Idiot talk show host Sean Hannity went off the deep end today. He announced that Canada's medical system is in such bad shape that they have now introduced "Death Panels".
What is a death panel you might ask? A Death Panel is a group who takes you aside and says, "You have had a heart attack. It is your second attack and because of that and because you are 63 and also have high blood pressure, we have decided not to offer further treatment. You are going to die". "Death Panels" were invented by half term Governor and half-wit, semi-literate politician Sarah Palin during her failed run for Vice President and the rumors of them have lingered. The novelty of them appeals to the loonie right.
According to Hannity, England and France also have these panels. He is suggesting that if ObamaCare succeeds, the USA will also have them. What a load of crap but these fear tactics probably work on some people.
I know my commenter Don (Don from CA, not Don from NV) will expound on his freedom of speech argument but freedom to speak does not or should not include freedom to repeat a known lie, specially one a stupid as this.
Agreed, never heard of those and my dad had a second heart attack at 65 and no one said that to him!!!!..... sad rumors that escalate into stupidness. Just goes to show how "sheep" some people can be when it comes to information.
ReplyDeleteWell, if Sarah Palin is behind the idea; what's not to like? LOL I wonder if she can still see Russia from wherever she is hanging out these days.
ReplyDeleteVery optomistic of you to think that stupid ideas and lies aren't going to be repeated. Isn't that what the internet is all about?
Hope you are having a good time in the loonie US of A.
Love it down here Don. Lots of writing material! ;)
DeleteSean Hannity is a known liar, scumbag and low-life self promoter. The only people dumber are those that believe his lies and distortions but there seems to be no shortage of such fools.
ReplyDeleteCroft, you give Sarah Palin too much credit by calling her a 'half-wit'.
My Grandmother lived to the wonderful age of 102 and was cared for lovingly and professionally in an acute care hospital for the last 3 months of her life and given every opportunity and measure to live as long as she could.
I've never, ever heard the term 'death panels' mentioned here in Canada - only in the USA.
I know where these rumours get started. Has something to do with the fact that people can wait months or even years for things like MRIs and life-improving surgeries.
ReplyDeleteI have to keep remembering that Croft and Norma haven't experienced the health care system as I have in Quebec. I'm slowly learning that it's not the same everywhere else in Canada, but I definitely don't have rose-coloured glasses about it.
Like anyone, I can only rely on personal experience. We have needed urgent care three times in our lives, twice for me and once for Norma. We have not had to wait at all any of these times and actually treatment was started the same day in each case. Norma once had a case of skin cancer and after they decided it was not an emergency, she went on the list and had surgery within the week. We have had no complaints but like Rae says, although our health care system is federal, it is regulated Provincially so there can be minor differences from Province to Province.
DeleteThere is so many rumours and lies out there and it amazing how many people actually believe them. Thanks for setting things straight.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't a long long wait for a needed procedure be an effective death sentence?
ReplyDeleteSeriously BooneDocks?! You equate Rae's comment to a death sentence (death panels)?
DeleteOf course there will be exceptions, but my family's experience is that every time my folks 'Needed' a procedure they got it. There are waits for some procedures in Canada, but like a lot of European countries you do have alternative services available that you have to pay for yourself. Lots of people in Canada don't like that as it's against the idea of Universal Health Care, but I figure if you've got the money and don't have the time or patience to wait, go for it.
DeleteIn B.C. we've had MRI's performed the same day our doctor prescribed them. For 'needed' care there are no wait times.
DeleteCosmetic surgery is different as it's not 'acute' nor an emergency.
Some Canadians (yes, we do have a few flat-earth right wing-nuts here too) will always complain about anything the government does.
My answer to them is if they think they can get better treatment without Canadian Universal Health Care then go for it. It's a short drive to a private clinic or to hospitals in the USA - just bring your wallet when you go.
Ah, gotta love wading into the crowd of "the government that governs most governs best".
DeleteI can see we'll just have to agree to disagree :)
DeleteI've gotta admit, what works for me just might not work for you. But what works for you just might not work for me. I've been having the same conversations with Croft on other ideological items for about 20 years...
When Norma broke her hip in Tuscon we were flown home in a jet chartered by our travel insurance company to get us out of the USA system. An ambulance met the jet, took us to the hospital and she had an MRI within minutes of arriving. Surgery was performed that night. She did not have to wait "months or even years".
DeleteSome Americans say they want "small government" but they want that same government present in our bedrooms to see what we are doing and who we are doing it with. They want the government in the wedding chapel to check the sex of whom we are marrying and they want the government in the operating room checking the age of the fetus a woman has made the choice to abort. Seems to me they actually want big government for all the demands they put on it.
DeleteNot really Croft. I'll grant you that some do but if you talk to a libertarian (like me) you'll get a different story. I don't want them in my wallet or my bedroom, or your bedroom or wallet for that matter.
DeleteI'm fiscally conservative but socially semi-liberal.
In fact I was honored to be invited to the wedding of one of my co-workers who married her sweetheart. It was my first gay wedding and hopefully not my last. The minister was also married to someone of the same sex. It was one of the funnest wedding I've been to.
DeleteWell Croft since you called me out I guess I will comment.
ReplyDeleteYes, freedom of speech does include the right to repeat a known lie. You know, kind of like saying "If you like your insurance you can keep your insurance. Period." Kind of like that.
Bazinga
I always enjoy hearing from you Don. None of us shy away from reasonable discussion but obviously we all have our own point of view.
DeleteAnd that's it? At least be upstanding enough to agree that Obama lied every bit as much as Hannity and let's both also agree that Hannitys didn't cause a bill to be passed that should never have been passed.
DeleteThe ACA was passed during President Obama's first term in office. The issue of Obama's quote that applies to over 95% of all who have/had medical insurance arose during the his campaign for re-election. It had nothing at all to do with the passage of the bill.
DeleteSo, when you say it caused a bill to be passed are you lying??
When the insurance companies heard that quote they immediately came up with a bunch of cheap policies that did not meet the minimum standards. They have to go and be replaced by an affordable policy that offers minimum coverage.
DeletePeople have no problem with car insurance. What is with this? It is the same thing. Is it just because President Obama is involved?
Actually Rick Doyle Obama started saying that back in 2009. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfl55GgHr5E
DeleteSo are you lying?
Although I'm not sure if you understand the point I was making. My point was Obama started lying about keeping your Dr. way back in 2009. Not sure what you're talking about.
DeleteAnd to finish the thought, the ACA was passed on March 21st, 2010.
DeleteAnd Croft, the problem isn't with insurance. The problem is with the government forcing you to buy something. That's the first time in this country that's ever happened. Most on the right believe we should have done something about healthcare but what the Dims forced through without a single Republican vote was not the right thing. And we are seeing proof of that now.
The polls are showing that the large majority of Americans don't want it and the number is going up every day this monstrosity continues to screw people over. Over 5 MILLION people lost their insurance in the first month and only 100,000 got signed up. That means 4.9 MILLION are without insurance that had it before this stupid bill went into affect.
If we are lucky enough Democrats will realize their future will be dim if they continue to support it and we'll get it repealed. But we will probably have to wait for 2016 unless of course it gets so bad that the Senate can join the house.
You sure do know your audience, Croft. Well done.
ReplyDeleteSo now you have met "Agreeable Don" and "Not So Agreeable Don". I have met "Good Don" but not the other Don. He is a computer programmer or something in the Silicon Valley. I suspect I would like him if I actually met him.
DeleteI do know how you like a good argument. It makes the days go by quicker, doesn't it?
DeleteLos Angeles. But there are too many libs here too. ;)
DeleteComputer programmer is just one of my skills. I have a bunch of them.
Death Panels!!! I've heard it all now!
ReplyDelete