The New American Obsession?

[CBranski]

Every morning on the way to work, the radio news assures me that I am going to die, which I eventually am. It seems as such that this nation is turning into a place that is afraid of any risk and is obsessed with safety, so much so that life is becoming not so much fun anymore.

Of course we all should take precautions, but this leads me to the following question: have Americans become just too obsessed with safety?

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Tony Soprano for Sherriff!

[weldordave]

C-Bran, come work with me. All the risk and as little safety as you want. No OSHA, no unions, no cops, no referees. Anyway, we need more Polocks. The Hungarians and Swedes are beating us out! (I assumed you're Polish from your ID. All apologies if I'm incorrect.)

[jettmotto]

i worked in a tire shop. you wanna talk about unsafe. talk about stacking tractor-trailor tires up 16 high osha says no higher than chest level

[amr]

I don't know if it's so much an obsession with safety as American's growing laziness and desire for the government to solve all their problems for them.

It used to be that if you had a problem with a company, you wrote them and/or boycotted the product/service. Now we want the government to mandate airbags in every vehicle (when most of the problem would be solved if people just slowed down a little and paid attention to the road!). Instead of taking the responsibility of raising our children and teaching them right from wrong, we want V-chips installed in TV sets and Internet regulations!

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a politician is an arse upon which
everything has sat except a man
--e.e. cummings

[aclu14]

Having the government solve (try and fail to) problems is just making it worse

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[Idnew]

amr I agree totally. Americans are getting lazy and that will be our downfall if we keep letting the government in our business.

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[CBranski]

Originally posted by weldordave:
C-Bran, come work with me. All the risk and as little safety as you want. No OSHA, no unions, no cops, no referees. Anyway, we need more Polocks. The Hungarians and Swedes are beating us out! (I assumed you're Polish from your ID. All apologies if I'm incorrect.)

You are correct, I've got a lot of Polish (and german) in the family tree. Your position actually sounds good compared to mine where they take all manner of useless steps, including requiring the use of seat belts on forklifts.

Some safety measures make sense; for example I wear a seat belt when I drive. It makes perfect sense when you live in a state where people drink a lot and aren't required to carry auto insurance like I do. Going beyond this, you create a lot of unintended consequences.

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Tony Soprano for Sherriff!

Well it's for certain that you'll die if you have a heart attack and fall within that 43 million portion of the population that can't afford health insurance.

[Zany-J]

Is that true 43 million? wow. glad i'm in the UK. Know people complain about the NHS but iv had nill problems.

I have an uncle that lives in England who has suffered from a couple strokes and had to undergo a procedure to remove a brain tumor. He has had numerous complaints of the system there, saying that they require you to see only the doctors they allow, and you could spend weeks, even months waiting for a surjery. Of course health care in the US is much more expensive, but at least you receive prompt care...

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Co-Owner
Bueno Technologies

[Phreakmeister]

I have (and I'm not kidding) an uncle who has been diagnosed with cancer before I was born. He is STILL waiting for treatment. It has become incurable by now...

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R.I.P. Rafael
(July 26, 1983 - April 15th, 2002)

[Zany-J]

Jeff, I'm sorry bout your uncle. Ofcourse the NHS system is not perfect but the idea is one I agree with. This may sound a bit red but I think the notion of free and equal health care is a very good one.

The reason it doesn't work is that the government do not fund it enough, I do not know why they do not think it is of the greatest importance (I guess they all have private health care). They spend money on crime when really they should save themselves millions by just legalising drugs.
The labour party are just the same as the torys, they get greedy when they come to power and forget that the most important things in life are your health and your happiness.