LOS ANGELES "” This is part three of a five-part series looking at how illegal immigration affects U.S. border security, the criminal, health care and education systems, as well as the economy. Watch the series this week on FOX News Channel.
Overburdened by the uninsured and overwhelmed by illegal immigration (search), public health care in Los Angeles is on life support.
Sixty percent of the county's uninsured patients are not U.S. citizens. More than half are here illegally. About 2 million undocumented aliens in Los Angeles County alone are crowding emergency rooms because they can't afford to see a doctor.
According to the State Association of Hospitals (search), California's public health system is "on the brink of collapse." In Los Angeles County, patients can wait four days for a hospital bed and up to two years for gallbladder surgery.
"The hospitals are closing because of the totality of the uninsured," said Dr. Thomas Garthwaite, director of the Los Angeles County Health Department (search). "If you're legally a resident in California and you're poor, you have a right to basic services."
But some critics say the taxpayers can't be the HMO (search) to the world. Last year, Los Angeles County spent $340 million to treat the uninsured; that's roughly $1,000 for every taxpayer.
[Theres a lot of good stories regarding illegal immigrations on Foxnews right now.
I don't see the minutemen causing a problem. The real problem is the one that SITR mentioned. Spending valuable tax dollars on people who simply don't contribute to paying the bill. We are not the world's welfare system. And no, I am not advocating that we deny medical service to illegal aliens but I believe we should be finding a way to support legal alien workers from mexico entering our country and having them pay a fee that covers things like hopsitals, etc. There is a way to do it. Allowing illegals to cross freely into our country, however, is NOT the way to fix this problem.
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Jesus Christ--The reason for the season!
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a veteran.
If you're certain you know everything, there's little opportunity to learn anything.
Ever read the constitution? It's a fascinating piece of paper that talks all about things like the role of the military regarding borders... the militia..
BUSH wants them dar illegals in da US. Da provide cheap labor to make all his campaign contributors wealthy. Bush wants to make them all legal and give them drivers licenses so they can pay taxes and fund his war in Iraq.
I'm sure Bush would do the right thing and use your tax dollars to give them the worlds best health care too ........ right?
__________________ "The real problem is not how we shall handle the deer in this emergency. The real problem is one of human managment. Wild life managment is comparatively easy; human management difficult." Aldo Leopold, March 1943
Although your linked article didn't state whether the participants are rednecks, whether they will have guns or much of what role they intend to play.
I've seen other articles that mentioned how they are not required to have guns, fulfill an observer role and will contact law enforcement to report border violations. The articles I've read stated participants were from all walks of life but did not specify their upbringing or if they are in fact rednecks. perhaps you have some additional articles or information to suggest otherwise?
__________________
Jesus Christ--The reason for the season!
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a veteran.
If you're certain you know everything, there's little opportunity to learn anything.
Illegals and Health care
