Bill O'Reilly: Higher Canadian Life Expectancy "To Be Expected" Because "We Have 10 Times As Many People"

Last night on the O'Reilly Factor, Bill turned to the audience letters. From Peter in Canada: "Has anyone noted that life expectancy in Canada under our health system is higher than the USA?" Bill wasn't phased, but he did use some creative math to answer. "Well Peter, that's to be expected," he said, "we have ten times as many people as you do!"

(h/t Media Matters)

Comments

[tom streeter]

07:06 PM on 08/09/2009

The word is "fazed." Not faze.

Sheesh

[rbrinega]

11:15 AM on 07/30/2009

This is a perfect example of the old saw that statistics don't lie, but liars use statistics. And it also points to one reason why such a small percentage of scientists are Republicans [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/10/only-six-percent-of-scien_n_229382.html].

A lot of this has to do with people's inability to understand simple mathematical concepts -- I remember when I was math student and when I was math student teacher that almost everybody hates "story problems" (where the solution typically requires proper interpretation of english words into mathematical formulae). So this crap can be foisted off on large numbers of folks who are basically math illiterate/phobic. I'm not sure if Bill O'Reilly doesn't understand (because he is stupid and possibly math illiterate -- in this case, someone probably lied to him with the info), or if he does undersand and still lies to us. Either case is plausible.

Because scientists understand "story problems", they know that currently most right-wing talking statistical arguments are baloney.

[Bronxdude]

10:09 AM on 07/30/2009

Forget bipartisanship; true reform will provide affordable options that include a public offering. As it stands right now, UnitedHealthcare can deny medical care, restrict physician choice and authorize exorbitant copays and deductibles with no oversight. Real reform will end the monopolistic strangle-hold enjoyed by ruthless and morally bankrupt insurers like UnitedHealthcare. In Georgia, UnitedHealthcare colluded with corrupt republican officials to eliminate competition, with the end result being higher premiums, reduced benefits, and greater profits for UnitedHealthcare. With no real competition, UnitedHealthCare is free to bilk and rob consumers. When compared to the second quarter of 2008, profits for UnitedHealthcare increased by a whopping 155 percent, yet premiums continue to climb 3 times faster than wages. UnitedHealthcare is leading the charge to defeat healthcare reform by paying out millions in hush money to corrupt, lying, and obstructionistic republicans. The health insurance industry (and the corrupt republicans they bankroll) will not retreat quietly from billions in annual profits. Repelling the Bush tax cuts for the top 2 percent and ending the Iraq War would generate $1.8 trillion in revenue, more than enough to pay for universal healthcare over the next ten years. In comparison, the Iraq War will cost $2.4 trillion over the next ten years. I want the same affordable health insurance options enjoyed by Congress. Real choice will end the single profiteer, monopolistic health insurance system currently bilking and extorting Americans.

[Bronxdude]

10:08 AM on 07/30/2009

Since lying and sell-out republicans sanction the looting of the middleclass by the same ruthless health insurers they deregulated, we need the government between the public and greed-driven insurance profiteers. Profit at the expense of human suffering is a republican engineered abomination. True competition will lower health costs and the cost of health insurance. State employees in Georgia have no due process patient protection rights, a negotiated constraint that gives UnitedHealthcare carte blanche to deny medical care and restrict doctor choice with no oversight. Real competition will end the monopolistic stranglehold enjoyed by parasitic insurers like UnitedHealthcare. If competition is the lynchpin of free-market capitalism, then why is UnitedHealthcare afraid to compete on the open market against the feds? Limiting choice drives up cost, increasing profit for the health industry, which is why republican hacks defend extortion of the middleclass by companies like UnitedHealthcare. Through mendacious scare tactics, lying republicans curry favor and rouse baseless fear by preaching that reform will lead to rationed healthcare and restrictions on patient/doctor choice. Bull! Contrary to specious talking points propagated by self-serving republicans long on mindless rhetoric, as it stands right now, without real marketplace competition, insurers not only dictate the cost of healthcare, but they also get to pick and choose who gets coverage and medical care. Like degenerate street pimps, low-life and despicable republicans will not retreat quietly from millions in kickbacks paid out by their willing health industry whores. Public option now!

[wookierage]

09:30 AM on 07/30/2009

This *totally* explains why you hardly ever meet a chinese person who is over the age of 26.

[taptaptap]

08:38 PM on 07/30/2009

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[batspaul]

08:35 AM on 07/30/2009

A more relevant statistic would be the greater number of guns we have- not a connection I'm expecting O'Reilly to perceive, let alone voice.

[Ronnie Ruff]

06:55 AM on 07/30/2009

1+1=35 Bill is a piece of work right?

[SuZy0925]

05:06 AM on 07/30/2009

From Republicrat1: "FOX News #2 In All Of Cable
Basic cable network rankings for week of: 07/20/2009-07/26/2009
CNN 20, MSNBC....26
bye"
Using the same logic as Billo there, Republicrat1--Fox News has 10 times more idiots watching TV instead of volunteering, exercising, hanging with friends, doing something useful with their lives, etc. My husband and I see them while we're exercising our dogs--they're watching their little 19-inch sets with the converter box on top; their little faces all scrunched up, red, and angry; their blood pressure shooting up. You, and they, need to chill and get a life!

[awryly]

03:38 AM on 07/30/2009

Amusing stuff. Even HuffPost edits stuff it doesn't like.

Way of the media world.

[awryly]

03:26 AM on 07/30/2009

We Huff and we Puff...

'and we still can't blow the house down.

Why is that?

[Chip W]

12:55 AM on 07/30/2009

Also, the people in Canada are younger, so of course they'll live longer.

[NewGenerationNewIdeas]

12:44 AM on 07/30/2009

Simply....wow.

[Oonagh]

11:59 PM on 07/29/2009

Nuts... these guys are all going nuts... what does more people have to do with longer life expectancy.

[jeanwny]

11:32 PM on 07/29/2009

Does he know nothing? Its statistics Bill or is that too big a word for you

[FantasticFourFan]

09:40 PM on 07/29/2009

Boy, the cons just can't win on this issue, can they?