Sarkozy blunt on U.S. healthcare reform

Posted By Andrew Swift Tuesday, March 30, 2010 - 12:17 PM Share

French President Nicolas Sarkozy seemed to break diplomatic protocol during a talk at Columbia University yesterday evening. Claiming he was going to "speak from the heart,"  Sarkozy toed a very fine line between personal commentary and interference in another country's domestic affairs:

Welcome to the club of states who don't turn their back on the sick and the poor.

Yikes. He went on:

If you come to France and something happens to you, you won't be asked for your credit card before you're rushed to the hospital.

While Sarkozy's speech may have stepped on a few toes, it is hard to argue with his point. It's astonishing to see a number of Americans whipped into an irrational frenzy over provisions that don't exist and never did exist in the reforms. The cries of socialism were absurd enough, but the sudden surge in threats of violence against Democrats has no place in a democratic society.

ERIC FEFERBERG/AFP/Getty Images

 

RWR

5:59 PM ET

March 30, 2010

"[N]o place in a democratic society."

I agree with the final point in the article.

But the willful blindness of the media to the threats of violence to members of the last administration stands in marked contrast to the hand-wringing we see today.

Did the media condemn the threats against President Bush and Vice President Cheney when they were happening as having "no place in a democratic society"? Did it cover the left-wing threats against Bart Stupak when he was standing in opposition to the health care bill? Did it denounce "The Assassination of George W. Bush"? Did it stir with indignation when a pair of shoes was thrown at an American president in Iraq?

Or did it remain silent, and even tacitly approve?

The plainly partisan way the media covers politics is, I imagine, a central reason for its growing irrelevance.

 

JGARZIK

6:54 PM ET

March 30, 2010

political violence

Indeed. And no mention of threats, actual arrests and gunfire targeted at Republicans, I note.

 

R.HOWE

1:33 PM ET

March 31, 2010

So, let's see some links to

So, let's see some links to when & where these threats took place.

 

SHACKELFORD

5:10 PM ET

March 31, 2010

Left wing threats

R.Howe,
Umm, like here:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20001091-503544.html
or maybe here:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/08/10/have_you_heard_ken_gladneys_story_97836.html
how how about any of these:
http://www.binscorner.com/pages/d/death-threats-against-bush-at-protests-i.html

 

SHACKELFORD

7:08 PM ET

March 30, 2010

Wow, now there's the pot calling the kettle black

"If you come to France and something happens to you, you won't be asked for your credit card before you're rushed to the hospital."

Speaking of an irrational frenzy over provisions that don't exist and never did exist in current law. News to FP: prior US law required all hospitals to provide life giving care to all patients, regardless of ability to pay. You let Sarkozy's ridiculous and inaccurate statement pass, then go on to make a cheap shot at Palin, who was making a very real point about reform whose costs are being covered by extreme levels of cuts in the amount of care available through Medicare:

http://althouse.blogspot.com/2009/08/did-sarah-palin-say-obamas-death-panel.html

Once again, Palin tends to out-nuance the esteemed FP.

 

CAIRONOTONMYMIND

10:51 AM ET

April 4, 2010

like the previous poster

like the previous poster said, US hospitals must provide emergency healthcare to anyone needing it. even my friend Wiki knows this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_Medical_Treatment_and_Active_Labor_Act
therefore
im amazed that FP has a hard time arguing Sarkozy's point
and with all the (mis)information going around regarding what was in the bill and desires of reps for government run healthcare, i dont think cries of socialism were 'absurd' either

 

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