I have this idea that it might be of some interest for those living on the other side of the Big Pond to know what makes the morning news here in the Happy Little Kingdom where the King is a Queen and the Queen isn't in drag.I refer of course, to Denmark, that little snot-clump of peninsula and several islands on the northern edge of Continental Europe.
What made the news from the "outland" today on the 6 AM radio was the standing ovation Michael Moore got in Cannes for his latest movie, "Sicko". I've heard something about the movie before and understand that it is about the medical industry in the US and the interface it has with the American public.
From just what I know off the top of my head, I can guess that he has more, um, ammunition, here than when he was making flicks about guns.
Let me give you something to put things in perspective: The Brits and the Danes spend, respectively 9% and 8 % of their GNP on health care. The US figure, as I recall, is something like 14%!
Hmmn, couple this with the fact that the US spends nearly more on weapons and military related expenditures than the rest of the world combined then ask yourself: "What value are Americans getting for their money?"
As an average wage-slave, I have less to worry about health care living in Denmark Joe Sixpack, NASCAR Dad or Soccer Mom in the US -- and that's not even thinking about the homeless, the children who don't get enough to eat or the hardworking but undocumented workers.
As for the other thing, I figure Americans could expect a lot more, um, "bang for the buck" than what they are now getting.
Sheeze, I just read the other day that "Defense" wants to spend $25,000,000,000 on some exotic armored junk-heap on wheels they call an MRAP [Mine Resistant Ambush Protected] vehicle. The reason we need them is because the bad guyss have figured out how to blow up the crap we have now and are getting bored -- therefore we need something bigger to give them a chance to develope their assymetric skills even more.
O yeah, I forgot the kicker!
The gov't is going to investigate Mr. Moore because he violated something by filming part of the documentary in Cuba.
Sheeze, doesn't Mr. Moore know youse not supposed to go to Cuba? Of course, I suppose if you want to do a documentary on health care, ignoring Cuba would be like doing a documentary on sailing boats or wind power and ignoring Denmark!
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Updates is something I don't usually do but if you think I am BS'ing about the dichotomic state of health care in the US, grok this post by Digby....
2 comments:
Hey dumb-ass,
Have you ever served in the military? Have you ever been in harms way (outside of standing in line at Starbucks)?
If 70% of the 3,500 American's who gave THEIR life so you could sit on your fat ass and write stupid articles, which you know very little about, were to have Cougars (MRAP's) they would be home with their families after serving. As opposed to being laid to rest in Arlington.
Get off your high-horse and lobby Congress to get the Supplemental to the President in a form that will provide these vehicles to our troops as soon as humanly possible.
You have the power of the pen, use it wisely.
Zippy
Whether or not I have served in the military has no bearing whatseoever on the matter.
But yes, I served as an elisted from '62 to '64, with an honorable discharge as SPC5, so screw you there, friend...
The point is that MRAPs are an escalation and not a solution to asymetrical warfare in urban settings. More death will follow and the ones who win are the ones who make them.
You should have followed the link to Main and Central and take on the old vets there -- you'll get a kind welcome with your BS there.
"War is a Racket",
-- Gen. Smedley Butler
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