Ezra Klein: Can he be taken seriously?

It does seem odd that someone who has the statement “Government health care is the disease, free markets are the cure” doesn’t get singled out for bias. Neither does the Cato institute. Obviously they have no bias at all.

I believe that ad hominem attacks are appropriate at times. For example, noone has to bother reading anything the Fraser Institute puts out since they have shown themselves to be consistent liars. When ad hominem attacks fail is when they have no substance to them. Bottom line, Canada’s healthcare system is better than ours. Acknowledgement of that fact is a litmus test for credibility in any healthcare debate. Until Kevin can admit that, there is no hope that anything he writes can be believed without independent verification. Ditto for anyone else.

Bottom line, Canada’s healthcare system is better than ours. Acknowledgement of that fact is a litmus test for credibility in any healthcare debate.

Wow. Discussion over. There are heretics in our midst.

No – ad hominem attacks add nothing to the discussion, regardless of the target.

I read all three articles references in this post, and none of them make ad hominem attacks on Ezra Klein. They all question his credibility on the subject based on the assertions and arguments he made, and their attempts to refute them.

Dismissing the argument because of perceived bias, without actually engaging in the discussion at hand, is an ad hominem attack. Here is one defintition of argumentum ad hominen:

“Criticising a position by calling attention to irrelevant personal characteristics of someone who holds it.” – Such as their biases.

The discussion isn’t over because we have to fix the US healthcare system or continue to waste a lot of money while providing sub-optimal care. To get upset about the facts and then suggest that it’s a reason to not work to solve the problem is ridiculous. There’s a reason that the first step in all 12 step programs is acknowledging the failure.

How about this: We admit that US heathcare is seriously messed up providing lower quality care than other nations with universal coverage at costs far higher than those nations. We are powerless to change as long as we keep blaming the lawyers, our patients, the government, the insurance industry, or other doctors.

“Bottom line, Canada’s healthcare system is better than ours.”

I hope you never get cancer in Canada Elliot. YOu might find yourself waiting for weeks on end for a radiation slot or chemo. But hey, don’t believe me, unlike you, I actually know whatI am talking about.

Notice how Ezra’s website does not even mention the bloody defeat of his socialist buddy Ms Royal of France. Yet another bloody nose for the neo-socialists in Europe. Ezra’s silence is deafening.