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P.S. On Hawking (IBD Exclusive Series: Government-Run Healthcare: A Prescription For Failure)
IBD Editorials ^ | IBD Editorials | INVESTORS BUSINESS DAILY Staff

Posted on 08/27/2009 5:22:03 PM PDT by Kaslin

Medical Care: We took a lot of heat for using Stephen Hawking as an example of someone who'd suffer under a socialized health system. But a closer look at the treatment he got in the U.K. shows it wasn't all roses.


As our Aug. 1 editorial put it: "People such as scientist Stephen Hawking wouldn't have a chance in the U.K., where the National Health Service would say the life of this brilliant man, because of his physical handicaps, is essentially worthless."

Now, Hawking is British and — though he suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease" — is very much alive at 67. He even credited the NHS for being so. We used a bad example and corrected that, but it didn't stop the Internet Left and the likes of New York Times columnist Paul Krugman from suggesting Hawking's life proved the value of the U.K. system.

Krugman devoted not one but two essays to this, calling the editorial "vile and stupid," and claiming IBD was "trying to frighten its readers." "We've all heard scare stories about how that works in practice; these stories are false," he wrote.

Krugman suggested that the care Hawking got represents the kind all of us would get if we socialized our medical system too. But evidence shows that isn't so.

Hawking is the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge University, a renowned post once held by Sir Isaac Newton. He's a best-selling author and one of the most famous people in the world. Any harm that could come to him from the NHS would be big news, with political repercussions for the British system.

(Excerpt) Read more at ibdeditorials.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: hawking; krugman; nhs; paulkrugman; stephenhawking; ukhealth; ukhealthcare

1 posted on 08/27/2009 5:22:03 PM PDT by Kaslin
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To: bareford101; BerniesFriend; blaveda; Bookwoman; Celeste732; dsc; FrdmLvr; FreedomPoster; ...

2 posted on 08/27/2009 5:23:57 PM PDT by Kaslin (Acronym for 0bama: One Big Ass Mistake America)
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To: Kaslin

IBD rocks. It is a pity that it takes an IQ above room tempature to “get it”.

So often, it is pearls before swine.


3 posted on 08/27/2009 5:37:00 PM PDT by mission9 (It ain't bragging if you can do it.)
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To: mission9

Indeed


4 posted on 08/27/2009 5:38:26 PM PDT by Kaslin (Acronym for 0bama: One Big Ass Mistake America)
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To: Kaslin

She is very aware that if her husband had been an unknown physics teacher he would now be living out his final days in a residential home.

No, actually he would have died years ago for the specialized equipment and the private supurb nursing care are the only things keeping Hawkings alive.


5 posted on 08/27/2009 5:42:38 PM PDT by Chickensoup (minestra di pollo)
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To: Kaslin

Shall we wait for Krugman’s apology?


6 posted on 08/27/2009 5:45:33 PM PDT by Carley (WHEN YOU HONOR THE DISHONORABLE YOU SHOW YOUR OWN TRUE COLORS)
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To: Carley

That would be like waiting for a rooster to lay eggs


7 posted on 08/27/2009 5:54:05 PM PDT by Kaslin (Acronym for 0bama: One Big Ass Mistake America)
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To: Kaslin

IBD Pwns Krugman and the NYT.


8 posted on 08/27/2009 6:59:06 PM PDT by Paradox (ObamaCare = Logan's Run ; There is no Sanctuary!)
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