The Wardman Wire

British political no-one,Daniel Hannan, should be ashamed, not because he is being unpatriotic like Andy Burnham has laughably – perhaps miserably – claimed.  But because he is taking the classic Republican and Fox position: don’t give a damn about the facts and science, just make sure you get your own way.

They do it time and again.  The ends are far, far more important than the means.  If something feels wrong then it is ok to lie and muddy the issue as much as you need to, to get the answer you feel should be right.

There is so much he says in this interview that is factually – FACTUALLY – wrong and deliberately misleading.  It is outrageous.

I actually do not think the USA should adopt a carbon copy model of the NHS.  But the money men behind the insurance companies in the US are doing their damn finest to ensure the non-insured middle classes and less well off do not receive health care.  The US health care system needs reform.  While the fat cats making big money out of the current system will do everything they can to stop reform, the news media and politicians should know better.  It is shameful.

All this nonsense about not being able to afford a universal health care system: The UK spends just over a third of what the US does in terms of GDP on health care.  Roughly speaking we are talking 7% versus 17%.  All this talk of “death panels” is just lies!  It does not happen.

All Hannan is doing here is bigging up his own profile at the expense of sensible and true debate.  In the process he is damaging the Conservative party, he is spreading innuendo and lies about the NHS (which needs reform but no the sort he is alluding to) and actually doing a massive dis-service to the hard working people of the USA.

While I try to be as non-partisan about British politics as possible, which is made far easier by the relatively fair and honest debate we get from both our politicians and media, the state of the Republican party at the moment is a disgrace. They are possibly the most unpleasant main stream political force in Western politics at the moment. Instead of mellowing after the Bush years, it seems they want to become extreme. I do not refer here to just the health care debate, but far wider and deeper reaching.

And how about this scare tactic and, let’s face it, racism. Not a fact or truthful statement in sight. The NHS is a breeding ground for terrorists. Too many Muslims. Disgraceful.