I have never heard of anything good about the Canadian system.

If I am not mistaking, the author of this piece and the video tape mentioned, is/was a Canadian.

[...] Chart Outlines House Democrats’ Government Takeover of Health Care Steven Crowder, Big Hollywood: Lonewolf Diaries: The Truth About Dumb, Liberal Canadians and Their Lies John T. Simpson, Big Hollywood: Story and the Power of Conservative Themes in Film Marginal [...]

Liberal politics aside, I don't like Canada merely because of their hockey teams.

GO SABRES!!!!!

[...] … Moderates and Democrats Running from Socialized Healthcare Steven Crowder, Big Hollywood: Lonewolf Diaries: The Truth About Dumb, Liberal Canadians and Their Lies Stop The ACLU: Running Low on Political Capital, Obama in a Rush to Pass Socialist Medicine [...]

At work today two people were talking about some really cheap house prices in the states. One suggested moving there and the other said something about not having free health care. the first heartily agreed. It's better to stay in Canada where you won't lose your house if you get sick. Canadians are scared to death of taking care of themselves.Outside of govt we can't see how it can be done.

I only had one Canadian "friend" discuss their healthcare with me, and he was an ultra-Liberal (an overused phrase, but this guy was so far off the reservation he thought Michael Moore was Conservative). He said he only had occasion to use it a couple of times and it worked great, so I don't know if he was being honest or not, but when he'd discuss the system (that he admittedly didn't know much about), he'd invariably tout how much better and more compassionate it was than our system.

Kudos on the video. It was exceptionally well done. Personally, I think you should get a couple hours of footage and do a full documentary, but I don't know much about the financing and hassles involved. The thing is, Americans need something that shows the other side of the health care debate (the one the MSM refuses to discuss) without being overly biased. I don't need any more 60 second commercials from the insurance industry, doctors, or political hacks. I want regular people to talk to other regular people unfiltered so we can really see what it's like in their day to day world (even if some aspects of it are positive).

"Canadians Protest Plans to Ration Health Care in U.S." http://optoons.blogspot.com/2009/07/canadians-pro...

[...] You can also find this column by Steven on Big Hollywood [...]

Every other frozen Canadian who visits Arizona (and there are hundreds of thousands) come to Arizona to not only vacation but to get medical care. I didn't need your video (although it was effective!) to understand that Canadians are unhappy with their "free" healthcare.

I discussed your video with a lady from Canada on a very liberal message board. Let me see if I can remember her comment: "A bunch of kids cutting and pasting lies and mistranslating French". When I asked her if the subtitles of the translations were incorrect, and if I had also misunderstood my own EARS when the woman at the clinic, speaking English, tells your buddy who needs the cholesterol panel he has to wait, what was it???? Years???? to get a primary care physician or else he could go to a private clinic for $900.00, she told me to "stop telling lies about other countries". I hate to speak ill of Canadians, but some appear to be real muttonheads.

I think he should stay there at least long enough to get that stick out of his bum. He's young…. he's got time.

Steven, you must not let facts get in the way of the liberal utopia. The government takeover of healthcare is breathless in it’s stupidity therefore we must do it. …now! Dig the video Steven, keep it up it pisses off the liberals, …great fun : )

I saw the same thing in London. If you have cash, they have a doctor waiting to see you. Sounds like the same basic idea.

In the UK, they just encourage pregnant women to have natural childbirth. They make no bones about why – it's to cut costs.

"What about you, folks? What’s your general perception of the Canadian healthcare system? Do your Canadian friends present it in a positive light, or a more critical one?"

My husband's aunt is the senior nurse at a hospital in North Dakota. She sees a lot of Canadians and always has.

Send Sean Penn up here and we will kick your asses. Seriously.

I like Canadians. Always have. But they have the same mentality about the US that many Europeans have. Simply put, it is "au courant" to denigrate the US in casual conversation. It's like an obsession. Go to a dinner party and one must say pithy things like, "Americans are cultureless," "there are no good restaurants in the States" or "Americans are greedy not to want national health" or "the US deserved 9-11" (I actually had that conversation). It seems to be an imperative.

Yet, at the same time, Canadians and Europeans flock over to the States to "Holiday" at Disney or Las Vegas or LA or NY or get treatment in our hospitals, etc…

They call company leaders from American companies "The Americans" as in: "Nigel (or Jacques). When 'The Americans' arrive make sure you call me immediately. I simply must escort them to the conference. I have sooo much to talk to them about." Usually they want to talk about getting more money (or jobs) out of "The Americans."

The mannerisms are strange and incomprehensible to most Americans but it is a way of life.

Personally, I think you are right Steven–it has as it's underbelly good old common envy. If you ask, you will get the truth and that truth is that the US Health system is the envy of the world. National Health and Communist health care is sub par in most areas even though the research facilities and doctors in other countries might be exemplary. Simply put…there just isn't the money in a Universal plan to cover it all.

Most or all of the exciting developments come out of the Private Health Sector which, up to now, the US has dominated.

[...] “Jan Brady” mentality that is all too commonly bred in the Great White North and my God… click for more var _wh = ((document.location.protocol==’https:’) ? “https://sec1.woopra.com” : [...]

The only time I have ever heard a Canadian rhapsodize about their health care system was as something to lord over us Americans. I lived in Canada for many years, and while there:

- I never heard any of the people in the waiting room saying how awesome it was
- When I waited three months to get an appointment with a dermatologist, nobody told me how great it was
- When I was shopping for a family doctor who would actually take new patients, nobody told me how great it was
- Nobody did a victory cheer while paying GST & PST, amounting to a 15% tax on groceries
- Nobody ever jumped for joy at their wage taxation rate or property tax

Very similar things can be said about the US – the liberals here who 'love' the Canadian/European health care systems have mostly never been outside the US, and virtually none of them have ever tried to USE those systems.

The US system has its flaws. What the Obamabots don't get is that so does the Canada/Europe model. We could argue about which is MORE flawed all day, but the benefit of our system is that you have greater freedom.

Gotta go with you on that one! My guy's didn't make it to the Cup, but they lit up Vancouver something fierce in the playoff's. Wonder how it feel's to suck at your National Sport?

Side: I still haven't forgiven Canadian hockey fans for "Booing" our national anthem after we went into Iraq.

Think we can pawn him off on the Brits? It worked for Gwynneth Paltrow.

Awesome.

I agree with your whole comment…this is just me, but I still harbor a bitterness for Montreal in particular because at my first live Sabres game 2 seasons ago, they lost 5-2 to Montreal…my wife bought tickets on eBay and didn't realize that they were in the Montreal section…I've never felt like hitting so many Canadians at one time before!

Haha, this string of comments/replies are funniest I've read all week

I'm Canadian, and have lived in Canada my entire life.

First of all, some of the other comments are fairly juvenile and childish…
Using hyperbole like "Obamabots" and "Occupant in Chief" indicates the weakness of an argument.

Furthermore, it is amusing to see individuals refer to it as "socialized health care."
So if it has government inolvement (and to clarify President Obama isn't proposing that it be completely monopolized, funded and run by the government) it is "socialized"? A little research would help you to understand that even in oooo scary socialist Canada, the health care system is still appx. 30% privately funded.

To be consistent, please refer to the Socialized Military when you mention the U.S. Army then,
since the federal government is the operator and funds that branch of government.

I thought the video was extremely weak-

"It would be easy to discredit me as a right-wing propagandist if the video consisted of nothing but me with spreadsheets and statistics…"

Actually, using actual statistics and spreadsheets would vastly improve your video and lend it some much needed legitimacy. As it is, it employs mere anecdotal evidence, really the crutch of the amateur documentary.
It is would be easy to find horror and success stories about Canadian health care, and about other systems including the American one, but this really proves nothing. There are always going to be those who are unsatisfied with their treatment, or likewise those that would heap undue praise.

I have used the Canadian health care system many times.
I have found cost to be non-existent (acknolwedging taxation that is) or very reasonable.
I have had multiple surgeries and gotten good care at times, other times felt rushed or had to deal
with over crowding.

I know of one invidual who had treatment over in the United States for cancer, something that would not have been available in Canada.

Unfortunately, this is not the debate at hand. There are an estimated 47 million Americans who do not have health care. This is in the wealthiest nation in the world. The current insurance system is brutal. The U.S. government spends more per person than Canada, or any European country, and yet produces worse results in a multitude of areas.

Life expectancy is longer in Canada, and its infant mortality rate is lower than that of the U.S.
The fact remains, America is the only wealthy industrialized country in the world that lacks some form of universal health care… Do you really believe this is not an indication of a problem with American health care?

It's most likely a lost cause, but many of you ought to exert the intellectual maturity to refrain from dealing with people and issues in terms of these non-existent monolothic entities ("Liberals!" "Conservatives!"). There are also a multitude of differences between the various European health care systems and the Canadian system.

Deflecting the argument with heavy handed propoganda ("It's socialism!") does a disservice to the American people. The health care system in the United States is seriously flawed, and needs immediate and sweeping changes for the benifit of all Americans.

- A Canadian

Can't you just kick his a** and call it even?

The health care system in the USA, however flawed it may be, is vastly superior to anyone else's system, based on sheer medical advances and the opportunities they afford us alone. The way to reform health care in the USA is two-fold:____1. Torte reform – lawsuits are a "necessary evil" and serve a purpose in some cases. The rules need to be changed to limit suits to legitimate claims, not every hang nail. Lawsuits are one of the factors in pushing up costs for care, particularly as it relates to malpractice insurance.__2. Insurance reform – force insurance companies to pay appropriately and capy their profit margins.____Forget whether it's fair or not: life isn't fair. Instead, understand that it's not right for me to pay even more taxes than I already do to pay for health care/insurance for someone else who drives a better vehicle than I do

Oh and sorry one more point, just as an example of what it's like without a GP.
Couple of months ago had the flu really bad after the second week I went to the hospital with high fever and pain, dehydration, nausea, dizziness, weakness, blood in urine, feeling pretty bad… they did nothing but send me away, with a referral to see a Urologist, said his office would call me in about a month, a quick pee and off you be, after waiting for 4-5 hours. Pelvic ultra sound is what I requested… But no, No GP? Oh too bad!! Had to pay a private clinic in QC to get an ultra sound since I figured it's going to save time since the UR will send me for one, BUT waiting for his call then waiting another month for the ultra sound was too long for the way I was feeling BUT physicians here are pissed if you skip a province over to get medical tests done that you can't get done here when you need them. So I guess I'll have to pay lots more, or start the whole process and wait months again.

My husband had to have oral surgery, rather urgently over this past Christmas, we had to pay $1800.00 for it here in Ontario, so there are lots of things not covered by our health system. It was an abcessed cyst in his jaw, not even technically a 'dental' problem…

I'll bet it was a really great bath tub. Way more technologically advanced than an American bath tub.

"There are an estimated 47 million Americans who do not have health care" That is not true.

Anyone can go into any hospital and get healthcare. It is ILLEGAL for anyone to be denied healthcare here. When I had no insurance, I still had health care. I had a baby without health insurance, using a midwife, and she accepted cash payments and the hospital extended Charity Care to us for the cost of my room. We eventually made enough to buy health insurance. Later, my husband found a job that extended healthcare insurance to the family.

The US has Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIPS for children with no insurance. We have hospitals who offer charity care cards to low income patients. We have clinics, and even walk-in offices that will accept cash or whatever insurance. We have doctors who offer free care to the poor. Medicare is going broke, by the way. The federal government runs that.

We do not NEED universal healthcare. We already HAVE it. You all wouldn't be coming down here to get it if our system was so 'seriously flawed' and you had better in Canada.

there is nobody in the United States getting turned away for failure to pay- they show up and have to be treated. Failure to do so would end in a lawsuit the Hospital would loss. As far as you Canadians out living us so what? 4 out of the top 10 oldest people in the world are American. Explain that one please… Oh don't need to. We have superior medical care… My bad

"There are an estimated 47 million Americans who do not have health care."
The fact that you do not even know the difference between health insurance and health care shows a level of ignorance and confusion that disqualifies you from pontificating on this subject.
It is most likely a lost cause, but you would do well to research your talking points about the mythical 47 million, life expectancy, infant mortality rates, and the like before repeating them like a little parrot.

Although most Americans (82-88%, depending on the survey) are satisfied with their own situation (as opposed to 43-51% of Canadians, BTW), the health care system in the US is indeed flawed, mainly because it is too costly and too bureaucratic, especially in government run programs like Medicare and Medicaid. There are things that can be done to help, but I assure you the solution is NOT to increase bureaucracy and costs even more. Obama's plan is like cutting off your arm because your little finger is bleeding…..a bit like his 'cure' for the high deficit, which was to quadruple it.

Thank you for pointing out that Canada views itself as the Jan Brady of North America. I've said it for years.

For many people our system works great. I've never had to wait for hours in emergency or at a clinic. If you need non life threatening procedures you have to wait. To be fair I think much of what happened in the vid could happen in the US.

Lies, damn lies, and statistics. You can't compare average life spans and apply it to the two health care regimes and lifestyles. The differing demographics between the US and Canada make that broad statistic suspect. There are just too many variables. You have to, for direct comparison, find an American demographic that broadly matches the Canadian for a true comparison. You would find that the similar American demographic would closely match yours, if not exceed it.

How are HMO bureaucrats denying care any different than government bureaucrats delaying care, especially if the delay is longer than say, the estimated survival? My favorite – a two-month pregnant woman is told she can be seen in 8 months. That happens in Canada, don't deny it.

And since when is profit an evil when it pushes efficiency, like getting expectant mothers in maternity before a child is born, or when a procedure is scheduled and accomplished in days rather than months?

What did women do hundreds of years ago?

Well, in many cases, they died giving birth. Doesn't happened much anymore, which I'm sure is no thanks to those greedy, self-absorbed racist, sexist, homophobic, yada yada yada doctors who expect to get paid for delivering a bay and having mother and baby both come out alive.

If Republicans were serious about stopping ObamaCare they'd take the following steps:

STEP 1: Get the money from patriotic Republican millionaires to buy early-morning/late-night ad timeslots in the top 20 cable TV markets in America normally reserved for Bullet Mixer and Slap Chop infomercials
STEP 2: Run Steven Crowder's video in a loop during those timeslots every day until the Senate votes
STEP 3: Save America

Rich Republicans need to stop buying up real estate, mineral rights, and business franchises and start spending their money on media ventures the way that lefty millionaires do. I mean, who thinks it was a fluke that the majority of center-right America suddenly flipped to vote for Senator Hopenchange?

I had the same experience in my three years in Minneapolis & St. Paul. A friend in Detroit said they basically had a Canadian wing in their hospital.

The racket at the time (this may no longer be policy) was that elective, non-life threatening surgery (for instance, coronary bypass surgery to relieve crushing exertional angina) could be postponed for months in Canada, However, if a Canadian developed an emergency condition while traveling abroad, the government paid a certain fee for treatment. Canadians would go from Toronto to Detroit where crushing exertional angina was considered an emergency, get a bypass within days, and go home. The hospital was willing to accept what the Canadian givernment paid (it was guaranteed, unlike US insurance policies), and they filled a bed or an OR slot.

Dear Jeff: There are NO bureaucrats that regulate care in Canada (at least in Ontario). Decisions for medical procedures are made by doctors with patients' consent, not bureaucrats. However, I have heard of HMO bureaucrats deciding whether a person would get treatment or not in your country. In Canada that would never happen: nobody has to worry about someone withdrawing care because of "pre-existing conditions" or a whole host of excuses that your citizens complain about. And yes, in a country so rich as the United States, it is immoral to let people die for lack of medical care when the same government is throwing billions of dollars at Iraqi citizens for health care it will not provide its citizens at home. Go figure!

"If you try to explain to a Canadian that our 'free' healthcare is paid for by our ridiculously high taxes, they just stare blankly at you. Does not compute."

I bet those that stare are probably in the lower tax brackets.

"The fact remains, America is the only wealthy industrialized country in the world that lacks some form of universal health care… Do you really believe this is not an indication of a problem with American health care?"

So, if all the other industrialized countries jumped off a bridge, America should too?

For a pompous commenter, your argument is pretty weak.

"…a Canadian news media (largely owned by the government) pushing the virtues of Canadian healthcare on a regular basis."

Are you telling me that government owned media might not be the best source of information?

Let me be politically correct here – how much does your population in Canada resemble ours? We have many cities with large numbers of people who shoot each other over things such as sneakers, or "dissin' me", sometimes with fatal results. This lowers the average life expectancy for the entire country (all sub-groups). Take a group of Americans who match the Canadian population for age, race (hey -we have French-speakers too – just come to Louisiana!), sex, etc, and see what their life expectancy is when matched appropriately. The same goes for infant mortality statistics.

Oh my goodness. As a rural Canadian, I have nothing but bitter complaints about our health care system. You think it's bad in the cities? Try living out in the country. Our local town's E.R. actually closed down for a few months, because we couldn't find enough doctors to staff it. If you had a medical emergency, you had to drive an hour to the city, or ride the ambulance and be charged several hundred dollars for it.

Furthermore, due to the doctor shortage, there seem to be lower standards of competence. They hire doctors from abroad, where the medical training standards are not always at the same level as Canadian standards. My last doctor was notorious for his mistakes, and he never did diagnose whatever it was I had last time I went to the doctor. And trying to find a G.P. if you don't already have one is like trying to find a needle in a haystack at times.

I try to avoid going to the doctor as much as possible. It's too much of a hassle, and never seems to accomplish anything.

A certain kind of cancer, and a very specific treatment. Merely one case and admittedly doesn't prove anything, was merely mentioned to demonstrate that our care is not perfect.

The average life expectancy for Canada was 80.34 years compared with U.S. at 78.6 years in the year 2000.
President and CEO of University Health Network, Toronto,
"Canadians spend about 55% of what Americans spend on health care and have longer life expectancy, and lower infant mortality rates. Many Americans have access to quality health care. All Canadians have access to similar care at a considerably lower cost."

"The health care system in the USA, however flawed it may be, is vastly superior to anyone else's system, based on sheer medical advances and the opportunities they afford us alone."

Advances that are only available to those who can afford it, a vast minority in the United States.
And "oppurtunities they afford us"- Perhaps you could qualify this vague statement somehow.

Total falsehood.

Enough with employing this "a friend of mine" or "I know a guy who knows a guy"-
I'm a Canadian, lived here my whole life, and I've never had this occur, or know anybody this has occured to.

There are not bureaucrats deciding these medical matters!

You're right. It goes right along with that agenda they have. Nothing socialized can ever look bad or have a problem.

You made a fine video, Mr. Crowder, and we will all benefit by its popularity. However, the issue of "socialized medicine" will creep up again if we do not defeat its premises ideologically, and here the right seems to be lagging. We must not just demonstrate that socialized medicine does not work (which you have done very well) but also that 1) it is not the proper role of the government to have any hand whatsoever in the "health care industry" and 2) the needs of others (even the infirmed) do not constitute claims on my liberty and property (money).

In other words, it's unconstitutional and immoral in addition to being inefficient.

Again, though, you made a great video and a legitimate and important point, but we need to make others too if we are to avoid going down the destructive path you have given us a glimpse of.

You are stupid. I just can't figure out if you are from Canada or an operative from Acorn.

It is socialism. Pure and simple. Saying it isn't, doesn't mean it isn't.

This has been the moniker of this monstrosity for weeks.

You mean like the Calgary woman who was flown to the US to deliver quads because the was no space in any neonatal intensive care unit in Canada? You mean hundreds of critically ill, many with life threatening ailments, rushed to the US due to lack of availability in emergency rooms? The people who same on their own after suffering with serious (and life threatening) illnesses and were waiting too long?

And if you don't mind me saying, you're a rather pompous jerk. Obamabot is a common term to refer to the people who blindly adore Obama, no matter what. We'll continue using it so get over yourself..

Next up, you seem to think you know what Obama is proposing. (not monopolizing, etc.). Strange. There is more than one bill, but the 1000+ page proposal has generated a couple of different conclusions about the tens of millions who will be forced into losing insurance they're happy with (which Obama claimed otherwise) and other parts where once you sign up for gov insurance, you can never return to private. It's so complicated that the ramifications for private insurance are unknown and Obama has said in the past that if he were starting from scratch, he prefers single-payer.

Next, your asinine comment about referring to the socialized military. How utterly stupid. We all know that the government needs to run some things. Many of us believe other things, like health care, should absolutely not be run by the government. Regulated, yes. Run, no. Socialized health care is appropriately used pejoratively.

"There are an estimated 47 million Americans…" No there are not. Somewhere around 1/3 are illegal immigrants. They are not Americans. Approximately 10 million qualify for government aid but do not sign up. Several million more earn salaries that afford them the ability to buy their own insurance (which I have done half my adult life), but choose not too.

People endlessly parroting this inaccurate 'uninsured' number does a great disservice. It's being dishonest about what the problems are.

Then there's the asinine life expectancy claim. For someone who tries to pretend they're some intelligent thinker, you drop the ball again. Life expectancy rates include non-health care related deaths like auto accidents (which are high in the US), homicide, etc. There was a study that showed if you removed non-health care related deaths, the US is right there with other Western countries.

Your arrogance and ignorance are profound. I have always had great health care and it's always been fast. Everyone I know has been happy with their health care. The majority of Americans are happy with their care. Reform is needed but not the drastic debacle that is being proposed. Wait until the majority who were satisfied become dissatisfied.

You Canadians might be used to your outlandish waits, but the majority of us here are not. And we certainly don't need some know-nothing-know-all Canadian .telling us what we need when many of us are vquite happy.

And I bet hundreds of years ago dentists (or barbers, more likely) just drilled teeth without novocaine or yanked teeth out without novocaine. Do we really want to go back to the standard of care from the 1800's because it's cheaper? Isn't the point of progress that we, you know, progress?

In the Foreign Service we used to 'joke' about how much foreign nationals love to hate us, but they always come to our parties. And apparently, to our hospitals.

Not that the Canadian model would be the one to emulate, far from it, your problems are much worse than ours. Get over yourself.

What is the difference between saying "a friend of mine" or "I'm Canadian". Neither have been supported by any evidence.

Doesn't matter whether they are doctors or not, they are still bureaucrats, or can you not understand that simple concept?

I'm a Canadian living in a small rural community about 150 miles east of Toronto. When I moved here I was put on a waiting list to be accepted on the caseload of a local family doctor – it took 5 years. During that time I relied on hospital emergency care for any health care I required. My doctor up & moved to Maryland about 2 years later & I was only kept on by the group clinic she was part of when I assured them that I was healthy and didn't use their services very often. A nearby community held a lottery to select the lucky patients who would be accepted by a doctor who miraculously had set up practice in town. It takes months out here to get an appointment even if you're lucky enough to have a family doctor, and wait times to see specialists (who only practice in cities) can be measured in years. Good luck trying to get an MRI or a CAT scan for non-life-threatening problems. Be very wary of "Canadian-style" health care – it is appalling if you live in a rural area. And it's true that Canadians will defend their crappy system to their last breath when discussing the issue with Americans – I guess it's part of asserting our sovereignty. Talk about cognitive dissonance.

Also, Mormons live a lot longer than Canadians (true) so does that mean we should all go for Romney Care?

You can walk into a lab in most cities and get a nornal blood panel work up for $100 or less. If you pay more than $50 it was expensive. Can be done in an hour or so.

Sorry Logan – you need to come up with some better numbers. The 47 million number has been shown a scam, There is at most a population of less than 10 million uninsured – I have seen estimates in the 5 million range. They tend to be what we might call the working poor who do not qualify for medicaid. The vast majority of the "uninsured" consist of people between jobs who are waiting to have their new health care plan become effective (who could get coverage immediately if something catastrophic occurred) and young people who don't want to buy it because of expense – expense that is created by state government mandates making it difficult to actually provide simple major medical coverage.

So please – take your long winded talking points about the US system back to Canada with you. You don't "know" anything about health care in the US except life expectancy, where we do lag because we are fat sedentary blobs; and because we are the only nation honestly reporting infant mortality statistics.

Henry – I am sorry – I really am – but that is absolutely incorrect. That you don't know it, is a testament to the danger of the health system run by the government. Procedure decisions are made by the bureaucrats who decide how much moneyand equipment they will provide for a specific condition. When it is gone, it is gone. You might think you and your doctor are making the call. It was taken out of your hands years ago – and is retaken out of your hand each year budgets are determined.

Like sheep to the slaughter. So sad.

"In the current "health care" proposal, both Repubs and Dems agree on changing the way hospitals and doctors are paid so that they are compensated for the quality of care they provide not the quantity of procedures they do."

So let's look at this one critically. Patient appears in the office/ER with a severely occluded artery feeding the lower leg. The patient has diabetes so he doesn't heal well. The clot is in a spot where it will be hard to bypass. Since under the new Big Brother Health Care Plan, the surgeon is going to be compensated for quality not quantity. With the patient's problems, s/he cannot be certain he can fix the problem which means that later, the patient will come to amputation. So why try? The surgeon could spend five or six hours in the OR trying to repair this arterial mess and end up cutting off the leg anyway. Why not just amputate from the get-go? THAT folks is rewarding quality of outcome over number of procedures. You probably see the wisdom of it — unless it's your leg they're going to cut off without trying to save.

Your kid has just been diagnosed with a glioblatoma multiforme brain tumor. That one carries a really bad prognosis. Operating is going to be long, tedious and involved, and probably only buy the child a couple of years. Of course, there are SOME who make it. "But, well, gee" thinks the doctor, "I can go into the OR and spend the day trying to root out this malignant tumor which is HARD to do and still not effect a cure" OR "I can send the kid home to die and do five meningiomas (benign and usually easy to get at) in the same amount of time and have GREAT results. What would you do?

The unintended results of this "bipartisan" requirement are going to go ballistic. Doctors all over the country are going to stop doing the difficult cases and focus on those they KNOW will bring "quality of outcome".

Once again, picking and choosing your statistics do not work… What is the number of Teenage/gang related murders in Canada… a Heck of a lot lower than in the US… so right off the bat, the numbers are skewed just based on one statistic alone…

'Canadians spend about 55% of what Americans spend on health care ' are you referring to out-of-pocket expense, or tax expenses… You do realize that the tax money _was_ your money that was taken from you and given to the govt, it wasn't the govt money that was spent.. it was your money.

HAHAHAHA, "Canadian friends". You're such a card, Steven. Don' t you know that as a Conservative, I'm deathly afraid of anyone not like me? And I assure you, I'm not some moose-lovin' American-wannabe freak!

In all seriousness, I'm afraid I don't have any Canadian friends (I wish I did, but I think they typically stop before they get down here to NC. Guess there are a lot of states on the way down that don't threaten to tax them into oblivion) so I can't weigh in on what they'd say. I do have a British mother, though, and she's shared quite a few stories about the HC over there. I imagine it's comparable.

But, as she's mentioned, that's all she knew. Just like we as Americans have our own complaints when we have to wait 30 min at the Dr's office or…um, ok, really, that's the only complaint we have . But if all they know are 10 hour waits, lack of beds in the hospital, and the inability to get MRIs, then they probably shrug and say, "that's just the way it is". Compound that with the liberal morons over here constantly shouting how lousy our healthcare is, what with all the people just dying in the streets because one of the two ways we have to solve illnesses didn't work (leeches or a bottle of jack and a saw), and they probably think they've got the best deal around. The thinking Canadians (read: non-liberals) recognize that the US, in spite of the idiot braying of liberal jackasses over here, *does* have the best healthcare system in the world and are the ones who are crossing the border for good medical care.

Great diaries and vlogs, by the way. I've enjoyed all of them. Can I start the Steven Crowder/Bill Schulz 2012 campaign now?

Me either. He's an obamabot troll.

You have no idea how 40 odd years of brainwashing has affected us. The man who is credited with founding the Canadian health care system is called the "greatest canadian" by our government-run media service. Yet, I don't know anyone who doesn't have a story about long waits, trouble finding a GP, having to go to the U.S., shoddy healthcare, or using friends and family connections to jump the line. But we have been told in school and the media all my life that ours is the best and only "humane" system. Not to mention the constant fear-mongering that all the poor will die and all the middle class will lose their homes under an "american-style" system. Dumb Canadian liberals aren't just lying to you, they are lying to themselves.

I have to scream this: LIFE EXPECTANCY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM!!!! lol

think Penn shouldn't return ———————period!

"…but if it is a surgery that is need you will never wait more than a month or two."

says a defender of the system.

OK soup, I'm going to assume you are a male. Now imagine if you had a kidney stone you needed to pass? My hubby went through this and it was excruciating. All you are trying to do is get a miniscule stone through your "boy part" but according to my hubby the only way he could get through it was to be on heavy pain meds. Now Mr. Soup imagine trying to pass something the size of a watermelon through something the size of a lemon and you will understand a little bit about childbirth. I tried to go the "natural" way with my first kid and gave up after 11 hours of intense pain. With the second kiddo I said not only yes, but HELL YES to the epidural. Thank G-d for modern medicine. I for one do not want to surrender that kind of decision to an uncaring government flunky sitting behind some desk making my healthcare decisions. I also don't want my 16 yr old daughter having to be forced to endure that kind of pain either. You see, Soup this is America and we are entitled to life, liberty, and the persuit of happiness…at least for now.

Good point! Why is that??? Hello? Moderators?? Can you answer that for us, please?

Then Republican should sue any companies that refuse to air those commercials.

That's what lefties do and it's not doing us any good to "take the high road" on something like that.

There's another piece to this puzzle. I'll use me as an example. I am 41-years-old with a family history of osteoarthritis, and I was a dancer for many years (still do dance some, but not regularly and/or professionally). I have deteriorating cartilage in both knees, and the cartilage in my right knee has a propensity to tear now and then. I am a hard-working, tax-paying citizen who makes a decent living and pays for her own health insurance. Under the proposed health care "reform", I will not be able to obtain any needed knee surgery until I am no longer able to walk on that leg. I would not be able to do my job well, or possibly at all, should my knee get to the point it needs surgery. So, if I have to stop working or curtail my work (and therefore making less money), my taxes will go down (theoretically). How smart is it to put the 40+ demographic on a waiting list, possibly unable to work and thereby pay taxes, rather than giving them any needed procedure immediately to keep them healthy and productive??

I want to know why all of a sudden Canada matters? After all, my pop media masters haven't pimped out an American who went to Canada and became a big star.

But let me be clear, Mr. President, life is good on the farm. Why must I live like a rap video? Why do you believe I covet the life in a rap video? Why is money the measure of an American to you? Because this is how it seems to me that you see health care. You want to promise that Americans wont have to spend so much of our earned income on health care. Save us money! But what do you think we will spend that saved money on? What do you want us to spend that saved money on? Your only answer is taxes. No socialist trespassers.

I'm a Canadian, 50+. I've used Canadian medical services all my life. My son needed heart surgery when he was 4, my mother had cancer, my father (who's still alive, despite carrying German shrapnel from WWII in his chest) needed help, my wife had an accident and needed emergency care. I've NEVER had a problem – no delays, no botched surgeries, nothing but excellent doctors, nurses, and facilities.

Of course they do. I'd venture a guess that most of the people encouraging them to have natural childbirth are men.

The problem I have with these statements, is that when a Liberal American posted a similarly damning video of the american healthcare system you criticised that video as extremely biased. Now you staunchly defend the video Crowder created without acknowledging that it might be extremely biased as well. I've personally never been to a walk in clinic in Canada despite living here for 27 years. I've always been able to get adequate care at a hospital or family doctor.

Crowders video targets the worst possible scenario and plays it off like its an everyday experience. That kind of bias is the same kind you accused Michael Moore of. If it was so deploreable when he did it you should considerate deplorable when Crowder does it.

I work with a guy from the UK, who always complains about how stupid, backwards, and wrong we are (including health care). I asked him why did he live here then, he got mad and walked away.

I haved lived with US Government Health Care, at the V.A. so, I am making no assumptions. I know the truth and Crowders video merely validates my statemnts.

What about Quebec? Will that be OK?

Why did one of your countrywomen have to have her premature baby flown to BUFFALO for neo-natal ICU care if your system is so awesome. That's a pretty basic need, right? Facilities for the care of premature infants? Buffalo, NY has it. But not you guys.

Idiot. 78.6 is statistically THE SAME AS 80.3. Wow, a whole 1.7 yrs' difference?!?!

And your population is nowhere near what ours is! You should be able to make that gov't system work w not as many people in the country, but gee, you can't.

Sly of you to think we'll take the CEO of UHN's word as gospel, anyway, but conservative Americans aren't stupid. You've confused us with the LIBERALS.

Steven should have come and interviewed me. I live right around where the video was filmed and been to a lot of the places in it.
My father-in-law went to the hospital with chest pains a couple of years ago. He was admitted right away and stayed for about 3 weeks in which time they fixed his blood pressure and gave him a pacemaker. He's a spry 90 year old today.
Same thing for my aunt. She went to emergency with numbness on her right side. Admitted right away and diagnosed with a stroke. I've been to an emergency ward for cut fingers (I'm a carpet layer) 3 times in the past six or so years and I've never waited more than an hour and a half after triage.
I have a daughter who had athsma as a child. I never ever had to wait when I took her with breathing problems.

Meanwhile, my brother in the States lost his job recently and is paying $1,000 a month out of his own pocket for health insurance.
Obviously, no system is perfect. I've taken my kids to the clinic with sore throats or something mild and they've had to wait up to eight hours but if you go in with something urgent you go in right away. If you fall while skateboarding and you go complaining of a sore wrist then you'll wait. By the way, thanks for clogging up or system even more than it is with your fake injury. Pretty funny.
I saw Steven on Hannity the other day making fun of Michael Moore but he's just like him, finding all the bad while ignoring the good and presenting it as an honest portrayal all the while making himself the star of the show and promoting himself to further his career. Watch out Big Hollywood, if FoxNews ever offers him a show, you won't see him for dust.

When I was in Niagra on vacation a few years back, not one Canadian that I asked had anything good to say about their health care system. Not one. That and other stories I've heard convince me that Obamacare is not for us and we need to stop him from implementing it.

All:

It is frustrating to me that almost no one realizes that the real problem is not whether or not the health care plan will work or won't work. There is no provision for the Federal government to be involved in this (or most things). The Constitution & the Bill of Rights were clear and direct in stating what the Federal Government could be allowed to do. In fact the purpose of those documents were to limit Governments impact on the states and individuals…

Up here in the Great White North, when my son broke his leg, why I just opened up the door to the igloo to let the cold numb the pain! After a while, he was still complaining, so I just took out my seal hunting club and gave him a good ol' bop on the head. Problem solved…

Can somebody tell me why, if the U.S. system is so great, they have a higher mortality rate and death under five rate than just about any other developed country in the world?

You are right about that number. Some of those numbers begin their life right in my office. The numbers are misleading. There are about that many who are not currently enrolled in a health care plan. But the numbers are misleading. Many of those, the largest group – are illegals. The next largest group – one my dad works with, on a voluntary basis – are persons completely eligible for programs but neglect to enroll. It's free, or cheap, for them – but they just can't be bothered. My dad thumps the pavement convincing people to sign up.

The next biggest group is persons who CAN afford it – but don't. I was one of those. I was in my twenties and made good money. I wasn't enrolled. Why waste the money?

The last large group are those between jobs, and that number stays fairly constant, but it is always comprised of different people.

When the dust settles, it's more like 10 million. Not bad for a population over 300 million. And they are ALWAYS entitled to free emrgency care.

The problem in the U.S. is NOT the number of enrollees. It's the COST of health care. Cut the costs, and the rest takes care of itself.

It's doubtful in real life physicians would chance doing risky cases in an underground economy. Most risky cases have co-morbids which is what makes them "risky". This requires nurse specialists, special equipment — no way to hide that. More likely a thriving medical business will arise in neocapitalistic China and/or India and people who can afford to go out of country for their treatment(s) will go there for risky and/or expensive care.

I've posted this before but I think it bears repeating. In 1993, when it looked like the USA was going to a Canadian style system, a group of entrepreneurs built a hospital in Scotland (which has national health care) with state of the art medical equipment AND the best physicians they could hire. I had an acquaintance who was one of those — he got paid a million dollars a year to be their specialist in his specialty. The party line was this hosp. was for oil sheiks and rich Europeans who in the past had come here, but I always thought it was also for rich Americans who didn't want to wait in line. Once HillaryCare bellied up, so did "the Scottish hospital".

Okay, but if your local cable company broadcasts CNBC on channel 32, they only get the feed from CNBC from 6am-10pm Eastern Monday through Friday. Since we don't throw the picture of Big Chief Colorbars with a test tone after "normal broadcasting hours" anymore, that means the local cable company has to fill a lot of time on channel 32… usually with infomercials because people pay the local cable company to run those infomercials.

It's too late now because tonight The One will have his speech/press conference filled with airy oratory about how America must change NOW and anyone who doesn't want to pay trillions in taxes to give hope to all those 47 million people (all of whom are women and children… who are in a wheelchair and blind. With dyslexia) without health insurance is as un-American as anyone who has ever been un-American before.

All that could've been averted if Steven Crowder's video had been turned into an infomercial and shown on a loop. Oh well. Can't wait to pay 50% of my income in taxes for no benefit!

Owwwwweeeeee….

That's why it's fun when your around! You alway's have something good to add…….When your not, perfectly good "setups" die a slow death…… Bump for Darkwolf…….

Canada is simply another feminized European culture…one that will be kissing our collective a$$es by 2050 when they look on in horror at Britainbul and Francestan.

For a perfectly illuminating – and hilarious – education in why comparing ourselves to the feckless Canadians is ridiculous, give this a read. An excerpt:

Though they don't know who they are, they know they're not us (roughly 9 out of 10 comparison surveys
are done by Canadians), so they bang that drum until their hands bleed. Still, it seems there is almost
nothing Canadian that isn't informed in some way by America. When the late Canadian radio host Peter
Gzowski had a competition to come up with a phrase comparable to "American as apple pie," the winner
was "As Canadian as possible, under the circumstances." In 1996, when Canadians were asked to name
both the greatest living and the all-time greatest Canadian, 76 percent said "no one comes to mind."
Another survey showed them to believe that the most famous Canadian was Pamela Anderson, star of
America's Baywatch. When Canadians were asked to name their favorite song, they settled on one by a
good Canadian band, The Guess Who. The song: "American Woman."

Exactly, when I've campaigned for conservative candidates I learned one thing…NEVER ACCEPT A LIBERAL'S PREMISE. We've spent a couple of pages (mostly) accepting that health care is the main factor in life expectancy. It's not.

[...] video might go viral soon. (Mr. Crowder is also replying to some critics of his video in a post of his own [...]

I *tried* to leave this comment over at PJTV but the cdnetworks scrip keeps freezing. *sigh*

While I wish I could join you in a full throat rejection of *any* changes in how medical care is delivered in America, I cannot. I usually agree with the conservatives on most issues, but, here, I do not. Because I am one of the people in the health care "donut hole."

I am a member of the minority that is being shouted over and discounted as unimportant. The minority that is, as of now, being forced to bear the full, inflated retail cost of uninsured medical care. My bill includes the unpaid costs of others who got care, but could not or would not pay the bill they got in the mail.

I cannot afford free market insurance because it is ungodly expensive. That is if I could buy it. I am not allowed to buy insurance. Because I have a pre-existing condition. I am not poor enough to qualify for Medicare/caid.

You don't have time to read every aspect of my little story, so I won't ask you to (not because I think you're cold-hearted, because I don't). But, I have real life examples of Health care, America you're doing it wrong! that strongly resemble what you showed in Canada. Ya' frog-speaker. Salud!

Krig the Viking: What you say is true about rural hospitals.
If you go to an out of the way rural hospital and it's almost empty….there's a good reason for that.
Best you go to a major hospital if it's serious. Because the rural ones can screw up even a simple bone break.
The so called 'compassion' is long gone from our system.
They can be as ignorant and rude to you as possible and you the patient have no recourse. Even if they make a medical mistake -no serious consequences for them, just the patients too bad. A physician really has to mess up for a long time before anything is done. The physicians and medical staff are protected more than the patients.
IF you have a loved one in the hospital, say for surgery, it's best to have someone with them to take care of them as much as possible.
Want a second opinion? Bahawawawawa! Good luck.

Steven thank you for showing the truth about Canadian health care. I live in the Detroit area and I know many Canadians. If they want immediate care they come here.

Nonsense. Just like with American sales tax, the GST and PST do not apply to some specific grocery items, but it's a complete toss-up to the shopper as to whether or not the item you're buying is exempt. Which is yet another argument against government bureaucracy.

The average tax expenditure for a Canadian far, far exceeds that of an American. Add into that the higher Canadian income tax, higher gas/electricity costs, higher property taxes, more expensive beer and liquor, and on and on and on, and the real cost of their system is much higher than ours … yet they receive poorer service.

"Yes our wait times for certain elective surgeries are high, but if it is a surgery that is need you will never wait more than a month or two. ."

Say one slips a disc? Is that an emergency? Or does the patient go on pain meds for the "month or two" before surgery? What about foot drop? If the patient gets neurological damage due to pressure on the nerve roots and sustains foot drop, does s/he then move to the top of the emergency line? How long does it take to get emergency surgery? That day?

What about air ambulances? How many do you have? Why was a patient with an epidural hematoma (a frank emergency) (Natasha Richardson) transported over highways for two hours? Did something prevent the helicopter from flying? Weather? If not, then why was she transported over ground routes taking 2 hours when she needed emergency surgery?

What do you do about patients with Transient Ischemic Attacks (the precursors of strokes?)? Is that considered an emergency? Or do they go on a waiting list for "a few weeks"? (Actually my information says it's more like three months or more). So what happens during that time if the patient "strokes out"?

What happens at the end of the fiscal year when the money for medical care runs out? Was the Doctor from Canada who lectured to us lying when he said that happens almost every year and when it does, only frank emergencies were done and doctors and nurses not involved in emergency care furloughed?

As a hospital based nurse, do you ever furloughed when the budget runs out of money? Do your friends working in offices?

How long is the wait for an MRI? How many MRI's in Ontario? In Canada? We read that we have more MRIs in a mid sized city than the whole country? Is there any truth to the statements that a dog can get an MRI quicker than a human in Canada?

What about contrast material? Years ago I read that Canada still used Hypaque (very cheap) for contrast media? Hypaque has more side effects than the newer drugs/material. Have you switched to the more expensive contrast media that has fewer side effects?

What about malpractice? How much does it cost physicians in malpractice insurance/year? Are you aware Obama's plan will not curb torts? That attorneys who think they can hit the lottery (ala John Edwards) with a malpractice case will STILL be able to sue?

I'm not picking on you. I genuinely want to know the answers to these questions. I find the ONLY way to get the truth is to ask a REAL person the questions. The majority media here are little more than propagandists for the Left. You obviously are in the Canadian system, and though in favor of it, obviously know what's going on.

Do you have open wards or private and semi-private rooms? (I don't know of any open wards in any American hospital. ) I saw a video yesterday of patients being taken care of (with all the modern equipment by the way and what looked like very competent nurses) in at least a six bed room, curtains to pull for privacy. This was something we had in America up until the sixties or seventies when I believe all hospitals then went to only private and semi-private rooms.

"What I we do need though is a 2-tier plan, free healthcare for welfare people, and faster healthcare for people who actually put the effort to find a job."

This is a very telling statement. I agree one hundred percent. It is what we need here, too, a Charity either private or government system for those who cannot take care of themselves (or don't want to) and an affordable private system, Unfortunately in America "equality" has come to mean not equality of opportunity but rather equality of outcome.

I've only had a single in depth conversation with a Canadian about healthcare. She could speak highly enough about it. It really is viewed as the crowning acheivement of the state, and she was very happy with the general care, and availability. She cursed the tax rate with great venom, but she did like her healthcare and thought it reflected Canadians priority towardscaring for their people. We had the conversation in a waiting room. In Duluth MN. She had a specialist consult about a cardio issue. She couldn't understand the irony.

I'm still waiting for someone to tell me why America has a higher rate of infant mortality and under the age of 5 mortality than any other developed country.

[...] Waterloo The Great American Tea Party: The Road To Waterloo Steven Crowder, Big Hollywood: Lonewolf Diaries: The Truth About Dumb, Liberal Canadians and Their Lies Thoughts Of A Conservative Christian: Dems Start To Push Back Hard To Prevent A ‘Waterloo’ John [...]

[...] Taking Up A Three Pack a Day Smoking Habit; both Costly and Deadly Steven Crowder, Big Hollywood: Lonewolf Diaries: The Truth About Dumb, Liberal Canadians and Their Lies Thoughts Of A Conservative Christian: Dems Start To Push Back Hard To Prevent A ‘Waterloo’ John [...]

One issue at a time please. If your health care system is so great why do so many children die under it than places like France, Italy, Australia, England, Canada etc.

No answer.

So shut up

Yes, but can we make it permanent? If he could NEVER come back, that would be swell.

I've only had a single in depth conversation with a Canadian about healthcare. She couldn't speak highly enough about it. It really is viewed as the crowning acheivement of the state, and she was very happy with the general care, and availability. She cursed the tax rate with great venom, but she did like her healthcare and thought it reflected Canadians priority towards caring for their people. We had the conversation in a waiting room. In Duluth MN. She had a specialist consult about a cardio issue. She couldn't understand the irony.

Only an ignoramous would compare infant mortality rates for countries whose birthrates are declining to a nation that far outstrips them in terms of similar surface area, multicultural population, and GDP.

Oh wait… I forgot–I'm talking to the guy that still hasn't figured out Intense Debate yet.

Differences in how infant mortality rates are recorded. Came up the last time this talking point was used.

Oh, I'm sorry, did that go against your script?

Exactly, you said what I was too dumbfounded to say.

that's deaths per 1,000 live births. It doesn't matter if the birthrate's declining etc.
Man, are you hostile.
And why do I have to sign up for intense debate. I'm debating you right now without it.

Pt. II – I'm also waiting to see the nerve guy in september, almost a year and a half after injuring my hand. The doctor in emergency, who miraculously saw me within a half hour, stitched me like a battelfield casualty in 1865. I believe I could have done as well myself with my left hand and my teeth. I told him I was a musician and he assured me, I'd be fine. It appears, I needed the plastic surgeon but hey, that's expensive! But bonus! They didn't send me a bill, so that's good, eh? Imagine if auto shops worked that way. "I know we not only didn't fix your car and actually made it worse but hey, we didn't send you a bill, did we?"
Yes, I have at times received good, effective and prompt health care in some long ago past but it's getting worse and worse. Any Canadian telling us differently should also identify their location. Also they need to tell us if they have a family doctor.

It probably wasn't news over here, but that stance was not just some fringe stance in europe after 9-11. It was actually a talking point in more than a few commentaries/news shows as well as pub conversation, etc. As an American I found it disgusting.

Yes!!! I have a liberal Canadian friend that use to live here with her Canadian husband while they got their university degrees in an American University. She would constantly complain about the ignorance of Americans and our over the top patriotism while explaining why Canada was superior in EVERY way. Canada has hardly any crime…..Canada is far more peace loving…..Canada's products are of higher quality…..Canada's healthcare is FREE and wonderful…..blah, blah, blah. She now lives back in Canada with her husband and kids. Guaranteed, if I were to ask her how her healthcare is she would rather lie through her teeth then paint Canada in a negative light.

bows for effect… but still keeping rear covered…

[...] The Substratum: ObamaCare In The Gallows – Quick, Get A Rope Steven Crowder, Big Hollywood: Lonewolf Diaries: The Truth About Dumb, Liberal Canadians and Their Lies John T. Simpson, Big Hollywood: Story and the Power of Conservative Themes in Film Marginal [...]

The first time I visited this site was three days ago.
I think you owe me an apology.

that's ok patty I wasn't expecting one.

How would a miscarriage be handled in the US? Would expectant mother's and fathers who had high hopes for their child be treated this poorly? Thank you in advance.

More miscarriage horror stories
By CHARLIE FIDELMAN, The Gazettehttp://www.montrealgazette.com/health/More+miscar...

Montreal woman left alone during miscarriage at hospital. Husband helped her deliver dead fetus
By Charlie Fidelman, Montreal Gazette July 16, 2009
http://www.montrealgazette.com/health/Montreal+wo...

Oh, I definitively agree with you, Thomas L. Canadians in another website that starts with a big letter C followed by a B … yes, the good old CBC are trying to tell everyone that there is virtually no waiting lists. (Should we laugh or cry?) I had to wait a year to see a specialist in Toronto despite having a severe lung disease that started when I was a child. Anyhow, I agree wait times are far too long. Often, one receives the medical run-around even from specialists. Very frustrating.

Can I have him? LOL. Just kidding!

You can paint it any way you want but the fact remains that a sandwich costs more in Canada but our wages are higher which your hero didn't mention which in effect is distorting the truth by omission which is something Michael Moore does all the time. They're the same, just on opposite sides.

I'm Canadian and I agree with you, Steven. Our system sucks. Save yourselves from Obamacare while you have the chance!
You're doing a great job. Keep up the good work.

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