I actually first encountered the term “zombie lies” with regard to Canadian health care, where false beliefs — like the one about hordes of Canadians heading to America for care, which is completely untrue — just keep coming back, no matter how many times they’re killed by evidence.

Let me highlight a domestic zombie that I see emerging in comments: the notion that if Medicare starts limiting the procedures it will pay for, this would be an infringement of your freedom of choice. I even see some people saying that it’s unconstitutional.

I’ve taken this on before, so let me repost:

But nobody is proposing that the government deny you the right to have whatever medical care you want at your own expense. We’re only talking about what medical care will be paid for by the government. And right-wingers, of all people, shouldn’t believe that everyone has the right to have whatever they want, at taxpayers’ expense. The Declaration of Independence did not declare that we have the right to life, liberty, and the all expenses paid pursuit of happiness.

What will it take to shoot this zombie in the head?

Update

: And here’s a link to the original zombie paper.