Corker: Canada, France have 'parasitic relationship' with US
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/04/07/art.corker.gi.jpg caption="Sen. Bob Corker suggested that Canada and France have a 'parasitic relationship with the US."]
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Republican Sen. Bob Corker suggested Wednesday that when it comes to health care, Canada and France have a "parasitic relationship" towards the United States.
During a hearing of the Special Committee on Aging, the Tennessee Republican told Canada's former Public Health Minister, Dr. Carolyn Bennett, that her country is "living off of us" because they set lower prices for health care and "all the innovation, all the technology breakthroughs just about take place in our country and we have to pay for it."
"It is not really our country so much is the problem, it's sort of the parasitic relationship that Canada, and France, and other countries have towards us," Corker said. "...You benefit from us, and we pay for that. And I resent that, and I want to figure out a way to solve that."
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Oh my God. Another truethful statement.
I wonder if Obama has taking these costs into consideration in his multi-trillion dollar income redistribution scheme.
What an idiot. Pfizer, Merck, J&J, and the rest of the big pharmaceutical and device makers (e.g., Boston Scientific) make tens of billions of dollars every year selling their products around the world, including Canada and France.
How is it again that they are being parasites?
That's true, but Obama will assume that the US is at fault and apologize for it (if Iran and Russia let him).
Some politicians are an embarrassment because they don't know when to shut up. These are allies that he's talking about. Any wonder why the world hates our arrogance. Every time they make these comments they make it even more difficult for the State Department to find other countries willing to work with us on all the global problems we are expected to solve.
Put a cork in it Corker.
My guess would be Bob Corker also has a parasitic relationship with big corporations and corrupted Washington lobbyist!
Sit down Bob!
Sen. Bob Corker, national embarrassment.
I can hardly wait to hear what the CBC make of this this evening - they're already pretty pissed at the way Americans keep on forgetting or undervaluing their help (and losses) in Afghanistan. Or, I seem to recall, their former help. Insulting your friends isn't a very good way to get them to contribute more troops. Au contraire...
Have all gop politicians been infected with hoof in mouth disease? Every time one of these jackals opens there mouth, they show how out of touch they are. No reality exists in the world where they live.
Yeah, they might. So what?
Are you going to keep the technology from them, and let the people who need it get sicker and die? Awesome.
This man is a Republican, and an idiot. God help us!
We Canadians are quite used to the total ignorance that comes out of right wing Americans. He should really look at where new developments are made rather than making assumptions. It is amazing that the United States gives such reverance to ignorance.
The only parasitic relationship I know of is republicans and america. They live off of us and we pay for it. They do no good, come up with no solutions, democrats fix all their disasters, and I RESENT THAT!
Vote out all of the republicans and replace them with ONLY yes votes for the Public Option.
Research in a vacuum room! problem solved right? No, or may be Canadanians and french knows how to separate greed from capitalism?
And the GOP as the gall to criticize the Obama administration for how they handle foreign affairs?
This has got to be one of the stupidest things I've ever heard!
What an idiot. But then, he's a Republican. Because Canadians and French people who might come here do not have insurance coverage, they pay out of pocket. They are paying customers. I'm sure the insurance companies the Republicans are beholding to are just fine with that.
Yes, some of the wealthier foreigners come here to get non-essential stuff done quicker. Less waiting. My the inconvenience of it all. It just doesn't compare though – to the inconvenience many Americans have who lose their homes due to illness, or who get dropped when they become terminal, and then lose their homes....
Maybe Corker should focus on that...
Corker, who provides your health insurance? Who pays for it? And why can't we have the same? That's the real issue at hand. You're just distracting people by pointing elsewhere outside our borders.
Hmmmm sounds just like the same relationship a Senator has with the American people, they tax and take our money away and give it to the rich in bailouts.
The ignorance of your politicians. All the "innovation" and Technology breakthroughs" come from the States. Give me a break – all countries have innovation and technology skills that have been developed through their own countries and then sold their patents to the US (so the US can claim to be the "inventor") which doesn't make these other countries "parasites". Heart transplants, lung transplants, polio vaccines, etc. weren't invented in the U.S. – they might have been advanced in the States, but they certainly weren't "invented" in the States. If your statement was to give the impression that your Health Care costs were exhorbitant because of research and development – check your figures – you guys don't allot very much towards actual research and development. Furthermore, the Canadian and French population in total wouldn't even cover the amount of uninsured in your country. Parasites indeed!!
The REAL parasites: Blubbering ConservIdiot Sniveling Morons known as the Gutless Obstructionist Party = GeeNopee.
PELOSI is the Best.
PELOSI is the Speaker because we Majority elected her.
PELOSI is Doing a Great Job.
PELOSI is a Great Leader.
To all those who do not Like a Democratically Elected Leader:
—————– You can have your PASSPORTS and Leave the Country.
———————– Because America is Democratic Country.
This guy is a moron aspiring to become an idiot. Well over half of the
"technology" that is utilized in medicine today come from places other than the U.S. And the ones that do, to whom do you think the profits go. This gentleman has no other interest greater than to protect the lofty profits the drug companies have enjoyed. Mr. Corker will quickly learn the hard way that a closed mouth gathers no foot. Us parasites worldwide are also the largest consumers of your technology fool.
To our friends north of the border: We aren't all loutish boors, so please don't let mr. imbicile cloud your opinion of all citizens of the United States.
poor Ignorance
If you take a look at this so-called Political Ticker, it's really just one story after another of a Republican going completely over the top.
Another example is the story about Michael Steele REACTING to Thomas Friedman's well-reasoned column about the threats to President Obama. Note that the story wasn't about the hostile environment stoked by the right wing, it was about a wing nut spouting off at the mouth.
Now we have this Corker spewing off like he has Tourette syndrome about Canada and France. Elsewhere today we've had a right-wing columnist calling for a MILITARY COUP to remove Obama from office. For some reason CNN doesn't have a story on it yet.
This is getting very ugly. It's time to hold these idiot Republicans to account for their hate speech, regardless of whom it is directed.
Is he seriously blaming Canada for our health care problems? Is a low IQ the only requirement for being a Republican? Mr. Corker try using your head for more than keeping your ears apart.