You would think that a proposal for the government to radically extend its involvement in health care would motivate reporters to investigate how it's working out in other countries. You would be wrong.
Mark Levin bought this matter up on his show Thursday. His web site's home page (near the bottom left) points to a post at Liberty-Page.com, where there are compilations of dozens of articles on how socialized medicine is not working out well in Britain, Canada, and elsewhere.
Though it's still early in year, the Liberty-Page site cites no reports from either country during 2009. This leads to the question of how difficult it would be to find more recent examples.
The answer is "very easy," despite the fact that British and Canadian news organizations have traditionally tended to treat their countries' socialized systems as sancrosanct.
Looking at just one country, here are just six relevant results from the past three weeks obtained from a Google News search on "NHS BBC" (not in quotes):
- March 5 -- "Disgust" over Wheelchair Delays"; "One child has been waiting for 20 months and the North Wales NHS Trust says it has cut times and is aiming to ensure no child waits more than a year." That would be an accomplishment?
- March 5 -- "NHS charges to rise in England"; "The British Medical Association (BMA) said the current system was not working and was 'iniquitous' for many patients." It wants every single solitary prescription to be free.
- March 2 -- "Prime Minister's health records breached in database attack; Scottish rich and powerful victimized"; so much for mediard records security.
- February 25 -- "Hospital lost patient data disks." Ten years' worth.
- February 17 -- "Stroke services are 'UK's worst'" -- "Dr Tony Rudd, who assessed services in Wales, England and Northern Ireland two years ago, said services in Wales were 'scandalously bad.'"
- February 17 -- ''New computer delay costs NHS Trust £500,000" -- "THE next London hospital in line to install the problem-hit NHS computer system has had its start date postponed for a second time."
This search wasn't difficult. One would think that someone, anyone, would ask how Team Obama plans to avoid allowing what every other socialized health system has imposed on its people: unconscionable delays (accompanied by needless premature deaths), rationing, poor quality treatment, and administrative snafus.
But apparently there's no time for that. Michelle Obama's right to bare arms is apparently more important.
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.
