They sort of more or less promised rain for today, but we only got a misting, if even that, when walking to Starbucks in the morning. When lunch hour arrived, so did the sun and it turned out to be just another gorgeous day. Perfect for some work on the wall...
On a more serious note, there has been a ruckus over the past few days over a badly needed healthcare reform. Congress is on summer recess, and that means they are home and reaching out to their community/constituents.
But why are people so scared for healtcare reform? It is sorely needed. It is a Royal (or should we say Federal?) shame that a country like the mighty United States of America does not provide even basic healthcare for its citizens. No, in this country, you either are lucky in getting it (in esssence tax subsidized) from your employer, or you better "pay up" yourself with "after-tax" dollars - and that at a much higher premium than what an employer pays for same "services".
If healthy, it is only a sizeable cost (~$400/month and up) but if you happen to have some type of "pre-existing condition", meaning you've actually been sick before and its "on record", you might not be able to find an insurance company willing to take you on. Or in a better case, take you on but at such a cost that you cannot afford it. In either case, you are SOL when it comes to healthcare - unless you have an emergency and then you'll be treated at the local ER - at great expense to the hospital, the system, and the country (possibly after you've been stripped of everything you own, and forced into personal bankcruptcy).
We live in an increadibly rich nation, and it is unfathomable that we do not prioritize heathcare. ANY modern nation on the planet has a system that provides for some basic (in most cases actually really good) coverage, and that at a far lower overall cost than what we in essence are paying in the U.S. (we are spending some 2-4 times more than the closest nations, and with pretty lousy outcome).
On top of that, if it can be a way to measure success, even with all the money that we waste on ineffective healthcare for a few, we still only rank 30th nation or so in life expectancy for our citizens.
It is time that we - as a nation - step up to the plate and TOTALLY reform the system so we can start early on with guaranteed healthcare for the young, for the students, for the "prodcutive years", and for when you are settling down in retirement. Switzerland, England, Canada, Japan, Sweden, Germany, France, all have systems that provide far better coverage and services than ours, and that at a fraction of the cost.
So America, what are you afraid of? Why are you out and screaming "no socialism" to Predident Obama and members of Congress? Providing healthcare to a country's citizen is not socialism, it is just simply basic compassion. And when doing it smarter, wiser, cheaper than the corrupt system we have today, it is also sound Economics - one of the cornerstones in America's economic power.
Check out just a few of these links:
Sick Around the World
Canadian Health Care
An excellent - but long winded - commentary by Keith Olbermann
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Be nice and on topic, or your comment will be deleted