Now we just need 6 of those foam hands to wave proudly. [ 6 hands x 5 fingers each=30 fingers minus one finger folded under=29 ]

It's  sad  TERRIBLE! but true.

A good measure of a nation's health care systems is infant mortality. When it comes to infant mortality, a bunch of those 'Old Europe' loonie-leftie-socialist countries do much better than we do. Even Cuba -- Commie/Pinko/Castro Loving/Cuba -- does better than we do when it comes to infant mortality - and therefore to health care in general.

Read it and weep:

Infant Mortality Rates and International Rankings: 2004

Centers for Disease Control, National Center for Health Statistics

                          Infant mortality
Rank  Country            per 1000 live births
 1    Singapore            2.0
 2    Hong Kong            2.5
 3    Japan                2.8
 4    Sweden               3.1
 5    Norway               3.2
 6    Finland              3.3
 7    Spain                3.5
 8    Czech Republic       3.7
 9    France               3.9
10    Portugal             4.0

11    Germany              4.1
11    Greece               4.1
11    Italy                4.1
11    Netherlands          4.1
15    Switzerland          4.2
16    Belgium              4.3
17    Denmark              4.4
18    Austria              4.5
18    Israel               4.5
20    Australia            4.7

21    Ireland              4.9
21    Scotland             4.9
23    England and Wales    5.0
24    Canada               5.3
25    Northern Ireland     5.5
26    New Zealand          5.7
27    Cuba                 5.8
28    Hungary              6.6
29    Poland               6.8
29    Slovakia             6.8
29    United States        6.8
32    Puerto Rico          8.1

33    Chile                8.4
34    Costa Rica           9.0
35    Russian Federation  11.5
36    Bulgaria            11.7
37    Romania             16.8

At least we beat the Russian Federation, Bulgaria, and Romania.... and most of the world's under-developed countries.

We have the world's best health care professionals, the best equipment, and the best facilities. We have excellent health care for the people who can afford it.

Wealth-Based Rationing of
essentials like health care
is what makes us #29.

The good news is that a a McCain-Bush style tax break is all we need to have a world-class health care system.... assuming that staying above #38 qualifies as world-class.

"In as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
-- Jesus of Nazareth ( Matthew 25:40 )

Labels: CDC, infant mortality