I.O.U.S.A.: Byte-Sized - The 30 Minute Version on Youtube

[zenmaster]

I don't mean to create spam or free publicity for this documentary, I just thought that it had intesresting information which would be good to spread around to the world out there and fellow CA-ers.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_TjBNjc9Bo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_TjBNjc9Bo)

By now, you may have heard about our acclaimed documentary I.O.U.S.A., a film that boldly examines the rapidly growing national debt and its consequences for the United States and its citizens. The film has been a huge hit, getting rave reviews from Roger Ebert and others.

Now, we proudly release a 30-minute condensed version of I.O.U.S.A. designed specifically for watching and sharing on the web - for free.

So if you haven't had a chance to see the movie yet, watch the condensed I.O.U.S.A. today. If you've already seen it in a theater, check out the abbreviated version for a refresher. Then, tell your friends, your family, your Facebook friends and your Twitter followers about the staggering amount of money - $53 trillion - in financial obligations owed by the federal government to foreign investors and to every single American in the form of pensions, health benefits, Social Security and Medicare.

Then, visit http://www.IOUSAtheMovie.com and join us in our Fiscal Wake-Up Movement. Together, we can make American fiscal responsibility a reality.

[GhostValkyrie]

Thanks, but no one here is going to listen. Several people have tried pointing many of these things out, but it doesn't seem to sink in and people will say you're spreading doom and gloom unless you pretend that the situation is only related to the market or government spending.

[BuckWeisel]

Thanks, but no one here is going to listen. Several people have tried pointing many of these things out, but it doesn't seem to sink in and people will say you're spreading doom and gloom unless you pretend that the situation is only related to the market or government spending.

Thank you representative Valkyrie.

[TASmith]

You know, the two most alarmist facets of the film are rising costs of social security and medicare.

We could change social security fairly quickly by lowering the amounts paid back across the board, and/or limiting those who qualify to lower income retirees. Any crits on this?

As for rising costs of medicare and prescription drugs, we could solve part of this by ending drug patents (which are a recent phenomena) and even more so through a European style health system - although that would be a difficult issue to work through. Many American doctors wouldn't like the idea of their profession earning less, especially considering the costs of higher education. But, if there's any credibility to this film at all, then the coming financial disaster would have to take precedence, no?

EDIT: Just to clarify, and I'm no expert, but it seems the use of capitalism in medicine is inflating the price of just about everything. I'm not even sure how all the competition works - there're insurance companies competing with each other. Part of that would be lower premiums, I suppose, but another aspect would be superior service - a network of better doctors and hospitals. And then, how do hospitals compete, and who are they competing for? Patients or Insurance companies? And how do doctors choose which hospital to work for? And who their patients are? I remember choosing mine from a website provided by Blue Cross.

I can understand higher salaries for doctors and nurses as we're a first world nation. I can understand high maintenence costs for medical equipment. But even then, I don't see how one ambulance trip can cost over what $1000? $4000? I mean the gas is just $10!!!!! I remember when my wife gave birth, we had two days in the hospital paid by our insurance company. After that, it would cost $3000 per night to stay there!!!!!!! Just because of all the staff, and fancy equipment laying around (that didn't seem all that fancy). It makes me wonder if somehow Insurance Companies and Hospitals are in it together, inflating prices for whatever reason? It makes people more dependant on health insurance, meaning a steady stream of customers for them. I suppose it would be in the insurance industry's best interest to lower medical costs to boost profit, but it seems the only way they do this is through refusing service. Is there no way they can fight directly with hospitals for lower priced service, fighting for patients treatment while lowering costs? How come this never happens?

How do hospitals get to demand such high prices? Are they a monopoly? Is it because the better hospitals attract more insurance providers? Meh... Can anyone suggest some good reading?

[ChristianWeeks]

I watched the whole thing :o. All I knew about our debt was that it was over 10 trillion and that people buy shit they can't afford (whats the logic in that? AMERICAN logic!). Thank you for posting this.

The thing I found most interesting was that China has the greatest surplus in the world, and we have the greatest deficit. I knew we owed China money, but that is just really scary.

[Pawkfox]

Let's all pitch in and buy iceland.

[GhostValkyrie]

SSixu-wxvKI

[TASmith]

I'm hoping Obama's policies will reflect more what he said in the primaries than the tax cut proposals in the general election... We'll see.

[GhostValkyrie]

I'm particularly concerned about his apparent appeal for raising capital gains and inheritance tax. Part of the problem people fail to realize is that no matter who's president, we'll have to dramatically raise taxes for everyone in order to fund our obligations and entitlements soon. That's granted things can sustain themselves at this rate.

[sourgasm]

Thanks, but no one here is going to listen. Several people have tried pointing many of these things out, but it doesn't seem to sink in and people will say you're spreading doom and gloom unless you pretend that the situation is only related to the market or government spending.

People won't listen, therefore, don't speak?

If authors throughout history had followed that logic, a few of my bookshelves would be whittled down to about 6 books.

The most radical changes in history often came from getting in the face of those who weren't listening. The point is, you keep doing it. They either listen, understand and take your message to the streets themselves. Or, even better, they get pissed off about your nonsense and take a stance on the issue themselves. Debate ensues, and debate is a critical component in any democracy.

Your proposed method, shutting up with all that hullabaloo, is the famed ostrich approach.

All that gets you is an ass fucking, friend.

[Mr.Delicious]

SSixu-wxvKI

Thats what I've been saying. Stupid cnbc "gold doesnt have value". Yea thats why everyone buys gold over seas when crises hits.