Hate Mail
I doesn’t take long.
From: Geoff Capelin []
To: lee-at-moorewatch.com
Subj: CanadaVery good point Moorewatch, that’s right in Canada healthcare is free, just like here in Australia and in all the developed european countries; if we do get shot at least we don’t have the American system; no money; you die. Surely you don’t really believe that there is less gun related violence in the U.S. than any other western nation. Even your favourite pet poodle, John Howard would not agree with that one. In fact even Howard, when he introduced our tougher gun laws made his case saying otherwise ‘we’’ll end up like America’; which I might add in Australia is the worst term of policy criticism you can make. By the way, in case you didn’t know, the President has just awarded your favourite pet the ‘Woodrow Wilson’ peace prize; delicious irony eh?
Yours Sincerely
Your aussie fan
Geoff Capelin
Sydney Australia
This is unfortunately all too typical of the mail we receive about matters like these. I have posted COUNTLESS news reports on the massive failures of the socialist healthcare model. This is not to say that our system is without problems; it is most certainly riven with problems and I have said so a million times. I just don’t believe that going to the socialist model of Canada or Australia is the proper solution to the problems that we have in this country.
Also, note how Geoff regurgitates the same old tired arguments, undoubtedly because he gets the majority of his information from people like Michael Moore. Nobody in America who gets shot (or suffers from any other life-threatening emergency) is denied care. It’s against the law. Regardless of ability to pay, if you need emergency care you receive it, period. As far as Australia’s gun control laws go, you might want to check which one of our two countries has higher rates of violent crime, and which has rising crime rates. (Here’s a hint, Geoff. The answer to both of these questions is not America.) But if you’re prepared to pay a 50% tax rate to finance your health care system, and if you have no problem living in a country with higher rates of rape, assault, and burglary than we have here, then that is entirely your prerogative.
As far as “being like America” being the worst thing you could say about a policy, I understand that completely. It is my fervent hope that when the bleeding heart leftist morons in this country begin to talk about socializing our health care system, we can point out the folly of that idea by saying “You don’t want to end up like Canada, do you?” (Canada’s health care system is going bankrupt. It works like a charm.)
If you want to actually learn about the significant failures of the socialist health care model, there are literally hundreds of posts on this site. The same goes for the success of gun control in developed nations. Though I have absolutely no doubt that you have no desire to actually learn about these things. You’d much rather shove your head up Michael Moore’s ass and feel morally superior to the knuckledragging gun-crazy lunatics in the US of A.
Comments
Correction, last sentence in the post above:
Nor is the US rate significantly higher than it’s European or Canadian counterparts.
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A misleading statement if I ever heard of one. First’ let’s compare the US with Cuba. Yes, the US has a higher mortality rate than Cuba.
US: 6.50 deaths per 1000 live births
Cuba: 6.33 per 1000
Not exactly a devestating difference.
Let’s compare the US to Canada or the EU:
US: 6.5
Canada: 4.75
EU: 5.10
This means the US has 1.4 more deaths per 1000 live births than the EU, or 1.85 more deaths per 1000 live births than Canada. Not a whole lot of a difference either (although it would be nice if that margin was lessened, of course). In short, you’re flying fast and loose with statistics.
However, if you think that IS a big deal, than let’s compare Canada (your home country?) to, say, Singapore (the country with the worlds lowest infant mortality rate):
Canada: 4.75
Singapore: 2.29
That’s a difference of 2.46! Care to explain why Canada is so careless and heartless with its infants compared to a small country like Singapore?
Another country that kicks Canada’s butt (and of course the US)?
The Czech Republic!
It’s infant mortality rate is 3.93…
Now, for your little insinuation that the US has a ghastly mortaility rate than even Cuba, let’s compare the US mortality rate with a real third world country (after all, Cuba is a bit of an expection in terms of healthcare programs among the third world). Obviously, you are suggesting the US has child mortality comparible with third world countries. In fact, the US mortality rate, while lower than all of the European or Canadian rates (regrettably), is comparably only worse than Cuba’s.
US:6.5
Puerto Rico: 9.28
Saudi Arabia:13.24
Mexico: 20.91
Venuzuela: 22.20
China: 24.18
Brazil: 29.61
Iran: 41.58
World: 50.11
Zimbabwe: 52.34
Sudan: 62.50
Cambodia: 70.89
Congo: 87.41
Ethiopia: 95.32
Somalia: 116.70
Angola (the worst): 187.49
Source: http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2091rank.html
Let’s see, a true third world country, where life is short and brutish, like the Congo, has a mortality rate of 87.51. The US is nowhere near that. Nor is the US rate significantly lower than it’s European or Canadian counterparts.