Yet another example of the clarity of Dr. Sowell. I do pray that an awakening of critical thinking is underway in the U.S. If so, it will be because of truth champions like Dr. Sowell and Divine Providence. Limited government as was once known in the U.S. must be the future trend if we are to avoid calamity.

Same old spin, True?Patriot. Obama's power grab won't insure more people; it will just fine them for not being insured and less than insurance would cost.

Now go back to HuffPo or DailyKOS with all tne other gullible kiddies.

True Patriot - I guess you missed the part in the article where Sowell pointed out that the U.S. counts all baby deaths and other countries don't. Premature babies in other countries are often just written off as still born. As someone who's always crying about the "facts," you might want to beef up on that one.

Furthermore, to say that a healthy individual is doing just fine with the healthcare system is like saying a fish is happy with his bicycle - the healthy individual doesn't *need* the system yet. Ask him again when he's on the year-long waiting list for arthroscopic knee surgery.

With you leftists, ever-bigger government is always a "step in the right direction," regardless of the facts.

True, healthy people in Canada, france, and elsewhere do fine no matter what the healthcare system is like. It is how unhealthy people fare that is the true measure of the healthcare system. And in Canada, at least having lived under theirs, they don't fare anywhere near as well as we do here. As far as infant mortality, unless you have studied, and understand the differences in how infant mortality is calculated, and you have enough data to normalize both systems' data you can't really compare ours to other countries. That is one of the main points of the article. As far as the bureaucrats in the insurance company, they may or may not be concerned about your health care, but they are concerned that you stay with them so they can remain in business--and you can always take your business elsewhere. The bureaucrats in Washington is far less likely to care for any reason, and once they are in charge of your healthcare, you can't go anywhere else (except go to another country, but once our healthcare system goes national there won't be many places left).

A retired British friend on mine had two male cousins still living in England, both were in their early 70's. Both were diagnosed with prostate cancer. Both died. Why? They were told that patients over age 70 with prostate cancer were ONLY given pain control by the NHS. Nothing else was allowed.

I'll throw in my 2 cents worth for Mr. "True Patriot." Please stop using that tired crap about 40 million uninsured that has been debunked over and over. That number includes the people who have chosen not to have insurance, those who are between jobs and are temporarily without it, and worst of all includes illegal aliens who should not be covered by the rest of us. The actual figure is closer to 9-12 million, most of which won't be covered by ObozoCare anyway. I'm assuming you are relocating to Canada in the near future.

True Liberal, The problem with those from the wacky end of the spectrum is that they will tear down down anything that does not conform to their way of thinking. They will do so and not replace it with something better but always something worse. This is done in the pursut of an unattainable utopia that only exists in the minds of deluded followers. Tearing down an institution that is the best in the world is one thing, but tearing down our Country is another.

Humorous comments by some folks. They get proved to over and over again that the United States healthcare system is not the best, but somehow still believe it. How is wanting better healthcare a Liberal thing? You right-wingers need to start reading some actual facts about other countries healthcare systems. They are not perfect, but I think we can learn a lot from them to better our own system. In many other countries, such as France, the consumers are much more satified with their healthcare than we are here in U.S. Except for that Government run Medicare which has over an 80% approval rating.

Dear "True Patriot";

The Tree of Liberty must, from time to time, be watered with the blood of Patriots and Tyrants", I paraphrase, that's true, however, my point stands. Since you consider yourself a 'true patriot' I know we can count on you, right?

Healthcare very often includes dental care. I for one would rather my teeth looked "American" than British.

I do feel sorry for the younger generation coming up. They are not educated in economics and history; consequently they cannot analyze Obama's destructive policies on our economic future; and the do not know enough about history -- the great laboratory of humane experience -- to know where their generation is headed. They will have to cough up the taxes to pay for the bureaucracies and systems that Obama has put in place. They will be the ones fighting the wars that he has created the conditions for. In a democracy, people get the leadership they deserve. It's just that the rest of us don't deserve it.

Mike, you must be getting your facts from liberal reading material. If the US health care is so bad, why do other citizens from foreign countries come here for their medical treatment. Get a clue!

Well it did'nt take long because just like that Mike proves my previous point. He states "... other countries healthcare systems. They are not perfect, but..." But what? But lets tear our system down to imitate one that is not perfect either!

let's not start by tearing down one country or another just to prove a point. Let's start with the truth that we know personally and by the integrity of the source. I would prefer Thomas Sowell before I believe "other countries" because i live here in the U.S.A. and because I know many, many citizens of these other countries.

Thank you, Thomas Sowell, for your researched knowledge.

Govt run health care has worked so well in other countries we just HAD to adopt it right??

That's the problem with many Americans, they think they know BETTER than those before them..

Did anyone go and check out the WONDERFUL "Pre-existing" coverage that Obamacare is offering now? Dont plan on being excited..

Mike, True(sic)Patriot, let's get this out of the way right now. Whether we have the best healthcare system in the world or not, GOVERNMENT HAS NO BUSINESS RUNNING IT! Period. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with our health care system, the problem is on the other end. What we need is tort reform and insurance idustry reform. There is nothing in the Constitution that gives government the authority to run the health care system. And don't give me that tired tripe about "general welfare" either, that's horse hockey. If Congress can do whatever it wishes in the name of general welfare, what's to stop them from taking away your free choice of what food to eat, just because you might choose something bad for you? Once you start giving up freedoms in the name of safety or security, it becomes a very slippery slope.

Caseace, good point. Why should we tear down our system to imitate another imperfect system, one thats worse?

Tom, I read that to. I read years ago that the princes in Saudi Arabia, who have the money to buy the best doctors in their country will come to the US for a check up. US health care must be horrible...hmmm.

Im pretty sure it was in the Patriot Post that I read about British socialist health care. Didnt something just come out about rationing joint replacements and cutting the number of hospital beds? Something about terminal patients being sent home with pain pills to die because its to expensive and theres not enough room?

Mike, True Patriot: I will agree with you that there should be changes to the health care system but politicians are not doctors and hospital administrators and IRS agents are not pharmaceutical executives. Instead of an unconstitutional health care system run by a government official in DC, we can let those who know health care fix health care. Hospital administrators understand costs, as do those in the medical insurance field, of treating a patient. Executives of a pharaceutical company understand the cost that goes into studying, creating, testing, and producing medications and medical equipment. Let them fix our system. Either way, it will never be perfect but what would be better? I think reform by those who actually know medicine would be, just makes better sense to me.

As a Marine, I got to experience government healthcare. We had insurance through an insurance contract for the government but we could only seek private health care in emergencies if we were away from a base. I tore tissue in my shoulder while training and I couldnt just go to the hospital on base and get an xray or an mri because my shoulder hurt, they had to be approved because the numbers are limited to keep costs low. After an mri and xray, revealing tissue, tendon, and bone damage I had to wait a month to see another doctor who would decide if I needed surgery. He said he could see the tears but couldnt tell how deep they were so he wasnt doing surgery unless I still was having problems in 5 months or so. I didnt go back and its been over a year and I still have pain and problems. I will take my chances with a doctor I pick, that I can see more often, and that will order tests at my request because costs arent an issue with rationed health care and will make sure surgery is not required before sending me away. Im not saying doctors in the military are bad. What Im saying is because costs are an issue tests are avoided. It will be the same if obamacare takes full effect. Costs will become an issue so corners will be cut and things that need to be done wont be and new medications will be to expensive to produce. Just like in England and everywhere else with socialist health care. The United States and its free (as in NOT paid for by taxpayers and ran by the government) carries the rest of the world on its shoulders medically.

My sister and her husband LIVE IN CANADA. They cannot manage to come to New Hampshire for my sisters birthday because HE IS HAVING SURGERY THAT HE HAS WAITED FOR A FULL YEAR TO GET BECAUSE THE SURGERY IS SCHEDULED FOR August 27, 2010. Her birthday, by the way, is on August 30, 2010.

And you may recall THE PREMIER of Newfoundland Danny Williams using the American health care system just last year at the suggestion of his Canadian Dr. for heart surgery. Previous high ranking Canadian officials to take advantage of ?? (Could it be superior care) include a family member of PM Jean Chreitien who also used the equivalent of Airforce One to fly back and forth. Robert Bourassa Premier of Quebec for cancer treatment and Joe Clark leader of the Progressive Conservatives. Yet you can be sure that they still insist there is nothing wrong with what they have. As long as the annointed don't have to use it, that is.

Mike, True Patriot: When, in the future, you or a loved one needs an expensive procedure or regimen of medication and are told that preserving your life is not in the budget, you'll remember us, won't you? Medicine can cure a lot of things, but not stupidity. That, I'm afraid, you're stuck with.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Oh yeah, and government provided: healthcare, housing, foodstamps, welfare, daycare, cable tv, cellphones, internet, education, employment... did I leave anything out? Well, in case I did we'll have to appoint a committee to study the question.

It's the Constitution, stupid! Employees in the federal government have NO legal, constitutional authority to initiate, run, fund, or MANDATE healthcare. Healthcare is NOT a right, it is a commodity. Healthcare is also not broken. I doubt the health insurance industry is broken either, but I have no doubt both will be shortly after government employees illegally get their hands on it.

Men of ill judgement oft ignore the good.

That lies within their hands,till they have lost it.

----Sophocles (496 BC-406 BC)

To our True Patriot Friend and the others that believe we need Obamacare I would ask a couple of question:

If the new Government Run Health Care system will be so great why is the Congress and the President exempted out of Obamacare? If it so good why don’t they want to be part of the program? They should lead by example.

This is just another example of the Limousine Liberal Mentality or better yet the Socialist Bourgeoisie “Let Them Eat Cake” administration we are seeing in action in Washington these days.

Liberals ought to quake with fear at the thought of Republicans repealing their maze of health deform, and then instituting rules which will greatly reduce medical costs. Obamacare greatly increases costs.

Policies and cost reduction estimates - about half of existing-system costs:

1. Tort reform - cut costs about 5%

2. Individual tax credits, not corporations only, enabling more to buy insurance

3. Nationwide policy purchasing, without mandates. No state line limits, no state mandates - cuts 10%+

4. Group insurance low rates, open to anyone - cut 5%

5. Legalize incentives for keeping good health, penalties for unhealthy practices - cut 5%

6. Reduce or eliminate government cost shifting - the 20% underpayments of Medicare, 40% of Medicaid, forcing the rest of us to make up for them.

7. Single-price medicine - no sweetheart deals for government, insurance companies; no sticking it to the uninsured.

8. Published prices and quality ratings to allow markets to function - cut 10%

9. Mandate Health Savings Accounts for everyone. Everyone must shop for medical services, just like they do for everything else in life. Revive the market function in medicine, which was killed by the fact that at least 85% of payments are made by someone else. That insanity entirely destroyed market functions, so very few even know the prices, much less care about them. - cut 10%

10. Monitoring Medicare and Medicaid payments, qualifying the vendors - about 4% of all medical costs are these frauds. The government pays first, asks questions later, if ever. Pay MasterCard/Visa etc. to track purchases, similar to what they do millions of times a day for credit cards. - cut 3%

Well TJS I was with you until that 'mandate' part.

The Mandate part has yet to materilize. When it does you will learn a new wood "DHIMMITUDE". It can be researched on Google or Snopes. The Obama Care excludes certain Religious groups from Maditory Insurance, especially Muslims!. They will not be required to buy Health Insurance. They will be covered at your expense! Look up the meaning of the word and it may become clear to you exactly what is going on.

An impressive share, I just given this onto a cgolealue who was doing a little analysis on this. And he in fact bought me breakfast because I found it for him.. smile. So let me reword that: Thnx for the treat! But yeah Thnkx for spending the time to discuss this, I feel strongly about it and love reading more on this topic. If possible, as you become expertise, would you mind updating your blog with more details? It is highly helpful for me. Big thumb up for this blog post!