Starving Person: I Don't Want Food if I Have to Wait in Line to Get It...

A Simple & Preventive Medical Procedure Saves Bush from Cancer. Many Americans Don't Have this Option!

It's absolutely not true that when president Bush went in for a colonoscopy the doctors found his head up there! The doctors found some polyps and removed them. Those polyps could have turned into cancerous ones if left untreated. This is the benefit of having health care coverage, including preventive care!

Thus, the president [all the people's elite representatives enjoy full health care] was able to schedule an appointment for the procedure. That was good. But, what about the estimated 48 million of Americans who don't have health insurance, and many more who are under-insured?

The question is this: should you die if you can't afford medical insurance?

Of course, medical care is expensive, though it generates huge profits for the insurance companies whose number one priority is to make money, often by denying benefits and necessary medical procedures. It's time we re-think our approach to healthcare. But, we do need our citizens to get informed, pay attention to the debate, and, hopefully, demand a resolution to this mess. The status quo won't give up without a fight, that's a given. However, if the majority wants a solution, one will be found.

We should also go beyond the simplistic labeling, like, "socialized medicine," socialize this or that... There are some institutions that should operate for the public good, outside the struggle to make a profit. Public libraries, national parks, heck, even the military, aren't seen as direct profit makers! Likewise, for our healthcare system. It should be set up to serve the public, as a non-profit entity. There's plenty of room for profits in this model too, but, for example, it won't be necessary to spend big sums of money on administrative and advertizing costs. Medicare is much more efficient on the other hand.

Prevention is another important way to reduce future costs, because, it was cheaper that Mr. Bush got a diagnosis and a simple procedure today instead of being treated for cancer later on.

All advanced countries have some kind of public medical care, only the US is left out, whereas some many of its citizens [whose number is bigger than many other ..countries!] spend the most (as a % of GDP). In all those countries, despite the problems in their systems, consistently majorities approve the public health care they enjoy. We've heard about the problems (ie. waiting times) in Canada and Britain, but, still, those citizens prefer the system they have to a private system with many uninsured. Their waiting times might be shortened too if they excluded millions of their citizens from access to healthcare as we do here!

Even in a system where some procedures require a waiting period, a person needing a procedure like Bush's could be treated. Can you image a starving person being told that there's free food available only to reply, "what? there's a line to get in? Forget it!"... Com'on now, let's be realistic and do something about insuring everyone in this country. This is what I call a progressive culture of life!