Australian Senate sends Obama a fillip on health care

[RFKHumphreyObama]

Media Release | Spokesperson Bob Brown
Thursday 17th September 2009, 11:22am

The Australian Senate has passed Australian Greens' Leader Bob Brown's motion that:

The Senate

Notes efforts by US President Barack Obama and his administration to ensure all US citizens have access to affordable health care.

<snip>

since this nation adopted universal health care in 1984:

a. life expectancy for males has increased from 72.6 to 79.1 years and for females 78.7 to 83.5 years.
b. spending on health care has increased from 3.5% of federal government outlays to 4.4% (in 2008-2009).
c. lives have been saved and suffering reduced in our nation.

<snip>

"I hope this Senate motion assists President Obama's worthy campaign."
http://bob-brown.greensmps.org.au/content/media-release/senate-sends-obama-a-fillip-health-care

[Clio the Leo]

1. I dont understand point b.

I think it's supposed to be a good thing right?

[Zynx]

2. The point is that relative to what we have seen it is a small increase.

[grantcart]

3. Its a miniscule increase in light of universal coverage and a huge increase in

life expectancy.

[Hello_Kitty]

4. They spent little to begin with and he's showing that expenses didn't go up exponentially

In our case, I'm pretty sure good reform would actually lessen our expenses.

[DCKit]

6. AND, 4.4% of federal spending is far less than the 12% of GDP we currently spend. n/t

[BlooInBloo]

12. Just to pile on.... Whether or not there's an increase depends on how much you WERE paying...

and also on how many more are covered.

If, for example, you go from 75% coverage to 100% coverage of the population, and the cost only increases a few % over what you were paying, then that ain't bad.

And then there's also the "opportunity savings": what WOULD you have been paying under the old system?

All in all, there's not much information in the number the aussies gave to us on that one.

[Cha]

5. Thank you, Aussies..I love

having Kevin Rudd in charge.

[RFKHumphreyObama]

7. So do we

We can assure you of that:hi:

[Cha]

8. Good to know..

So fortunate after all those dark John Howard years.

:hi:

[fujiyama]

9. Good numbers

Won't make a difference to the likes of Baucus who only sees $$$ in front of campaign contributions.

Or the knuckle dragging idiots that is convinced it will lead to death panels!

[BlooInBloo]

10. I appreciate their taking time out from laughing at us to send us this.

[TomCADem]

11. Wait, Isn't Rupert Murdoch, Head of Fox News, Austrailian? What Does Fox Say...

About Rupert Murdoch's homeland? Perhaps they don't want it to be known that the right wing's ultimate arbiter of what is American and not American is not actually born in America.

[liberalla]

13. Love it! Thanks, Australia!