Thursday 13 August 2009

NHS not "Orwellian"


From the UK Daily Mail:

Professor Stephen Hawking has defended the NHS after its severe criticism during the American political debate over health care reforms.

The physicist spoke up for the NHS after the Republican Right claimed it was 'evil' and 'Orwellian' in a direct attack on Barack Obama's plans to overhaul health care in the U.S.

Critics of the president have said his plans would introduce a 'socialist' system like Britain's.

Prof Hawkin, who suffers from Lou Gehrig's disease, said: 'I wouldn't be here today if it were not for the NHS.

'I have received a large amount of high quality treatment without which I would not have survived.'

President Obama wants a publicly backed scheme to provide for the 47million Americans who are without private health insurance and the 25million who are under-insured.

But opponents have begun a campaign equating the two - and in the process peddling some vicious myths, such as tales of NHS 'death panels' that deny care to the elderly and disabled and put an 'Orwellian' cap on the value of human life.

The Daily Mail is a very right wing newspaper which often criticizes the NHS, but they took offence at some American politicians who are "makin' things up".

I don't understand why people are opposing the healthcare reform. As I understand it, people with insurance can continue to pay their premiums as usual. The proposals would end the rationing of care the insurance companies presently impose on the insured and the pre-existent conditions clause which prevents millions of people from receiving the care they need.

It appears the protesters are cutting off their noses to spite their faces...

Let's cut to the chase: dishonest politicians and their followers simply can't stand the idea of a black man in the White House and will resort to inflammatory rhetoric and disruption of civilized debate in order to restore the old politics as usual: a white, evangelical, warmongering president in the pocket of the big corporations.
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6 comments:

Whoa, Baby! said...

Well-said. Perfect evaluation of the problem in your last paragraph.

Dianne said...

That last think I want is politics as usual. I think the conservanuts have FINALLY realized they have lost and have gone into panic mode, which will only make things worse.

Anonymous said...

I can imagine my own health care panel review, and this time it is Sarah who stands before us. Let's see, has she been a productive member of our society, no! Her remarks and actions have torn apart the fabric of our society. She has denied her own people aid. She has failed to take proper care of her own children. Just spewing hatred is not being a productive member of society; no health care for her! Is that the kind of panel she envisions?

Anonymous said...

Thanks again, Regina. You have hit the nail directly on the head. What most in the media won't say is that it IS about a Black man being president. Why on earth would anyone want to deny themselves health care and keep making a minority of white men wealthy while those same men laugh at the stupid masses and all the way to the bank? Whoever dreamed Americans could be so insane?

FEDUP!!! said...

What I don't understand is that nobody talks about the cost of our health care system that we have right now: Even if you are totally healthy and never go to a doctor, but if you have insurance, YOU PAY AROUND $600/month per person for the insurance - *JUST-IN-CASE-I-NEED-IT*. On top of THAT, you then have to pay for your deductible, which is typically $250 and up PER PERSON. Then, on top of THAT, you have to pay for your co-pays - for doctor visits as well as for prescriptions. (Don't even THINK about asking the insurance companies to pay for SUPPLEMENTS like vitamins, that actually would help KEEP you HEALTHY...
The term "Highway robbery" comes to my mind!

I think if people would highlight this insanity, more people would agree that we NEED a new system.
Can you imagine having to pay that much/month for CARinsurance?

However, the Rethugs/Big Pharma/AMA do not want people to think that way, and they want to make you scared (it worked quite well for our last 'regime'!) so you will blindly swallow what they dish you.

$arah probably is being paid by either insurance company lobbyists or by Big Pharma, to spew her nonsense on Facebook.
(I wonder if there is a way to have Facebook censor that their site is being taken over for free publicity and fear mongering politics...)

basheert said...

Whoever wrote that first story really did step in it.

It's called "fact check" - unless you want to look bonehead stupid which they did.