Posted on 03/08/2010 9:42:11 AM PST by Sub-Driver
Edited on 03/08/2010 1:01:32 PM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
Original title: Palin: I snuck across Canadanian border for healthcare By Eric Zimmermann - 03/08/10 11:33 AM ET
Sarah Palin's family used to "hustle" across the Canadian border to get healthcare, the former Alaska Governor said this weekend.
In a speech in Calgary, Palin called it "ironic" that while growing up in a small Alaskan town near the Canadian border, her family used to sneak across to take advantage of the Canadian healthcare system.
"We used to hustle over the border for health care we received in Canada," she said, according to Medicine Hat News (via Dave Weigel.) "And I think now, isn't that ironic."
It's ironic, of course, because Palin and other Republicans have argued that Democratic healthcare reform will put the U.S. on the path towards Canada's "socialized" healthcare system.
David Weigel is an editor for Reason Magazine and a journalist for NPR. Nuff said.
Where did she imply that it was FREE? Man, you people sure create a lot of facts from blank paper!.
Aside: I honestly don't see why anyone would be bothered that Palin related this.
The thread should be left up. This story is all over the internet now on left-wing blogs. But, the posts on this thread give the other side to the story.
Stick around, maybe you will develop better instincts.
I’m sure this is absolutely true, and that a certain poster should start another thread about it, defending the unimpeachable authority of the source........
As I understand it, Sarah’s family wasn’t very well to do in the 1960’s when she was young and Alaska had not yet become to boom it is today.
Being sparsely populated and not a popular spot, I can see how crossing the border might have been preferrable to traveling further inside Alaska to seek care.
Of course, it’s hard to determine based upon a single sentence she spoke in Calgary. But, it appears there is another attempt to twist something she said to her detractors advantage.
Who is Josh Painter?
And yet the per capita number of doctors in each country is about the same.
Ruh roh! Sounds like Sarah got caught telling a lie.
...and some who support her just ignore facts, especially those incompatible with the fantasy they've created in which Sarah Palin is the main character.
Well, we can verify that she did give a speech in Calgary. Now whether or not she made that specific statement:
Ah. Was hoping to nip it in the bud.
Sarah was 2 months old when the fammily moved to Alaska, according to the book ‘Sarah’ by Kaylene Johnson.
Yup, we have doctors from every third world country. Many if not most are female. Few speak English. You get what you pay for!
“IT is a similar distance to Juneau from Skagway, but perhaps the terrain makes it more interesting to travel that way...”
Much more interesting as you must take the ferry - no road. I think the ferry runs once a day between Skagway and Juneau. And probably a 4-6 hour ferry ride? Of course you can fly. On many days in the summer. When the weather is good. If you’re lucky.
Sounds like a problem of time and distance.
http://www.alaska-map.org/images/map-alaska_04.jpg
Getting to Juneau from Skagway would mean a trip by air or sea.
You could ask for directions. Bing computes the distance to Juneau as 103.5 miles, including 89 miles on the ferry, and estimates the time as 7h 45m, depending on the ferry schedule. To Whitehorse, Bing calculates the distance as 108.7 miles and estimates 2h 35m driving time.
Canadian healthcare, which had only just started its socialist decay in the late 60s, would have been the obvious choice if you burned your foot in Skagway (pop 800 in the off-season).
“We used to hustle over the border for health care we received in Canada,” she said. “And I think now, isn’t that ironic.”
It’s ironic because now, Canadians “hustle over the border” to the US for health care.
I wish I could avoid these Palin threads, they are way too emotional for rational discussion.
Anyway, this part of the story (taking the ferry to Juneau for her son’s burn) isn’t necessarily inconsistant with the previous story of rushing him to the doctor in Canada.
It could well be that when he first was burnt, they needed emergency treatment, and it was quickest to go to Canada (maybe the ferry had just left, or was ice-bound). After initial treatment, if the burn was bad it could require out-patient visits, or even hospitalization. And being American, they would want to go to the hospital in their state for that, and would use the ferry.
I can’t believe how freepers are all panicky over everything about Palin. You either trust her, or you don’t. THis constant attempts here at FR to try to shield her, or make excuses for her, are demeaning and counter-productive. (Not directed at you personally).
“She drew on some Canadian connections in her family history, and recalled how when she was young, those who were ill went to Whitehorse for medical treatment.”
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