Europeans and Canadians baffled by U.S. furor over healthcare. As news spread U.S. Supreme Court upheld law and requirement that most people buy health insurance, people across Europe took to Twitter to ask: What’s big deal? In Europe, where governments take bigger role in healthcare, many people are baffled by political furor over healthcare law championed by President Obama, which has spawned protests and accusations government is sliding into socialism. “Why object to Obamacare?” French teacher mused online in Switzerland, where residents must buy insurance in system similar to contested American law. “Is it more about “having” to get insurance, or more about poor people getting treated for less?” French television devoted entire segment to it, titled “Why do U.S. citizens resist healthcare reform?” Supreme Court ruling also gave Europeans opportunity to poke fun at less than worldly attitudes of many Americans, pointing out critics of healthcare reform who announced they were headed to Canada, country with national, publicly funded healthcare system. Canadians also found furor confounding. “Why do Americans have to be dragged kicking and screaming into policy choice rest of civilized world decided long ago was cornerstone of humane society?” In United States, where Founding Fathers are treated as religious saints, where many “originalist” are trapped in 1789 era reading of Constitution, and where conservatives such as Ron Paul imagine country of frontier yeomen who get their health care from neighbors and local well wishers. Can Americans afford to entertain 18th century political views when 50 million of their countrymen lack health insurance?
Posted on: Sat, 28 Sep 2013 13:40:01 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015