We're not first, but surely the richest country in the world has the wherewithal to do better than second highest in child poverty ratings. A quarter of our children living in poverty is unacceptable, but we accept it.
Lord, have mercy.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
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If you want a real earful, check out this lying leftist site:
ReplyDeletewww.cia.gov
The world factbook, and within that the country comparisons.
For both life expectancy and infant mortality in this pro-life nation, wave both hands in the air, with 5 fingers up on one and 1 finger up on the other: We're Numbah 51 ! (counting from the best, not the lowest) The choice of which 1 finger is up to you.
Porlock, I've seen those sorry statistics, too. It couldn't possibly have to do with our lack of universal health care, could it?
DeleteThe "leftist" Scandinavian countries do all have pretty big welfare nets so I guess no surprise that they are doing so well by comparison with pretty much everyone else.
ReplyDeleteBritain also not doing so badly, apparently ...
I pointed out that very thing about Scandinavia to one of my staunch Republican relatives, but it doesn't seem to make an impression.
DeleteBritain has universal health, which makes an enormous difference.
It think it's important to note that Obamacare is not the same as the universal health care or coverage that other nations have; though it is a step in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteA few years back, I decided to knuckle down and do a little research on various systems; Britain's has some serious flaws, but France seems to have a grade-A program.
In the end, though, I think we would do well to imitate what Canada has, and its worth reading up on. Though of course the GOP would rather burn every hospital to the ground than do that.
Russ, I agree we should look at France or Canada as our models for universal health care, before Britain, although, if the powers-that-be tried to take away their health care from the Brits, you'd see massive opposition. So far as I know, and I don't know much about Scandinavia, France seems to have the best system, but I expect the programs in the "socialist" North are excellent, too.
DeleteThere are a number of long-tried, very successful systems around the world to provide examples for us to pick and choose from - if it were possible to sit down and do this calmly and rationally, that is. I know the Brits are so fond of their NHS that no government on left or right has dared even think about getting rid of it - but there the healthcare system is owned and services delivered directly by the state, which would be a very hard sell here.
ReplyDeleteIn the long run, and after all the "legitimate rape" idiots and "let them die" teapartiers have died off themselves, we will no doubt come up with our own typically pragmatic program - though if we simply extended Medicare to everyone, I think that would be a very easy thing to do, overall.
The bottom line is that services must be free to all at the point of delivery. I am aghast to learn that even in Massachusetts with its vaunted state healtcare plan, some victims of the Marathon bombings are facing enormous hospital bills:
http://www.policymic.com/articles/36835/boston-bombing-exposes-just-how-screwed-up-america-s-health-care-system-is