« Plagiarizing on Plagiarism | Main | Welfare State Rots Britons into Uselessness »
February 6, 2008
Long Waits for "Free" Healthcare in Sweden
As America sleepwalks toward socialized medicine, Sweden offers a prime example of what the future has in store for us. The country's socialized system features a "healthcare guarantee" that patients will be treated within 90 days. Like everything else having to do with "universal healthcare," this guarantee is extravagantly expensive pie in the sky.
The National Board of Health and Welfare admits that 45% of patients have to wait longer than 90 days. Health Minister Göran Hägglund grouses that 250 million kronor squandered trying to shorten wait times has been ineffectual. In Jämtland County, 40% of patients can't even get their local clinic on the phone on the day they fall ill.
As the world should have learned from Stalin, mandating that something will happen does not make it happen. Bureauweenies can guarantee that everyone will be served instantly if they like, but with the price of a commodity as valuable and limited as healthcare set to zero, there are going to be long waits or rationing. The laws of economics cannot be superseded by authoritarian fools.
America won't be able to make socialism work any more than Sweden can — as the leftist boobs running for president promise to prove.
On a tip from Matt B.
Posted by Van Helsing at February 6, 2008 9:05 PM
Comments
Evan Sayet explained this phenomenon: these people think like five-year-olds. A five-year-old thinks up wonderful ideas; a parent tells the child which ones make sense.
Posted by: d at February 7, 2008 4:24 AM
Well, get ready America to become more like Sweden, no matter who you vote for the coming November, Republican or Democrat.
You will have on the one hand Hitlery/Osama and THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE on the other who will institute socialist policy once he deals a deck of cards for a game of solitaire.
Posted by: Anonymous at February 7, 2008 6:47 AM
I have to give the Democrats props. They gave their base a choice of three viable solidly liberal candidates and one liberal superstar. The other party stuck their base with... McCain; a man whom Ann Coulter described as Bob Dole without the charm, conservatism and youth. Reagan's doing about 45,000 rpm in his grave about now.
Posted by: V the K at February 7, 2008 6:55 AM
Believe me, there are a lot of things about Sweden that America should aspire to.
Great country, gorgeous landscapes. One of the world's highest average standards of living, almost no poverty, almost no crime, a largely well-educated and well-adjusted population. A generally positive world image as a just and humane country, and probably the most beautiful women in the world.
What's not to like? Hell, I'll wait 100 days to see a doctor.
Posted by: hashfanaticFAN at February 7, 2008 2:20 PM
