British Minister Seeking to Reform Nationalized Healthcare Ambushed by ‘Left-Wing’ Activists
- Posted on February 20, 2012 at 10:54pm by
Becket Adams
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This is what it looks like when a country labors for years under the weight of nationalized healthcare, realizes that it’s financially unsustainable, and then tries to implement meaningful reforms.
Many of those on the receiving end of “free” healthcare won’t like it. Not one bit. Just ask Britain’s Health Secretary Andrew Lansley who, in the words of the Daily Mail, was “ambushed by a Left-wing activist” early Monday morning.
Protesters “jostled” Lansley as he arrived for the 10 Downing Street meeting. One particularly outspoken protester, June Hautot, 75, accused Lansley of trying to privatize the state-funded National Health Service.
“I’m not getting out of the way!” an agitated Hautot yelled at Lansley. “The waiting lists are going to go up, so you can wait!”
“I promise you, waiting times in the NHS are coming down,” Lansley tried to reassure her, “it will not go private. The NHS is not for sale, there will be no privatisation.”
Oh, wait. Surprise, surprise! Hautot is an ex-Unison trade union representative.
Yep. Unions.
After trying to speak a few words to the ex-union “firebrand,” Lansley’s entrance was momentarily blocked as he was booed and called a “traitor.”
See the ITN News brief:
Why are these protesters and ex-union reps so hostile towards Lansley?
To answer that question, it’s important to understand that there are two very different groups involved in this story.
The first group believes that, in regards to nationalized healthcare, there is no such thing as “free.” In the long run, someone must pay for it. Therefore, this group has proposed reforms that would remove bureaucracy, give doctors more control, and trim spending by 80 billion pounds ($127 billion) by 2015.
And then there is the second group. This group believes top-down, government controls, such as the ones necessary for nationalized healthcare, are economically feasible, and that we can only know one thing about “the long run” (we die). This group also claims that the NHS reforms will “give private companies a bigger share of heath care and undermine the system’s universality,” according to the Associated Press.
Which group do you think momentarily blocked Lansley from getting to his 10 Downing Street meeting?
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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JVicinanzo
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 3:15pmSomehow the word “traitor” seems more insulting in a British accent.
Also, who else is excited for government-determined waiting periods for health service?
Report Post »the_united_states_of_britain
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 4:11pmYou’ve all bought into this socialist Europe nonsense. The majority of brits are not left wing nuts. If you bothered to look you’d see we had a conservative government. The “free” healthcare that brits receive has worked fine for 60 odd years. The reason reform is needed is solely due to the financial crisis, handed to us by the under hand techniques British banks were forced to use to compete with the utterly corrupted American investment banks.
The reason us Brits aren’t happy with the proposed healthcare reforms is not due to us disagreeing with the fact it needs reform. But because the majority of british people have absolutely no idea what the reforms entail. Because as we all know politicians have absolutely no idea how to explain even the most basic concepts to us normal folks.
Having a nationalized healthcare system does not make Britain a socialist country. it just means that us brits realise sometimes some things can not be trusted to money grabbing companies whose sole purpose is to turn a profit.
Stop bitching about Britain. It proper winds me up. We’re literally your only friends. We’re one of the only countries in the world who support America no strings attached.
One last thing. I love america. It’s second only to the uk in my eyes. But being an outsider I can tell you all that we’re starting to grow weary of where the us is trying to steer the western world. You’re the reason Europe is bankrupt. Not socialism. but unregulated capitalism
Report Post »asybot12
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 7:11pmI am totally with you on this one the same misconception is about the Canadian “free/socialistic” health care here in Canada. It is neither free nor socialistic other than the bloody unions asking for absurd wage increases in these days that everybody else has to clamp down.(as are the teachers here in BC 16% wage increases give me a break) I am also in the same boat as you except for the fact that you are second to us!!! LOL!!! ( hang in there Bro)
Report Post »Stegall TX
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 7:49pm“The “free” healthcare that brits receive has worked fine for 60 odd years. The reason reform is needed is solely due to the financial crisis, handed to us by the under hand techniques British banks were forced to use to compete with the utterly corrupted American investment banks.”
Are you claiming that prior to 2008, there were no problems in the UK or Canadian healthcare systems? Don’t make me start pulling quotes from papers (prior to 2008) about the horrors of patients sitting on lists for weeks for procedures that should be completed within days.
Report Post »ronaldreaganthegreat
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:34pmThis is #Owsobama’s intention.
Report Post »ZABO
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 1:45pmto bad so sad you dumb blokes. that’s what you get for giving up on your white heritage. you should not be ashamed of your brittish heritage. really if you think about it. maybe not now(obama) but thanks for ditching all your best people in 1776 cause they came here and until recently they made us what we are over here. from worst to first. also it seems like most britts are plain lazy. just like some people in the u.s. i guess obama wants to copy your not so good health care. and copy your bad work ethtic.
Report Post »ripley
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 12:58pmRead & learn people. This could be our future if Obama gets another term. He will do everything he can to ruin this country.
Report Post »k1607
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 1:13pmVary Scary. Even scarier to hear why young people and people in general vote for the man.
Report Post »Ghandi was a Republican
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 11:42amRonald Reagan explains the leftwing strategy behind “healthcare” and other do gooding BS… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRdLpem-AAs
Report Post »momsense
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 9:23amThis is what happens when you take the public teat away. The lemmings have been so used to following government orders that they can‘t handle it when they’re asked to think for themselves.
Report Post »JRook
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 10:34am“This is what it looks like when a country labors for years under the weight of nationalized healthcare, realizes that it’s financially unsustainable, and then tries to implement meaningful reforms.” This has got to be the stupidest statement on the subject that has every been written. And before of all the ideological lemmings jump on the bandwagon here, take the time to look up per capital spending on healthcare. The real economic measure regarding healthcare. How healthcare is financed is significantly less important than how much is being spent per capita on health care. Another key metric, although I’m sure this is too much for this group to digest in one day is the WHO health system rankings. In summary the US spends twice as much per capita on healthcare than the second most expensive country and our health system based on health measures ranks 37th. You actually have to be exceptional to claim it.
Report Post »designbyinspiration
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 11:46amjrook, you are a mor0n. Just because ‘Someone official told me something’ doesn’t mean what you think it means: Knowledge instead of understanding.
Look at some of the criteria that WHO uses to rank: ‘Fairness of finance’, ‘equality of distribution’.
Fairness and equality- code words for socialized medicine. I want a medical center that is lean, mean and hungry to do the job – and accountable! (just TRY to sue the Canadian/French/British governments for liability)
These are clinical numbers that don’t relay the care, technical/personal expertise and capacity to get the job done. The actual care given in the top rankings is far less in personal and technical ability, longer wait times.
In short: The WHO rankings are biased toward a socialized, government bureaucracy run form of healthcare that Britain can no longer sustain.
Report Post »asybot12
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 7:43pm@designbyinsparation: Most designs by inspiration (such as your example) fail miserably (you know the guy that had an insparation and tried to fly to the sun?). And yes you can sue the Canadian health system for malpractice and win, it gets done rarely because the “system” works! If you want to go under the knife in the US hoping to either to get fixed or you sue it is no wonder the US system does not work, half of the surgeons are petrified so they decline to do the surgery in the first place or you have to sign so many waivers you might as well stay home .
Report Post »Stegall TX
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 7:52pmI;m sure someone has run the numbers. How many US citizens run across the border to Canada and use their health care system? Contrast that to how many Canadian citizens run across the border to use the US health care system.
Report Post »hempstead1944
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 9:08amThe shear stupidity of people is breathtaking…..Exactly where do these folks think the money comes from to provide their benefits?
Report Post »goahead.makemyday
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 1:30pmFrom the magical money tree that grows money instead of leaves, it’s sap is pure gold and the fruit is precious Gems. That’s what the flying purple monkey told them the last time they snorted. Or maybe it was the rainbow unicorn the last time they visited the magical kingdom of Liberality.
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 8:32amWe see what’s happening in Greece yet we emulate them,we see what’s happening in the U.K yet we emulate them,socialism proves itself every time to be a failure but we’re headed down the same road with our Marxist in chief at the helm of the titanic.
Report Post »discus02
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 8:07amObama is a overeducated nitwit!
Report Post »sjohn70037
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:49pmOver educated? Barry flunked every course he took. This is why he refuses to release his college transcripts. He’s ashamed and damn well should be.
Report Post »suzy000
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 8:06amThe UK is NO different than Greece. I was reading at the Telegraph the comments left by Brits about privatizing the NHS and they are indignant. This is what will happen here and Obama knows it. He plans to “give away” all he can in order to inflame the masses when it is time to pay the piper. How someone could do this to their country is beyond the pale. We see Greece going through it and to continue in this manner borders treason!
Report Post »sndrman
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 7:55amcanada eh has nationalized health care they to are moving towards privatization. why is it the rest of the world has learned it‘s lesson but our gov’t keeps pushing us into that losing proposition?
Report Post »GulfPeg
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 5:05amAnybody who has 1/2 a brain knew that Britain’s healthcare was unsustainable. This should be a wake up call to us before Obamacare is implemented!!
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:46amWe are INSANE… doing the same thing as the British… but expecting a different result!
Report Post »pamela kay
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 6:35amLUKEW, BHO is expecting and wanting the same result. It is the brainwashed followers that still swallow his policies that concern me. Why can’t they read the writing on the wall? If they would wake up we could have a chance to get him out of office.
Report Post »roadhog
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:04amSocailism is when you run out of other Peoples Money. The Britshits with the senale Queen is one Step away from Greece .
Report Post »rambosharley
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:17amThe Moochers harrassing the Looters to make sure they get everything from the Producers!
Report Post »Jenny Lind
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 7:59amoooohhhhI like that! Well said!
Report Post »designbyinspiration
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 11:52amWow. That gave me pause, well stated. I’d push that one to Glenn on the info tip line, might be another angle on the investigations into this madness. I know it is in itself nothing new, but it is refreshingly clear.
Report Post »texanpatriot
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 1:59am‘This is what it looks like when a country labors for years under the weight of nationalized healthcare, realizes that it’s financially unsustainable, and then tries to implement meaningful reforms.’
Change ‘nationalized healthcare’ to public sector unions and what you have is many states here and, in a microcosm’ the fight that is being waged in Wisconsin. Scott Walker has been putting up with this lopsided crap and still faces recall. He is a patriot and is rare in character in politics.
I can only hope the people of Wisconsin support him. Both union demands and public sector liability on many states are a blight on our future.
Come on November — the American people are ready for a big change and the new hope…
Report Post »Jenny Lind
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 8:01amI hope you are right and people have been woken up to see that we are on the hill sliding downward. Either we vote in brakes or we are so had.
Report Post »colt6920
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 12:19amStand by….I would say this is coming here, but too late…it IS here, and its going to get nasty nasty nasty. Heaven help you if you work for a living and you just want to be left alone. That time has long passed. These people have their hooks in so far the fight to get them out will be unimaginable.
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