British Continue To Erupt Over U.S. Health Care Campaign

August 19, 2009 (LPAC)—The British continue to yelp about the explosion of opposition to Obama's health care plan, and run to the defense of the British National Health Service (NHS)—in part, for fear of a political backlash in Great Britain itself. Writing in today's Financial Times, Philip Stephens:

"The NHS stands condemned by U.S. President Barack Obama's opponents as an instrument of state-sponsored euthanasia," Stephens laments. "Its socialist medicine, Americans are asked to believe, would have deprived on grounds of age, Sen. Edward Kennedy of treatment for his tumor." Stephens calls these charges "palpable nonsense." He then goes on to say, rationing exists all over. In the U.S., it is those who have good health insurance, and those who have none. Nonetheless, he is forced to concede that Britain "needs to spend more money" on health care at a time when public spending has to be cut.

Other British media continue to cover Obama's political problems, noting that he is in full-scale retreat, but without mentioning the real issue being that it's a Nazi health plan—nor do they dare mention the "L" word. The Guardian, under the headline "Obama Faces Backlash Over the Potential Retreat on Public Health-Care Option," reports that the administration is considering dropping the so-called public option, and misrepresents this as the substantive policy that is at issue. The Independent has a similar article with the title, "Obama Blinks in Health-Care Battle."

The Daily Telegraph, for its part, presents the opposition to Obama as coming from Republicans and right-wing groups, spicing things up by prominently featuring the rifle-toting protester at Obama's Phoenix VFW speech.