Friday, July 24, 2009

Bill Maher;When did everything become about profit

Bill Maher has a great column up on huffingtonpost.com asking the question when did everything become about making a profit.

He argues there was a time in America where things like hospitals were run by nuns, who were not in it for the profit, while today "In the U.S. today, three giant for-profit conglomerates own close to 600 hospitals and other health care facilities. They're not hospitals anymore; they're Jiffy Lubes with bedpans." These conglomorates now have publicly trades stock. So when they deny you care the stock goes up and someone makes a profit.

Prisons used to be run by the governemnt, not for a profit, not anymore."A company called the Corrections Corporation of America is on the New York Stock Exchange, which is convenient since that's where all the real crime is happening anyway."

Every aspect of war used to be handled by the soldiers. Today there are more private contracters in our war zones than soldiers.

"Television news is another area that used to be roped off from the profit motive. When Walter Cronkite died last week, it was odd to see news anchor after news anchor talking about how much better the news coverage was back in Cronkite's day. I thought, "Gee, if only you were in a position to do something about it." "

"If conservatives get to call universal health care "socialized medicine," I get to call private health care "soulless vampires making money off human pain.""

"And if medicine is for profit, and war, and the news, and the penal system, my question is: what's wrong with firemen? Why don't they charge? They must be commies. Oh my God! That explains the red trucks!"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-maher/new-rule-not-everything-i_b_244050.html

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