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Letters
Monday, March 31, 2008 12:00 AM

Barack Obama, working-class hero?

On a bus tour through Pennsylvania, Obama tries to impress blue-collar white voters. He'll need them to keep the state close in April -- or to win it in November.

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  • Monday, March 31, 2008 05:13 PM

    Well then I guess you've never known anyone turned down for dialysis by the NHS (UK)

    Which they do, if they deem that you are insufficiently worthy (healthy) otherwise. You see part of the equation of socialized care, at least what it's morphed into is the nanny state that deems itself the sole arbiter of who is worthy to treat and who is not. And the list of those who are not, is getting progressively longer. If you smoke, if you drink, if you're overweight, if you give your kids junk food......you will find yourself slotted into marginal groups by the NHS which insists you are doing your part to be 'rewarded' with health care.

    Now you can say in the cold calculus of cost it's worth it - why should you give bypass surgery to a 75 year old, they're old enough. But if you're the 75 year old and they take that decision away from you, it must be pretty depressing.

    But if they're rationing care because it's unaffordable I suppose people can accept that. It's when they make a moral judgment on you and decide that you should be happy to die off for the better good and for the better people is where it gets dicey.

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