Walsh: ‘Inner City Diverse Populations’ Prevent Universal Health Care (VIDEO)

FILE - In this Nov. 17, 2010 file photo, then-Rep.-elect Joe Walsh, R-Ill. speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. The Chicago Sun-Times reports Thursday, July 28, 2011, that Walsh's ex-wife, Layra Walsh has sued her ex-husband for more than $117,000 in what she says is unpaid child support and interest. Laura Walsh filed the claim in December in their divorce case. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)
FILE - In this Nov. 17, 2010 file photo, then-Rep.-elect Joe Walsh, R-Ill., speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. The Chicago Sun-Times reports Thursday, July 28, 2011, that Walsh's ex-wife, Laura Walsh has sued her ... FILE - In this Nov. 17, 2010 file photo, then-Rep.-elect Joe Walsh, R-Ill., speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. The Chicago Sun-Times reports Thursday, July 28, 2011, that Walsh's ex-wife, Laura Walsh has sued her ex-husband for more than $117,000 in what she says is unpaid child support and interest. Laura Walsh filed the claim in December in their divorce case. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File) MORE LESS
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Former Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL) on Wednesday blamed America’s size, diversity and “inner cities” for its lack of universal health care.

The justification came in an exchange with MSNBC’s Ali Velshi over universal health care. Velshi presented Walsh with data that the U.S. health care system ranks last among 11 wealthy nations, all the rest of which had universal health care.

“You can’t compare the rest of the world to us,” Walsh replied. “They do not have the big diverse populations that we have. They do not have the inner-city populations that we have.”

Later, when Velshi brought up the point again — that the United States ranks poorly in life expectancy, access to care and a variety of other measures — Walsh again brought up diversity. 

“I love you, my friend, but you cannot — Sweden does not have our inner-city population,” he said. “Norway, these countries do not have — you’re talking about countries the size of India with homogenous populations, Ali. You can’t compare them to what we have!”

Velshi brought up Canada, more diverse than the United States and with better health outcomes. Many nations with universal health care are more ethnically diverse than the United States.

Watch the exchange below via MSNBC:

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