callmekennedy]

@, as long as I don't have to watch, feel free to engage in your fetish for old, ugly female (debatable) politicians...
I'll just go wash out my inner eyes with lye...

[Thom Moses]

You won't have to worry about going bankrupt if you get sick, the IRS enforcement bill for not having health insurance will bankrupt you before you get sick. Makes sense to me, instead of spending your money wisely to keep yourself healthy, we'll just give it to Uncle Obama and eat beans & franks. We'll all be on the Obama Care because all his provissions on the private companies will force them to tripple their rates. No max annual or lifetime. Accept all sick people. Provide unlimited wellness checks.

I don't have health Insurance and I don't want it. If I get sick, I will pay out of pocket.
Tell Obama to keep his hands off my body!!

[Ratdog]

Why is it that the truth can be so damn funny?

[callmekennedy]

[/i]I support it if it ends in both of them experiencing lesbian wrinkle death.[i]

If this were the result... Yeah, I'm down.

[Sailor60640]

This must have been filmed in California, tax like liberatarians, live like socialists.

[callmekennedy]

Damn... I've forgotten almost all the html I never knew!

[dbcooper]

"MA!!! I'm outta protein!!!"

Not now chief, I'm in the fuckin' zone.

In related news, a buddy is (probably) opening a bar on "Strong Island." I shall be interested to learn what guido repelling measures he will deploy.

[bookworm]

"I'd settle for a Nancy Pelosi vs. Hillary Clinton all-out slap and tickle cage match. T-shirts and panties. And there would have to be mud. And whisky."

Lots of whisky to be able to witness that.

[Episiarch]

In related news, a buddy is (probably) opening a bar on "Strong Island." I shall be interested to learn what guido repelling measures he will deploy.

If he repels guidos, he won't have much business. Instead, he should offer discount Jagerbombs and Heineken. Possibly with protein added.

[MP]

$300 per month for health insurance would be a pretty good deal.

I pay $300/month for catastrophic coverage ($2500 deductible per person) for a family of three. And I get to deduct it because I'm self-employed. And my insurance is guaranteed renewable. I always look at my situation and say "problem, what problem?".

[Lefty S. Shriekmuffin]

Why should I care how the government awakens women? They have no souls. They exist only to receive my protein.

[dbcooper]

HGH infusions alongside the "goose and mixers" could be the ticket to success, you reckon.

[@]

callmekennedy | September 10, 2009, 1:40pm | #

@, as long as I don't have to watch, feel free to engage in your fetish for old, ugly female (debatable) politicians...

Did I forget to mention that I'm German?

[Episiarch]

HGH infusions alongside the "goose and mixers" could be the ticket to success, you reckon.

Alcohol + steroid rage = total bar win

[callmekennedy]

Did I forget to mention that I'm German?

That explains much. Like why my brother told me never to go after he visited... Although that might have had more to do with the herpes he brought back... Either way.

[Xeones]

Eww, your brother gave you herpes?

[callmekennedy]

Eww, your brother gave you herpes?

Yep. In a brown paper bag, complete with hooker!

[@]

I changed my mind. I'm not German. I'm...Japanese!

[callmekennedy]

I'm...Japanese!

Isn't that worse?

[@]

We like sushi. Think about it.

[Rich]

Sorry to interrupt the festivities; but my friend, upon viewing Nick's video, refuses to believe there are actually very many characters like those portrayed.

Does anyone have a citation for the video's assertion that "Millions of uninsured Amercians *could* afford ..."?

[Old Mick]

""The bottom line is that there are 306 million people in this country. Eighty-five percent are relatively happy with their health-insurance program. Yes, they would like some reform, and there is no question that we'll do some reform. But they're relatively happy with what they have. Out of the 47 million remaining, six million of them work for companies that provide health care but don't want to buy it themselves. Eleven million qualify for CHIP or Medicaid, but are not enrolled. Nine million earn $75,000 or more but won't buy health care. Six million are undocumented workers. It comes down to 15 million people whose health care we need to subsidize"

- Sen. Warren Hatch of Utah

[The Angry Optimist]

Orrin Hatch, yo. Orrin.

[Old Mick]

"Tell Obama to keep his hands off my body!!"

That is exactly true. It's really no different than the mantra of pro-abortion people. The government has no right to tell me what I can do with my body.

And yet so often, they still manage to do it.

[Kevin]

I thought Health Care died the same week as Michael Jackson and Karl Malden.

[Ska]

Did I forget to mention that I'm German?

Then why aren't they shitting on each other, too?

[mwg]

"Does anyone have a citation for the video's assertion that "Millions of uninsured Amercians *could* afford ..."?"

He talked about it in this video...

http://reason.tv/video/show/reasontv-on-health-care-get-so

[Nick]

But, Warren Orrin! Your buddy Ted Kennedy wanted universal government health care. How can you deny his resting corpse what he always wanted even though it's the most retarded solution to a problem evar!!!!11!!!!

[Old Mick]

""Does anyone have a citation for the video's assertion that "Millions of uninsured Amercians *could* afford ..."?""

Hatch concurs.

[Xeones]

I thought Health Care died the same week as Michael Jackson and Karl Malden.

Michael Jackson died?!?

[@]

Ska | September 10, 2009, 2:23pm | #

Did I forget to mention that I'm German?

Then why aren't they shitting on each other, too?

Kinky!

[Episiarch]

Michael Jackson died?!?

Don't be silly; he's at an East Texas nursing home with Elvis.

[Old Mick]

WASHINGTON--Jane Alexander has resigned as chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)

Independent agency of the U.S. government that supports the creation, dissemination, and performance of the arts. It was created by the U.S. after four brutal years of leading the fight for the agency's survival.

[@]

That's the most inept cut-and-paste I've seen all day.

[Old Mick]

Thanks!

[Jeff P]

Epi: if some idiot reads this thread and desecrates that glory that is Bubba Ho-Tep by making a sequel featuring Michael Jackson, I am placing the blame on you.

[Episiarch]

But Jeff, they dyed him that color!

[Typical Artist]

That's the most inept cut-and-paste I've seen all day.

But is it art?

[JerseyJ]

Ryan ... "People should be responsible for their own lives"

The fact that someone actually has to point this out as a problem is just sad. Isn't this a given?

BTW, I went to the bathroom and must have missed the part about BHO helping to relieve the crushing tax burden I pay under threat of imprisonment. My $50 copay is "unsustainable" or "skyrocketing" according to our teleprompter-in-chief, but 35% income tax ... well that's just ducky.

[Brick]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4r6YCUtxfs

[Rich]

Thanks, Brick! Nice editing on Obama's reactions.

[Brick]

You're welcome!

BTW, I haven't seen it.

[Xeones in a smock and a beret]

But is it art?

Depends. Does it piss off my parents?

[JB]

Fuck Obama and all the dumb cunts that voted for him.

I'm not paying for one goddamned thing for them. Well, I will chip in for medical procedures for them.

[Clich? Bandit]

SugarFree, You are truly an intertubes GOD!

Priceless!

All Hail!

[SugarFree]

The problem is that know I want to read all their Twitter feeds. What did Matt Welch have for breakfast?

[@]

Typical Artist | September 10, 2009, 2:45pm | #
But is it art?

No! "Art" is Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton in a Salami Standoff. 10 rounds. Mud. Whisky. Fat rednecks in T-shirts! It's your culture, America. Embrace it!

[Jeff P]

Nancy and Hillary tag team against a pair of pit bulls.

[@]

a pair of pit bulls

Rachel Maddow and...

[Eric]

Fuck America, or maybe my situation. I have no insurance and an overdue cavity, Chronic back pain, anxiety disorder and of course depression.

[alice bowie]

Thom Moses says:

...I don't have health Insurance and I don't want it. If I get sick, I will pay out of pocket...

If you or your family, god forbid, you may end up like many people that may potentially loose your home, retirement accounts, college funds...if you have any of these things.

If u r flat broke...then yes, you are doing the RIGHT thing. Don't get insurance. You'll always be eligible for medicaid.

[Tony]

I pay $300/month for catastrophic coverage ($2500 deductible per person) for a family of three. And I get to deduct it because I'm self-employed. And my insurance is guaranteed renewable. I always look at my situation and say "problem, what problem?".

Maybe it's not all about you.

[Michael Ejercito]

Has anyone ever discussed the real problem, which is doctors and hospitals engaging in price gouging?

[Tami Fagan]

Hey - MP...I pay $300 a month too for private insurance for myself and my two kids! $2,500 deductible. I choose to buy Health Insurance at that price rather than protein powder, or a plasma screen tv, or an iphone, or bad lookin' designer jeans, or a couple of packs of cigarettes a day, or.....!

[CommonSense]

What about the approx. 25 million people who are underinsured? They have health insurance, but its not enough.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/07/26/eveningnews/main5189708.shtml?tag=stack

[Jay Dubs]

Yes, people are stupid. But that doesn't change the fact that our health care system is inefficient, unsustainable, and immoral.

Not all of Obama's proposals will help to fix this, but SOME will - and its a step in the right direction.

[Bulbie]

Jay Dubs, there is a solution. You pay for your health care, and I pay for mine. But no, you want to sponge off other people rather paying your own way.

The "system" is inefficient because half of it is controlled by the government.

[Michael Ejercito]

Jay Dubs, there is a solution. You pay for your health care, and I pay for mine. But no, you want to sponge off other people rather paying your own way.

What is your solution to the price gouging by doctors and hospitals?

Why should aspirin be five dollars a pill?

[Jay Dubs]

Welcome to the 21st century Bulbie.

[Soggy]

What is your solution to the price gouging by doctors and hospitals?

Why should aspirin be five dollars a pill?

Find a new doctor and go to the drug store where you can get a bottle of 200 for $1.39

But perhaps shopping around requires effort...never mind

[Agreed]

I love my brother, but.... even after much nagging from his ol' sis, my little brother chooses to get premium cable and chooses NOT to carry health insurance. As a healthy single young man, the cable is way more expensive than basic insurance - but hey, health insurance won't get you 'Family Guy.'

I know that skewed prioritis are not the case for all the uninsured, but I do think that a surprisingly large number of the uninsured fall into the 'calculated risk' category like my brother, and either don't understand or don't care about insurance (and, as there are no dire consequences, why should they). I'd love to see some numbers as to how many uninsured have cable.

Which bring me to my next important point: we need a solution for the nation's cable-less, forced to watch re-runs on the major networks. Hmmm... an HBO "public option?"

[TrickyVic]

"""You pay for your health care, and I pay for mine. But no, you want to sponge off other people rather paying your own way.""

But are you really paying for yours, or do you have insurance where other people's premiums help pay your medical bills.

If one really hates paying for others, insurance can not be a option.

[triangleman]

If one really hates paying for others, insurance can not be a option.

Insurance is a contract, while "universal health care" and welfare are legalized theft.