America has the Best Medical Care in the World

John R. Houk

© February 15, 2011

In a 4 minute clip of part of Bill Clinton’s talk at the Davos meeting in Switzerland, Clinton attacks (at about the 2:20 mark) Michele Bachman’s statement at her Tea Party SOTU response that America has the best healthcare system in the world. Clinton actually says that is not true and that Republicans that believe that way are “…in a parallel universe divorced from reality with no facts.”

The Left Wing organization that calls itself FactCheck.org of course agrees with Clinton:

First, as we've said many times, the law doesn't create a government-run system. Instead, it builds on our current system and adds a lot of new business for private insurers. Second, some studies on the quality of care worldwide have not put the U.S. at the top. A 2010 Commonwealth Fund study ranked the U.S. last among seven countries in health system performance. In other health outcome measures, the U.S. ranks 49th in life expectancy, according to the CIA World Factbook, and plenty of other countries have lower rates of infant mortality. (From page 2 of a City Pages Blog written by Hart Van Denburg 2/7/11)

The facts are most of the Western World has socialized Medicine at a huge taxpayer cost to their citizens. So it is true that America lags behind affordable coverage which is quantity. America does not lag behind quality medicine for patients. Clinton had said that America’s quality medicine is only available to people that are in the same economic scale of wealth as he is. Clinton is implying that Western governments that have socialized universal medical care receive the same quality of care as the upper Middle Class and the Wealthy Class in America. The fact is that simply is not true.

The problem with comparing U.S. health care expenditures, costs, outcomes and health status with those in other countries is that almost any such comparisons are misleading. It is impossible to compare our demographics, political system, income taxes, productivity, prosperity, per capita income, regulations, government programs and private insurance markets with those of other countries and come up with meaningful information for policy makers. (Conclusion at bottom page of article, “U.S. per capita health spending after taxes lower than Europe’s,” by Donald E. L. Johnson; 4/11/08 8:29 PM)

The waiting periods for people with catastrophic medical needs in healthcare in Socialized Medical Coverage nations have enough of waiting time that life saving methods, treatments and drugs may not be provided in time to make a difference in saving life. People in America may wait and die also without the proper insurance; however what is the difference in dying with or without coverage? One is still dead. Certainly the Upper Crust Classes of Europe still receive better care than those depending on Universal Healthcare. Indeed those in the Middle Class in America undoubtedly receive better healthcare than the universally covered European Middle Class. Middle Class insurance makes catastrophic coverage attainable whereas the Middle Class of Europe are placed on the dangerous to life waiting lists.

So the question is: How does Clinton say that an over taxed Socialized healthcare recipient in which the economic burden on government budgets is causing the reduction of European entitlements which have already caused violent rioting from entitlement minded Greek citizens is better than America’s current healthcare system?

Certainly healthcare reforms desperately need attention in America; however absolute government managed Socialism is not the budget busting reform needed. Healthcare reform has to be in either in price regulation of medicine and pharmaceuticals or the price regulation in the price of private health insurance and the insurance companies’ penchant to making previous medical conditions a reason to disallow coverage or to make coverage too high to afford. OR the combination of Medicine price reform and medical insurance reform; however the reform should be more in the form of regulation than in government management. The most government should be involved is to make sure American citizens are not eye-gouged economically to receive insurance coverage.

Now I know government regulation is still too much Big Government for my fellow fiscal Conservatives. I guess that is why I am more of a Neocon than a Conservative. The reality is reform is needed. Another reality is government fingers in the free market pocket as would happen with Socialized Universal Healthcare will lead to a Big Brother scenario of telling citizens what to do, when they can do it and/or if citizen will be able to do it. Whereas, regulation is more the process of government to protect citizens from unfair practices that threaten the common pursuit of happiness embodied in our nation’s Declaration of Independence that began a revolutionary way of governing that has made America the most exceptional nation in the world. Indeed, so exceptional that even people who profess to hate America want to move and live here.

Yesterday Michele Bachmann sent an email to her supporters for donations to counter the personal political attack by Bill Clinton on her touch with reality. Evidently she has a public relations plan to confront Bill Clinton. I say, “Go Girl.” Bachmann’s actual constituents are in District 6 of Minnesota. I am not in her District but she is a national figure and she needs national support to confront issues of Leftist Big Government.

JRH 2/15/11

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Bill Clinton is on the Attack

Michele Bachmann

Sent: 2/14/2011 1:37 PM

Sent by: Bachmann for Congress

Dear Fellow Conservative,

Bill Clinton is on the attack - yet again.

Last week, while speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Clinton attacked my efforts to overturn Obamacare and said I live "in a parallel universe divorced from reality with no facts."

 
The fact is that we have seen President Obama and his liberal allies push for socialist policies that are bankrupting our nation. Their out-of-control spending has raised our national debt to over $14 trillion. And if he gets his way, this debt will grow even higher this year.

The fact is as a result of these failed policies, the conservative movement is growing, not shrinking!

 
But these facts won't stop liberals like Clinton from placing me at the top of their target list for defeat. Last fall, the former president attacked me on more than one occasion as he raised money for my opponent. And, it appears from his continued attacks, that he's made me a target for 2012.

 
I want you to help me send a message to Bill Clinton that, despite his continued efforts, I'm not going to be defeated. Will you help me raise $24,000 online in the next 24 hours to send this message loud and clear to Bill Clinton and any other liberal who has their target directed at me?

Please follow this link right away to chip in $25, $50 or even $100 to help me reach this goal by tomorrow. We must continue to stand up and fight back against these attacks on our shared conservative values.

 
I want to continue representing your interests. I want to continue fighting against government expansion, tax hikes and raising the debt ceiling. Your generous donation - of $25 or $250 - helps me continue to serve you and represent our shared values.

Please take a moment today to help me fight back against Bill Clinton's attacks. Your support is always appreciated.

Sincerely,

Michele Bachmann

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America has the Best Medical Care in the World

John R. Houk

© February 15, 2011

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Bill Clinton is on the Attack

P.S. I want to send a special thank you to the energetic activists who came to my keynote speech at CPAC last week. I meant it when I said we need to make Barack Obama a one-term president! Remember, your support today helps me stay in a position to fight back against Barack Obama's socialist policies like Obamacare and massive government spending. Please help me reach my latest fundraising goal of raising $24,000 in the next 24 hours with a special donation of any amount today. Let's roll! – Michele

Paid for by Bachmann for Congress
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