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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I’m
wondering if anyone cares to share any comments about Frontline’s “Sick
Around the World”? For those interested but who perhaps missed the
show, you can watch it online at:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><a
href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/">http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I’ll
start out by stirring the pot a bit </span><span style='font-family:Wingdings;
color:#1F497D'>J</span><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>After
watching the show and looking into things further, I’m personally convinced
that neither Clinton’s nor Obama’s health care proposals are
adequate, but I’m far more supportive of Clinton’s plan than Obama’s.
Affordable universal health care coverage (considered a basic human right even
in Switzerland) mandates that all actually <b>have</b> coverage, something
Obama’s plan neglects.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Health
care is likely to be a litmus test of sorts for me between two very similar
(IMHO) candidates in the upcoming election because we’re long overdue to
address the unconscionable and deplorable state of health care access and
affordability in this country.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Saundra Lund<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Moscow, ID<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good
people to do nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>~ Edmund Burke<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>***** Original material contained herein is Copyright 2008
through life plus 70 years, Saundra Lund. Do not copy, forward, excerpt,
or reproduce outside the Vision 2020 forum without the express written
permission of the author.*****<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Ted Moffett
[mailto:starbliss@gmail.com] <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, April 15, 2008 2:05 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> Chasuk<br>
<b>Cc:</b> Saundra Lund; vision2020<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Vision2020] Health Care<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>There is no "bias" in these facts:<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><a
href="http://www.who.int/whr/2000/media_centre/press_release/en/">http://www.who.int/whr/2000/media_centre/press_release/en/</a><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>From the URL above:<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>The World Health Organization has carried out the first ever
analysis of the world's health systems. Using five performance indicators to
measure health systems in 191 member states, it finds that France provides the
best overall health care followed among major countries by Italy, Spain, Oman,
Austria and Japan.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>----------<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>The U.S. health system spends a higher portion of its gross
domestic product than any other country but ranks 37 out of 191 countries
according to its performance, the report finds. <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>-----------<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>-----------<o:p></o:p></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>Now why is this the case? Some defend the US
health care system with private HMOs as a high efficiency model,
but how can nations with more socialized health care offer better overall
performance with less money? <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>So now the rubber meets the road on this issue,
the political/economic biases regarding the private vs. public sector.
The ominous specter of "socialized medicine" rises from the
horizon. But of course the multi-hundred billion dollar socialized
taxpayer funded military industrial complex in the USA is benign... Don't worry
about wasteful spending, undue control over government via lobbyists, or being
dragged into cruel and wasteful wars to feed that beast... No, we need to be
very worried that universal health care will undermine the very fabric of our
society. We need tanks, jets, bombers, missiles, and aircraft carriers,
not doctors to treat children with no health insurance. That's their
parents fault, if they can't afford a doctor or comprehensive health insurance
coverage, after all!<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>Anyway, I might just have an opinion on this issue, but I'm
holding back to keep the dialog from being too heated... <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>I think the data showing that some nations with more
socialized medicine offer better overall health care than the USA, requires
some deft fact sifting and shifting to get around. If you are among the
rich, no doubt you can buy the best health care in the world in the USA.
If you are middle or lower class, good luck! <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>Ted Moffett<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=gmailquote>4/15/08, <b>Chasuk</b> <<a
href="mailto:chasuk@gmail.com">chasuk@gmail.com</a>> wrote:</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;
margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal>Thanks, Saundra. I'll take a look at it.<br>
<br>
I'm a big fan of PBS and NPR (some might say tat this is because their<br>
biases match mine), so I'm sure it will be interesting.<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
</blockquote>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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