An inconvenient truth for the GOP: Canada's system is better

[Lucy Goosey]

An inconvenient truth for the GOP: Canada's system is better
Republicans want to ensure no public option creeps into the American system

Eugene Lang and Philip DeMont
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/an-inconvenient-truth-for-the-gop-canadas-system-is-better/article1284869/

<snip>

Canada's medicare system has suddenly been thrust into the spotlight south of the border. It has been pilloried by the Republicans in Congress, the subject of derisive and distorted television advertisements, described variously as a system of medicine by bureaucrat, a statist form of health care afflicted by gross inequities and inefficiencies, one that pales in comparison to the U.S. model. The hysterical tone of the anti-medicare rhetoric among Republicans would make one think Canada is North Korea.

But there is an inconvenient truth that the Republican ideology cannot dispute. Canada's approach to providing citizens with universal health insurance is superior to the U.S. model of private insurance.

[Ruby the Liberal]

1. Canada's plan is our Medicare.

We have got to reframe this debate.

[Laelth]

2. Um ... that's an inconvenient truth for the DEMOCRATIC Party.

The Republicans are irrelevant. It's the Democratic Party that pushed single-payer off the table.

Let's place the blame where it belongs.

:dem:

-Laelth

[DrDan]

4. WELL SAID!!!!!!

It is now the Dems that are pushing the public option off the table.

We are absolutely our own worst enemy.

[Laelth]

6. Ted Kennedy warned us when he said ...

"The last thing this country needs is two Republican Parties."

Sadly, it seems, that's exactly what we have. What to do about it is another question entirely, but I am not giving the Democratic Party a pass for marginalizing single-payer and the people who advocated for single-payer.

:dem:

-Laelth

[Kablooie]

14. Right. GOP has gone insane so the Dems moved into the old GOP conservative position.

[Lucy Goosey]

7. That's true.

The authors are Canadian, though, and are responding to the number of times they have seen Repubs on TV saying, "We don't want to become Canada," and not even being challenged or asked to expand on the statement. Dems on TV tend to avoid mention of the Canadian system, probably because they know that the majority of their voters would like Medicare for all.

[Laelth]

8. The authors are right to note that Republican rhetoric on this issue is insane ...

... deceitful and flat-out fraudulent. But, I have come to expect that from Republicans. I expect better from Democrats, and I am not getting that from most Democrats at the moment.

I find this extremely disturbing.

:dem:

-Laelth

[maglatinavi]

10. Democrats

I am also extremely disturbed and angry. Why the about face? After Teddy and his clan went out of their way to campaign for Obama I find his position on the verge of treason... I am a Hillary person and think the present situation would be entirely different if she were the POTUS. :mad: :grr: :kick:

[Laelth]

11. Hillary was more honest with us.

She was at least honest enough to tell us that she intended to force us all to buy insurance. Obama, on the other hand, ran this ad. against her:



Many of us supported Obama because he promised us he would not force us to buy worthless insurance. Obama has "changed his mind" on this subject, and many of us feel betrayed, and rightly so.

:dem:

-Laelth

[Enthusiast]

12. Right on!

A European single payer type system is the only cost saving answer. And it will probably have to be imposed eventually, anyway. It's just that millions of us will have to suffer and die for the profit of a few before the system is changed.

[Laelth]

13. I agree. The current system is unsustainable, and everyone knows it.

Now is not the time to bail out the health insurance industry.

:dem:

-Laelth

[slipslidingaway]

15. Agreed and the Democrats pushed single-payer off the table under Clinton...

Conyers last week...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=6522383&mesg_id=6522383

"...Now, on the other hand, the universal single-payer health care bill is not just a few people that have come up with something to involve themselves in the discussion with health care reform. As a matter of fact, the single-payer concept is one of the oldest serious major notions that has been around. That is to say, for those of us who were here when the President was Bill Clinton and he assigned his wife the task of taking on the reform of health care, we were summoned, we who were supporting single-payer, were summoned to the White House collectively.

I remember very well that Jerry Nadler of New York was there, a distinguished member of the Judiciary Committee. And what happened was that we were urged to step back from our initiative which had been going on for years before the Clintons assumed their responsibilities on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and after some brief discussion, we agreed that that was the appropriate thing to do. We did it. We did step back.

That concept is now undergoing a very short shrift in this whole discussion, namely because this whole discussion was initiated on the premise that universal single-payer health care was too new, too startling and too complex. It would take too long to institute. And so we are going to start off by not including it in the mix..."


And this was written in 1993...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6499259

"...The justification media managers give for the imbalance of attention is that while managed competition is supported by the Clinton administration, a single-payer system is not "politically viable." What this means is that news judgements are based on elite preferences, not on popular opinion: The New York Times' own polling since 1990 has consistently found majorities--ranging from 54 percent to 66 percent--in favor of tax-financed national health insurance..."

[LynnTheDem]

3. Of course it is, and that's just a simple unvarnished FACT. Which is why the republics

are demonizing it as loudly and furiously as possible.

It's unfortunate that so many Americans (republicans) are pro-big corporations and anti-we-the-common-people. Especially when they themselves are we-the-common-people.

[DrDan]

5. the R's will just say it louder and more often

it will stick . . . unfortunately

[Enthusiast]

16. And the media places

focus on the GOP concerns (or faux concerns). It is as if we didn't win everything in November. In all seriousness, as of now it appears that the M$M and corporations have become the most powerful governing bodies in the nation. And in all likelihood the SCOTUS is going to strengthen their position. This is not representative democracy.

[Demoiselle]

9. They didn't mention the other astonishing stat in this article:

...The per capita spending for health care. According to 2007 figures, the U.S. spends $6096 per person for health care. Canada spends $3173 per person. And many other Western industrialized democracies spend less than Canada! And all for MORE favorable outcomes.
We are being duped.
(edited my mistatement. )

[Blue_Tires]

17. k+r

[vinylsolution]

18. As long as Republicans - and DINOS....

... keep profiting from death and illness, they'll keep on spouting their lies about universal healthcare.

It's our job to call 'em out on it... loudly.

Long live the Canadian system - and Britain's NHS, too!

[JohnWxy]

19. recommended! The truth that our Corporate media won't talk about.