2011-02-01, 01:54 PM
TaliaNCo Wrote:I have to say that these sorts of things irritate me to no end.
I agree that if there are any exceptions permitted (ie: the system is not truly mandatory) they should be open to anyone who wishes to, for whatever their reason, as long as they accept the same consequences as everyone else who is exempt. In this case for example; They're not eligible for the social security benefits they don't pay into if I recall. That's more than fair to me that they should not be able to reap the benefits of something they wish to be exempt from paying into.
The question of when an exemption is or is not appropriate is questionable though. In the case of health insurance people should to some extent be able to opt out voluntarily. In the case of immunizations they should not. The first is a conscious choice to assume responsibility for yourself. The second is choosing to be a risk to others as a source of potential contagion.
It's not having what you want - It's wanting what you've got.