Over the next few weeks we can expect to hear from a lot of patriotic right-wing "fact checkers" who haven't and won't see the movie bashing that communist Michael Moore and his manufactured "liberal myths" about health care in the US.
Here's one that made me laugh:
Britons, Canadians and Frenchmen purchase their "free" coverage through their taxes. In America, 44.7 percent of health expenditures came from tax-funded government spending in 2004, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development reports. In Canada, that figure was 69.8 percent; while in France it was 78.4. Fully 86.3 percent of British health spending was taxpayer-funded.
So what? What kind of ridiculous non sequitur argument is that? Here are some facts that are more relevant:
| Health care expenditures | ||||
| US | Canada | UK | France | |
| Per capita | $5711 | $2669 | $2428 | $2981 |
| % of GDP | 15.2% | 9.9% | 8% | 10.1% |
| % of gov. revenues | 18.5% | 16.7% | 15.8% | 14.2% |
The Kaiser Family Foundation also has this. There appears to be serious waste and inefficiency somewhere in our system. I wonder where? Oh, and regarding all those taxes they pay for health insurance, see here.
UPDATE: See what I mean? More criticism from someone who hasn't even seen the movie. He should have taken us up on our offer of a free ticket. The most puzzling thing to me, though, is why can't 70% of the people drown out the noise of the 30% dead-enders with facts and logic? I guess we just need to make more noise.
UPDATE: Simply amazing. A plea to all wingnuts. Yes, don't see the movie. It is more entertainment than fact anyway. Except for a few heartbreaks and eyeopeners. But no, you don't need to see it to know that the American health care system is broken. But please do your homework and keep an open mind when the rest of us start pushing for reforms. And if you're going to fight it, you might want to bring your A game instead of this "Michael Moore is a communist liar" bullshit. And while your at it, please point us to the entertaining movie that portrays what a great health care system we have in America.
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Simply amazing. A plea to
I am unamazed. Thanks for reminding me why I don't go to Nashvilleistalking anymore.
Thanks again to Jesus General, by the way -- due to his diligent efforts to rid the Tennessee blogosphere of the corrupting influence of pithy links, now there's not a single liberal voice at WKRN's blogs. Now all parrots trained to recite wingnut talking points have a perch with network affiliate backing! Just what we needed!
As far as SU is concerned, Moore dared [gasp!] to have a negative opinion about gun violence.
The horror. The horror.
____________________________
I'm a guy in a Reagan mask -- and I'm running for President!
I am unamazed. Thanks for
I am unamazed. Thanks for reminding me why I don't go to Nashvilleistalking anymore.
Yes, that was certainly a rapid descent into wingnuttery. Very disappointing.
I did read an exchange a
I did read an exchange a week or so ago where the libertarian proprietress was maundering on and on about the upcoming cuts to the Nashville public library system and how bad this is.
Now, I'm not down with making huge cuts to the public libraries. I'm certainly opposed to them. But then again, I'm one of these supposed "big-gumbit librulz" according to the libertarian yardstick, so you'd think that my position there was ideologically consistent.
I'd made an argument a couple weeks before about school vouchers vis-a-vis "market magic," in that I'm a married guy with no kids. So, in that whole scheme of school vouchers? Why shouldn't my wife and I get a refund? Why should I have to pay to put ANY kids through private OR public schools? Sure, I went to public schools growing up, but so what? I got mine!
Why should I pay for libraries, for that matter? I never use 'em. And hey, I have only been to one Titans game. What portion of my tax dollar went to the bond issue that paid to build that stadium? I want it back! Me! Me! Me!
Small government types always oppose "the public good" until it affects them personally, and it really makes me want to retch. Oh, well, apparently it's just fine to be in favor of strict laissez-faire market dynamics in local governments until you can't get your books and movies for "free" anymore, huh?
____________________________
I'm a guy in a Reagan mask -- and I'm running for President!