New frontiers in stupid
My previously expressed cynicism about the healthcare reform “debate” appears warranted, as the discourse reaches new depths of stupidity and disingenuousness. My favorite recent example comes from the Investors Business Daily. In an editorial opposing Obama’s healthcare reform, that paper argued that a UK-style system would result from Obama’s proposals, and that such a system would consign to an early death none other than Stephen Hawking, the world renowned physicist who suffers from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Mr. Hawking “wouldn’t have a chance in the U.K.”, his life deemed “worthless”, the paper breathlessly reported.
One small problem: Stephen Hawking lives in the U.K., and the N.H.S. has helped keep him alive, by his own report.
….and here’s some bonus stupid from Betsy McCaughey, who has taken a break from spreading disinformation about infection prevention in order to spread what AARP accurately describes as “flat-out lies” about Obama’s healthcare reform plans
One small problem: Stephen Hawking lives in the U.K., and the N.H.S. has helped keep him alive, by his own report.
….and here’s some bonus stupid from Betsy McCaughey, who has taken a break from spreading disinformation about infection prevention in order to spread what AARP accurately describes as “flat-out lies” about Obama’s healthcare reform plans
Oh, my. That is beyond precious. I imagine the writers also assumed that the greatest thinkers of our time must be American. I am Canadian so I am well used to publicly funded health care. I was surprised by the misunderstanding of many Americans, who assumed I suffered from substandard care. They asked if I had any problems with access. I do not. My theory is that when the average American imagines "publicly funded health care" they see images of a neglected Veteran's hospital, as that has been their direct experience. What we have in Canada is far different.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. I'm married to a Canadian, and we spend a fair amount of time across the border (I almost took a job in Canada some time ago). I agree that the Canadian healthcare system is egregiously misrepresented by the U.S. media, as are the healthcare systems of other Western industrialized nations that provide universal coverage.
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