Why Do Critics Of Healthcare Get A Free Pass On Defending The Current System?

[TomCADem]

The vast bulk of stories in the media offer various critiques of the various healthcare reform proposals, as well as blow by blow detail of every alleged "setback" to reform. What is not really discussed is the current situation we have, the status quo, and Republicans are never pressed on why the current system is preferable to any reform proposal on the table. My take is that you really cannot make the current system worse, because it is by far the worse in the world, yet leaves so many people unconvered:

Percentage of GDP:

<>

Per capita health expenditure:

<>

In other words, the blue dogs and the Republicans behave as though the status quo is better than the reform proposals in terms of controlling costs and the deficit. Deficit neutral? The current system is NOT deficit neutral. We can only wish that the current system was deficit neutral. It is not AND it is getting worse as healthcare costs rise at twice the rate of inflation. It is criminal that the current status of healthcare is being hidden from the American people.

We need President Obama to give a Powerpoint presentation that shows the above, because I don't think people really get just how out of wack the U.S. really is relative to the rest of the world.

Edit: Does anyone have more up to date charts? I understand that the more recent numbers and charts are even worse.

[damntexdem]

1. Simple: they're Republicans.

Republics get free passes to defend anything indefensible.