Saving GM
I was listening to an NPR piece the other day on GM's struggles to stay afloat. The company is selling more cars today than it has ever before, but it can't turn a profit in part because of the enormous health care committments it has with its retirees and unionized labor. It turns out that GM pays more than a dollar in health coverage for every cent Toyoda spends. The same is true, I think, for Honda and other foreign competitors. For a moment, I wondered how GM could survive without robbing its workers of the benefits that have made so many American companies great places to work over the last 50 years. But then I wondered if universal health care could be the salvation of the American auto industry? Does anyone know whether the health plans proposed by the 2008 candidates would releave American companies of health committments and help them become more profitable?
Naomi's dad works for GM Canada, and "subsidizes" their "universal" healthcare. It's good to ask the question, "why would 'universal' healthcare need to be subsidized?" Maybe I should ask that question.
I think "universal health care" means it is universally available to the entire citizenry, not that it universally covers all health claims, needs, or desires. I would love to know how Nome's dad manages his health benefits since he occupies such a unique position on this issue. You should ask him if GM offers the same health options to both its American and Canadian workforces.