How ridiculous is this whole debate. My puny country, Canada manages to offer heath care. We are not socialist in fact, at the moment it is the Conservative Right in power.
What irks me the most about Americans is that it is the self-righteous, religious right and big business that are all in a huff about the threat of socialism to their precious independence. They are arguing political theory when millions of their poor die because they cannot afford proper health care. Caring for the least of our brothers is socialism? Sounds like Christianity to me. As far as the rich are concerned, they are most strident in their attack against health care because their tax loop holes would disappear and they would actually have to pay their fair share of taxes.
The conservatives will buck anything Obama suggests, even if their actions cause suffering It seems that their sole goal is to be seen as right.
Cut it out. How about some unity in this time of economical crisis, putting American citizens welfare above their own personal agendas. As Jean Vanier, Canadian founder of L’Arche said,
I can be right. I can be dead right and bring death to all those around me.
America, you are facing an internal war. Time for the two political parties to cooperate for a few years and then play your power games for another whole year before the next election. Canadians play for 6 weeks before an election, surely a year is enough time for acting and posturing.
mother of nine9 
I couldn’t agree with you more— there are many of us who are disgusted with the hypocrisy of the religious right. Makes us want to move to Canada!
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thanks for responding.. i was a bit worried because i ranted and then pushed publish
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Love this post. Do Canadians have compulsory voting?
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nope
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We do in Australia – as was once said of the system “It keeps the bastards honest”
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love it
On Thu, Feb 7, 2013 at 7:03 PM, motherofnine9
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🙂 D34
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Another Canadian here – wow, I love how so many Canadians are appearing on this issue! Love your points here about socialist and religious principles – I didn’t think of that in my post :S
Lily
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Americans get all caught up in idealogy , ignoring the people’s real needs.
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I get a little worried sometimes when I hear how the general American public perceives some things, though there may be accessible evidence to the contrary :S
Lily
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well said. I am going to quote you on a discussion on Broowaha with a far right political writer who is too eloquent!!!
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Haha go for it, good luck there!
Lily
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I need all the help I can get. it is funny, writers on blogcatalog basically agree with Canadians but this fellow on broowaha made me feel like an idiot
http://www.broowaha.com/articles/15846/right-to-health-well-daaah-
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Oh my god, that guy has his head in another universe. Canada’s health care system has nothing to do with our size, it is a legacy of British colonialism! And I’m going over Obamacare in class – even if you call all of Western Europe and Canada socialist (which they aren’t!), Obamacare wouldn’t even be close to those systems!
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yep can I quote you again?? 🙂
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Maybe leave out the “head in another universe part” 😛
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too late 🙂
he does not know where you are speaking anyway.
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Hah well that’s true
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I’ve been Grey’s Anatomy for quite some time now 🙂 and related to the subject of this post american tend to overpay for medical treatments, I mean hundreds of thousands of dollars for different types of surgeries, i may be subjective ’cause let’s face it, i’m not an american but still it looks like medical treatments are way too expensive, and also, state should offer the same range of medical services as the private sector, and between the two of them should exist a healthy competition, the citizen must have multiple choice to choose from. Just saying 🙂
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i agree with you
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I’ve been Grey’s Anatomy for quite some time now 🙂 and related to the subject of this post american tend to overpay for medical treatments, I mean hundreds of thousands of dollars for different types of surgeries, i may be subjective ’cause let’s face it, i’m not an american but still it looks like medical treatments are way too expensive, and also, state should offer the same range of medical services as the private sector, and between the two of them should exist a healthy competition, the citizen must have multiple choice to choose from. Just saying 🙂
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Yes Melanie, some things, such as basic health care, should be worked out as an apolitical issue. As a Conservative voter I watched Michael Moore’s movie Sicko and came to appreciate just how serious this problem is. I believe the US is just about the only advanced Western country, who does not have a version of universal health cover. I believe the Right has much more to contribute in the area of fiscal responsibility and should be focusing their energies on this.
Well done to you for an impassioned article.
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a right-winged commenter always makes me feel like an idiot, thanks- you just gave me a reprieve
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As an American, let me say, thank you, Melanie! It is a ridiculous argument being debated in our country. Totally agree that to say government provided healthcare is a socialist position is nonsense. The self-righteous attitude about it irks me as well. I am afraid my country, much as I love it, is still being run by the Puritans who first came here from Europe. Excellent post!
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that is it!! You nailed it. It is a Puritan work ethic that says the poor are lazy and do not deserve care!!!
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that is it!! You nailed it. It is a Puritan work ethic that says the poor are lazy and do not deserve care!!!
On Fri, Feb 8, 2013 at 6:01 PM, motherofnine9
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