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October 13, 2008 at 13:45:47
Health Care for Americans: A Right or a Responsibility? by Ross McNamara Page 1 of 1 page(s) |
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John McCain is interested in stimulating the free market for health care and in ridding the country of its current employer-based system. His plan provides a tax credit of $2500 for individuals and $5000 for families. His plan then taxes the employer-sponsored health care, seeing it as a source of income.
Yes, McCain chose 'Responsibility.' For McCain, moving America forward means working families need extra taxes and billion dollar health insurance companies are in dire need of a free market and more profits.
Free market. Some of the most common words on the airways today, typically in conjunction with the reasons behind our current economic disaster. Surely Mr. McCain can't believe in an ideology that has put all of our money at risk is also the correct solution for health care. Surely Senator McCain didn't write an article saying, "Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the excesses of state-based regulation."
Oh, but he did.
Conversely, Senator Obama's plan looks to build upon our current employer-sponsored health care by creating government-sponsored programs as an alternative until everyone who wants coverage has it. His plan also mandates that children be covered.
Mandates. Yes, Obama chose 'Right.'
Medicare and Medicaid are two glowing examples of a right to health care. Our country has decided individuals over 65 have the 'right' to insurance. And when I say our country, I mean Democrats.
Remember the government shutdown of 1995? That was the Republican's trying to get rid of Medicare.
However, while senior citizens deserve quality health care, it is also important to remember that they have on average only a few decades of life remaining. They certainly have earned the right to live out their golden years with the peace of mind that their health care needs are taken care of. Yet, our country has not yet decided that children, who cannot possibly be responsible for their own health care and have perhaps a century of life in front of them, do not have a 'right' to health care. No, our government doesn't yet feel a need to insure our nation's future by protecting its youth.
Children, no. Senators, yes. Both senators, even one with a checkered medical record, have the best insurance and health care our country can provide. The United States of America believes they have a 'right' to it.
McCain thinks that right stops there. Obama thinks it should keep going.
Seniors have a right to it. Senators have a right to it. Our judges have decided death row inmates' have a right it. But several recent studies estimate that under McCain's plan 20 million Americans will lose their health insurance. McCain's plan will add 20 million Americans to the already 47 million who are already without health care. No way.
Maybe the dictionary definitions aren't that far off after all. There are only a handful of definitions for 'responsibility,' with most pointing to a person or thing for which one is responsible. Fine. 'Right' on the other hand has 54 definitions and uses. But it's hard to find one that doesn't fit:
-What is good, proper or just.
-What is correct in judgment, opinion or action.
-That which is due to anyone by moral principles.
Our country has a responsibility to uphold its citizen's rights. And while the right chose responsibility, the left chose right - and I mean that in every sense of the word.
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author
and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
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| 5 comments |
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Not for profit health care is the only answer!
During the debates where Dennis Kucinich was allowed to attend, he was the only one who spoke in the interest of the people. I just wish that the MSM and the big business had allowed him to tell the truth about the health care scam in this country. When Obama stated in the last debate that health care was a right, I was shocked. If only the candidates would listen to the truth about health care. They have the right kind and if they have it, we should have it ,too. This is the only industrialized nation in the world that doesn't have a national health care plan that covers every person. Why have we allowed the insurance companies to keep such a strangle hold on the health of the American people? It is obscene that we have to fight for proper health care when we are ill. Why don't the American people demand the care that we are entitled to? Wake up, America!! It would be cheaper than what we have now and better by far. Demand the right to good health. Demand that our representatives secure it for us. THey should do something that we are paying them for. And until they do, their health care plans should be suspended. by Caronome (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 327 comments [15 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Oct 14, 2008 at 12:34:55 AM  (0+)
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Health Care
Although my wife and I will be voting for Obama, the health care question is a major disappointment for us. Years ago, Paul Wellstone, with the aid of government auditors proved that single payer, universal health care for all citizens was the only way to deliver high quality health care while saving huge amounts of money. The United States spends three times what the typical European country does on care but ends up leaving almost 50 million people out totally and allowing millions more to limp along with terrible coverage. by Bryan Emmel (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 415 comments [32 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Oct 14, 2008 at 4:23:00 AM (0+)
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Why?
Why do we not have universal healthcare in the US? 'Cuz people is stupid. Simple, direct and true. Most Americans do not understand that all other industrialized nations have health coverage for all. Even with the advent of 24 hour news and the internet, people just don't get it. Because no one talks about it. It smacks of socialism and that is just not allowed boys and girls, well, unless it is to bail out Wall Street. I have yet to hear any comprehensive discourse on the subject, other than "raise your taxes", "look at Cananda", and similar simplistic rants. Of course, we don't know what those candidates that weren't allowed to speak might have brought to the table during this election season. The truth is, if any of our elected leaders are actually interested in building the economy, strengthening the middle class and bringing jobs back to America, it has to start with nationalized health care. (And I don't mean Medicare. That plan for all of its good intentions falls far short of paying for the actual needs of the elderly or disabled.) National healthcare builds the economy from the bottom up. Small businesses, and large, will be able to hire more employees and expand if they do not have to spend huge amounts of money on insurance. People will be able to work, rather than choosing to remain in assistance programs for the fear of losing thier medical benefits, and nearly everyone would have higher wages, which means more taxable income. And hopefully with the burden of company subsidized health insurance no longer in the equation, some of our manufacturing jobs might return to homeland. Raise my taxes, go ahead; if it means that when my my husband needs his spinal surgery, or I need that knee replacement, we won't both end up in wheelchairs as wards of the state, oh, wait, that's right, if we are disabled, institutionalized wards of the state we can get that surgery. Of course, by that time, we will have lost our home, our car, our pets and our right of self-determination. God Bless America! by Kathy Stuart (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 39 comments [9 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Oct 14, 2008 at 10:58:14 AM (0+)
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Health Care for all.......................
Principle: There are no rights without responsibility. And because much of our primary health care is in our own hands by the choices of the foods we consume, living on fatty junk food, too much sugar and drink, smoking, little or no exercise, while expecting someone else to pick up the tab when something goes wrong is a non starter. But what needs to be corrected first and above all else is when buying good nutritious ingredients is so much more expensive than crap fast food. And that is the measure of how American agriculture is as much out of kilter as the banking sector. While one may steal our savings, the other will surely kill us one way or another! by R. A. Landbeck (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 10 diaries, 78 comments [4 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Oct 14, 2008 at 1:21:25 PM (0+)
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Yes, it is a right
When examining any policy issue I measure it against the ultimate American yardstick, the Constitution of the United States of America. The Constitution that all our leaders are sworn to support. In the preamble the purpose of the Constitution is stated,"...establish Justice," insure domestic Tranquility..." and"...promote the general Welfare..." That all citizens can have access to healthcare is certainly just. That a healthy citizenry will certainly"...insure domestic Tranquility..." Finally, promoting the general Welfare would certainly include access for healthcare to all citizens. So, yes, under our Constitution, healthcare is a right and our elected officials have an obligation to provide it. by Pulladigm (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 59 comments [27 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Oct 19, 2008 at 11:36:03 AM (0+)
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