Greetings, you're listening to podcast number 152 of Blaster Eye.

I'm your host Jack Clark, great to have you on board.

Today, the show is all about healthcare reform.

You'll hear how to debunk a whole slew of right-wing talking points against progressive plans to revamp our healthcare system.

Lives are at stake, let's get right into it.

Your sources today include the New York Times, Media Matters.org, Reuters, Common Dreams.org, McKinsey.com, Business Week Magazine, OECD.org, CNN.com,

the website of Physicians for a National Health Program, the Associated Press, Newsmax.com, and the Nation Magazine.

To me, the healthcare debate isn't primarily ideological, it's about life and death, as you'll see.

Probably the most important right-wing lie to counter because so much else flows from it is that the US has the best healthcare system in the world.

Listen to George W. Bush and Sean Hannity.

I mean, people have access to healthcare in America.

After all, just go to an emergency room.

There's not a person in America that doesn't get the best healthcare.

If that's true, then all we need is some trim around the edges.

But if in fact, we have one of the worst performing healthcare systems in the developed world, then major, major structural reform is called for.

Which is it?

Let me say at the outset, there's no doubt we have one of, if not the most, technologically advanced systems.

But that ultra-high-tech care level isn't where the bulk of the healthcare system functions.

And that ultra-high-tech care is meaningless if you can't afford it.

Let's look at the facts.

About 47 million Americans lack any healthcare insurance at all.

Tens of millions more are underinsured.

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