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Rep. Paul Broun Outrageously Claims The Public Option "Is Gonna Kill People"



July 10, 2009 4:08 pm ET by Media Matters Action Network

In a July 10, 2009 floor statement, Rep. Paul Broun not only said that Canada and Great Britain do not value their citizens' lives but also that the public option portion of American health care reform "is gonna kill people."

Video: Rep. Broun: Canada And Great Britain Don't Appreciate Life
[video embedded; also (and better viewed) at

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Rep. Broun: "...and that's exactly what's going on in Canada and Great Britain today. They don't have the appreciation of life, as we do in our society, evidently. And, um. Dr. Roe, a lot of people are gonna die, this program of 'government option' is being touted as being this panacea, the savior of allowing people to have quality health care at an affordable price- is gonna kill people."

Besides absurdly stating that the public option will "kill people," Rep. Broun's ham-handed transition between the health care systems of Canada, the UK, and the US is mind-boggling because those countries' systems are not a model for US health care reform.

And in addition to being wrong about their health care delivery systems, Rep. Broun apparently isn't aware that Canada and Great Britain both enjoy a lower infant mortality rate and longer life expectancy that the United States.

Under-5 mortality rate, 2007
Canada 6
United Kingdom 6
United States 8

Annual no. of under-5 deaths (thousands), 2007
Canada 2
United Kingdom 4
United States 34

Life expectancy at birth (years), 2007
Canada 81
United Kingdom 79
United States 78

[UNICEF.org, accessed 7/10/09 ( http://www.unicef.org/view_chart.php?layout=2&language=eng& )]

© 2009 Media Matters Action Network

http://mediamattersaction.org/blog/200907100007
[photo from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/10/gop-rep-public-health-car_n_229737.html ]