Quote of the day

French President Nicholas Sarkozy, welcoming America to a seat at the Table of Sane Nations for passing health reform. Sure, it's a seat near the back at one of the less important tables and we get served last and aren't allowed to partake in the hot fudge sundae bar, but we're there now.

“Welcome to the club of states who don’t turn their back on the sick and the poor,” Sarkozy said, referring to the US health care overhaul signed by President Barack Obama last week.

From the European perspective, he said, “when we look at the American debate on reforming health care, it’s difficult to believe”. [...]

Then to hearty applause, he added: “If you come to France and something happens to you, you won’t be asked for your credit card before you’re rushed to the hospital.”

Sarkozy also explained during his speech that it was “astonishing” to the French that a “violent debate” erupted in America over the notion that “the poorest of Americans should not be left out in the streets without a cent to look after them.”

It was astonishing to some of us as well. Thanks for the congratulations and all, it means something coming from the #1 WHO ranked health care system in the world, but could you have congratulated us without seeming so.... French? It was a tad haughty with notes of snootiness. In any event, thanks, it's nice to have a slightly saner health care system... and slightly insaner political discourse. I didn't think either were possible, but we somehow did it.

I also feel I must note that Sarkozy is from the right wing, much more conservative than France as a whole, UMP party. Again, we really got the raw end of the deal when God handed out conservatives.