P.S.

[poliphilo]

Since I wrote the last post, David Cameron (the leader of the British Conservative Party) has had to undertake a damage limitation exercise after a Conservative MEP (Member of the European Parliament) went on American TV to rubbish the
National Health Service.

Over here, you see, even Conservatives (which roughly- very roughly- translates as Republicans) think socialized medicine is a good thing. 

Comments

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I can understand opposition to aspects of the Obama plan (I haven't studied it) but not to socialized medicine as such.
I don't understand why so many people are getting so hysterical about it.

I feel about socialized medicine the way Churchill felt about democracy- it's the worst system there is- except for all the others.

[qatsi.livejournal.com]

I like your Churchill analogy - it does seem a good summary.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I love that line so much I probably overuse it. I'm not a huge fan of Churchill's, but he did say a number of eminently quotable things.

[daisytells.livejournal.com]

This anaology works for me.

[solar-diablo.livejournal.com]

Politics in America thrive on hysteria in lieu of facts, at least when it becomes necessary to rally the masses around your cause. Back in the late 80's when Bush Sr. and Michael Dukakis were the candidates, "liberal" was the dirty smear word. Now it's "socialism". I'd guess that a sizable percentage of Americans flipping out aren't sure exactly what socialism entails, only that they've been told to fear it. At this point, were you able to definitively prove that Jesus was a socialist, red state America would burn their Bibles.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

And these are mostly poor people (or comparatively poor people) the ones who would actually do best under socialism. It's sad to see people bloviating against the interests of their class.