Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Born In The USSR (Julia Gorin Paints A Depressing Picture Of Health Care Soviet Style Alert)
Opinionjournal.com ^ | 10/10/05 | Julia Gorin

Posted on 10/09/2005 9:14:03 PM PDT by goldstategop

recently came face to face with a level of Western ignorance that I hadn't encountered since the 1980s, when Russian immigrants were still a novelty to Americans. A British-American asked my father a question that could only come from someone who has known freedom his whole life: "Why did you leave Russia? Your family was there, you had a job, you had free health care. Why did you leave?" The questioner, a former editor with the New York Times, then proceeded to assert that today's Britain and U.S. are no longer free.

The exchange reminded me just how out of touch many who live in the free world are with the reality of life under tyranny--and why, therefore, so many Americans and Brits think nothing is scarier than war. On the subject even of that oft-cited "perk" of Soviet life, universal health care, a picture of the system in practice on its happiest occasion would shock Americans and Western Europeans alike.

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


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Russia
KEYWORDS: birth; communism; healthcare; inhumanity; juliagorin; lateussr; left; usefulidiots; women; wsj
Julia Gorin paints a depressing picture of Soviet "free" health care. The indifference and inhumanity to patients' health and welfare was appalling. The Western Left knows nothing of the suffering of totalitarianism's victims. It was a nightmare that invaded even simple moments of ordinary life, such as in a woman's giving birth to her child. The Left declaims about the beauty of socialism. Well not really. The reality stinks.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
1 posted on 10/09/2005 9:14:12 PM PDT by goldstategop
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: goldstategop

The Soviet Union was defeated but globally Socialism is strong enough that it hasn't been cast to the junk heap of history and it is united enough that different agitators will come to the political support of socialists around the world.


2 posted on 10/09/2005 9:20:51 PM PDT by weegee (The lesson from New Orleans? Smart Growth kills. You can't evacuate dense populations easily.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: goldstategop
I can recall seeing a TV interview with a worker from the American Friends Committee (Quakers) who was in North Korea.
The subject skipped over all the hardships there saying "They have wonderful daycare there".
3 posted on 10/09/2005 9:22:27 PM PDT by investigateworld ( Abortion stops a beating heart.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: goldstategop

Liberal arts majors everywhere ought to be required to read this stuff.


4 posted on 10/09/2005 10:00:12 PM PDT by dr_who_2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: goldstategop

What animals human beings can become. I can never believe sometimes, the depths of depravity that people can sink to. Thank God that I was born in the U.S.A. For all it's difficulties, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. I knew a Ukrainian immigrant family and I was talking to their s-i-l and she said, "At least they'll have something to eat this winter." I was speachless. I can't imagine what it's like to have your kids cold and hungry for the winter, starving. How heartbreaking.


5 posted on 10/09/2005 10:14:55 PM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: metmom

I agree that a lot of people seem not to know hjow awful tyranny is. However, some know and consider mass murder a price they will pay to have power.


6 posted on 10/09/2005 10:52:19 PM PDT by ClaireSolt (.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: dr_who_2

Anyone who wants to vote for Hillary should be forced to read this.


7 posted on 10/09/2005 11:10:44 PM PDT by Proud_USA_Republican
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: goldstategop

Back in the USSR, the new mother would soak in her puddles on a small linen sheet and oil cloth, since patients weren't entitled to more than one or two changes per day. If she wanted an extra change, she'd have to beg and brown-nose the nannychka, as the orderly was addressed by the screaming women.

A friend of mine lived and worked in Italy for a few years where his first child was born. His wife reported to a nurse that there was no toilet paper in the bathroom, to which the nurse replied, "Didn't you bring any from home?". Later, his wife wanted to take a shower and asked the nurse for a towel. "Didn't you bring one from home". Ahh, the joys of socialized medicine.

8 posted on 10/10/2005 3:38:27 AM PDT by libertylover (Liberal: A blatant liar who likes to spend other people's money.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: goldstategop
You can get good health care in Ukraine, and Russia.

Long as you have enough bribe money to pay, that is.

9 posted on 10/10/2005 5:48:01 AM PDT by Jimmy Valentine (DemocRATS - when they speak, they lie; when they are silent, they are stealing the American Dream)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: goldstategop

we have one of those in the usa..Its called king/drew medical center in los angeles and the nickname is killer king hospital...It would be the way socialized medicine really works...use google or dog pile and find out how BADDDDDDDDDDDD this place really is,the libs knew it and didn't do anything to clean it up WHY??????cuz' itds run by blacks......After years of criminals being workers,nurses talking while patients are dying,criminals being hired and retained,medical instruments left in patients and thats not even the worst of it....


10 posted on 10/10/2005 6:06:09 AM PDT by fishbabe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: goldstategop
... you had free health care. Why did you leave?" The questioner, a former editor with the New York Times, then proceeded to assert that today's Britain and U.S. are no longer free.

Bump ... for the truth.

11 posted on 10/10/2005 8:27:16 AM PDT by aculeus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson