For years, promises to leave the United States in the wake of an undesirable political development have been the domain of liberals. Celebrities such as Alec Baldwin, Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon all at some point suggested they would move to Canada if a Republican won the White House.
(There's even a Facebook group around to motivate them, complete with a helpful link to Canada's department of citizenship and immigration.)
While most of those were empty threats, there are notable exceptions: Film director Robert Altman moved to France after George W. Bush's victory in 2000; Law & Order star Michael Moriarty shipped off to Canada well before that.
But now the decidedly non-liberal Rush Limbaugh has made a similar move, telling his audience he will move to Costa Rica if health care reform becomes law. And now the only question that remains is whether Limbaugh will make good on his word, or join the ranks of the empty-promisers.
"If the health care bill passes, where would you go for health care yourself?" a caller asked Limbaugh on his radio show Tuesday.
"I’ll just tell you this, if this passes and it’s five years from now and all that stuff gets implemented — I am leaving the country. I’ll go to Costa Rica," Limbaugh replied.
This audio is from Premiere Radio Networks' The Rush Limbaugh Show, broadcast March 8, 2009 and uploaded by Media Matters.
The Costra Rican system isn't superior to what we have here, GO65, as things stand TODAY.
Rush's point was if this nationalization were to happen, THEN it would be superior.
He's correct. Got a couple of friends that have relocated, they flat out love it, not just the healthcare but the business opportunities, the tax system...and of coure the climate. I'm thinking of taking a trip to look around sometime this year myself.
Whats hilarious is the MSM totally misrepresenting what Limbaugh said, and once again demonstrating how biased they are, to the point they flat out lied.
What is it with you folks that you ***think*** you need to tell us what Fatboy and the Virgin Mary REALLY meant was....?
Even if he meant that he would go to Costa Rica just for health care, it doesn't change the fact that Costa Rica has had a Canadian-style universal healthcare insurance paid for by a combination of business and personal taxes for over 50 years. They pay far less than we do, but have higher life expectancy rates and nobody goes bankrupt from their medical bills.
I imagine Rush wasn't aware of Costa Rica's healthcare system when he made those comments, just as he wasn't aware that he was cared for in a unionized hospital in a state with universal health insurance coverage when he said a few months ago that he had received the best care in the world while in Hawaii.
Even if he meant that he would go to Costa Rica just for health care
Its not debatable, he said if this insane nationalization of the best healthcare system in the world passes, he would go to Costa Rica for his personal healthcare.
Its also false to assert the CR healthcare system is 'exactly' like the failing Canadian system.
Finally, you misrepresent what Rush said about his care in Hawaii. What is it with you today? You getting your info from media matters again?
Finally, you misrepresent what Rush said about his care in Hawaii. What is it with you today? You getting your info from media matters again?
Here's the original quote: "The people here at Queen's Hospital could not have been better. I feel very, very fortunate. I have been treated to the best health care the world has to offer -- and that is right here in the United States of America."
Hawaii has an employer mandate requiring employers to provide insurance, Queen's Hospital is a unionized facility.
At some point you really need to just accept that Rush has no clue what he's talking about (or he's secretly a believer in single-payer health care systems).
