Tired of the nonsense about Canada's health care system in the US media?
If you're as annoyed as I am with the bizarre and unrealistic picture US conservatives seem to be painting of Canada's health system, you might want to sign the petition Avaaz.org has on their site:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/reform_health_care/98.php?CLICK_TF_TRACK
Yes, I know online petitions probably don't count for much, but it's something, at least. And they have an interesting feature after you sign it where you can see the comments people have left popping up in real time, as they leave them. Some pretty interesting stories there...
More info behind the cut if you're interested.
Dear friends,
Obama's movement for change in the US is collapsing -- in large part because of lies about the Canadian healthcare system!
It's incredible, but Obama's health plan, and with it his entire Presidency, could be derailed because big corporations and the radical right manage to convince Americans that our health system is a nightmare similar to "Soviet Russia".
We need a huge popular outcry to show the truth -- how proud and grateful we are in Canada to have a public healthcare system that works. Sign on to the message to America and forward this email -- if enough of us sign, we'll cause a stir in US media and help change the debate:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/reform_health_care/98.php?CLICK_TF_TRACK
US healthcare is run by large corporations - it's the most expensive in the world, but ranks 37th in quality, and 40 million Americans can't afford any care at all. It's an awful system for people, but corporations make enormous profits, so they're fighting to keep it. If they win and Obama fails, the Democrats could lose the Congress in elections next year. If this happens, progress on every global issue is endangered, from climate change to the war in Iraq.
We have no time to lose. Industry lobbyists are ramping up their smear campaigns right now to make sure the Obama plan is dead on arrival when Congress meets in September. Americans are hearing a constant barrage of propaganda that Canadian healthcare is a nightmare. Let's say it ain't so below:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/reform_health_care/98.php?CLICK_TF_TRACK
Canadian healthcare isn't perfect -- but it works far better than the US system. Let's stand up to the lies, and help save Obama's movement for change with the truth about Canada's healthcare system.
With hope,
Ricken, Brett, Benjamin, Alice, Graziela, Paula, Paul, Pascal and the whole Avaaz team.
Here's some links for more info:
Myths about the proposed health care reforms
http://www.communitycatalyst.org/projects/national_reform/alerts?id=0066
How health care works in Canada
http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/14/health-care-abroad-canada/?scp=15&sq=health&st=cse
Extreme tactics of the conservative right
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/04/health/policy/04townhalls.html http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-08-17-voa45.cfm
Canada's health care system under attack
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2009/08/18/the_most_outrageous_us_lies_about_global_healthcare?page=0,0 http://mediamatters.org/research/200904290032
http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/world/2009/08/10/10419141-sun.html
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=N2M0ODk0OTNkZjkwNGM4OGMyYTEwYWY3ODUzMzFiOTc=
Paul Krugman on health care
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/17/opinion/17krugman.html?_r=2&scp=31&sq=health&st=cse
The extent of the health care lobby
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aZdbr0YXz5jI
Health insurers stocks rise as health care plans fade
http://www.reuters.com/article/hotStocksNews/idUSTRE57G4BU20090817?sp=true
http://www.avaaz.org/en/reform_health_care/98.php?CLICK_TF_TRACK
Yes, I know online petitions probably don't count for much, but it's something, at least. And they have an interesting feature after you sign it where you can see the comments people have left popping up in real time, as they leave them. Some pretty interesting stories there...
More info behind the cut if you're interested.
Dear friends,
Obama's movement for change in the US is collapsing -- in large part because of lies about the Canadian healthcare system!
It's incredible, but Obama's health plan, and with it his entire Presidency, could be derailed because big corporations and the radical right manage to convince Americans that our health system is a nightmare similar to "Soviet Russia".
We need a huge popular outcry to show the truth -- how proud and grateful we are in Canada to have a public healthcare system that works. Sign on to the message to America and forward this email -- if enough of us sign, we'll cause a stir in US media and help change the debate:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/reform_health_care/98.php?CLICK_TF_TRACK
US healthcare is run by large corporations - it's the most expensive in the world, but ranks 37th in quality, and 40 million Americans can't afford any care at all. It's an awful system for people, but corporations make enormous profits, so they're fighting to keep it. If they win and Obama fails, the Democrats could lose the Congress in elections next year. If this happens, progress on every global issue is endangered, from climate change to the war in Iraq.
We have no time to lose. Industry lobbyists are ramping up their smear campaigns right now to make sure the Obama plan is dead on arrival when Congress meets in September. Americans are hearing a constant barrage of propaganda that Canadian healthcare is a nightmare. Let's say it ain't so below:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/reform_health_care/98.php?CLICK_TF_TRACK
Canadian healthcare isn't perfect -- but it works far better than the US system. Let's stand up to the lies, and help save Obama's movement for change with the truth about Canada's healthcare system.
With hope,
Ricken, Brett, Benjamin, Alice, Graziela, Paula, Paul, Pascal and the whole Avaaz team.
Here's some links for more info:
Myths about the proposed health care reforms
http://www.communitycatalyst.org/projects/national_reform/alerts?id=0066
How health care works in Canada
http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/14/health-care-abroad-canada/?scp=15&sq=health&st=cse
Extreme tactics of the conservative right
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/04/health/policy/04townhalls.html http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-08-17-voa45.cfm
Canada's health care system under attack
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2009/08/18/the_most_outrageous_us_lies_about_global_healthcare?page=0,0 http://mediamatters.org/research/200904290032
http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/world/2009/08/10/10419141-sun.html
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=N2M0ODk0OTNkZjkwNGM4OGMyYTEwYWY3ODUzMzFiOTc=
Paul Krugman on health care
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/17/opinion/17krugman.html?_r=2&scp=31&sq=health&st=cse
The extent of the health care lobby
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aZdbr0YXz5jI
Health insurers stocks rise as health care plans fade
http://www.reuters.com/article/hotStocksNews/idUSTRE57G4BU20090817?sp=true