Despite all the hubbub over the public option, the real goal of the GOP over the past few months has been to inflict a humiliating defeat on the President, a "waterloo" that would portend gains in 2010 and 2012. To this end, the Republican political argument has focused on lauding the current health-care system and arguing that the changes Democrats are proposing would make everything worse, that in fact the U.S. has "the best health care system in the world."
Based on a new survey from Pew, Americans don't agree.
According to Americans the United States does not have the best health care in the world. Most see our health care as average (32%) or below average (27%) when compared with health care in other industrialized countries. Only 15% support the often-used political talking point that America has the best health care in the world; 23% say it is above average.
The survey also notes that the more money you make, the more likely you are to believe that America does have the best health-care system in the world. That, I think, says a great deal about the inherent class bias present in our national debate on health care -- those most likely to give you the evening news are also those most likely to think there's nothing wrong with the health-care system at all.
-- A. Serwer
