Once upon a time governments, kingdoms, taxed the populace for protection from other nations while gaining (paying for) the right to live on the land claimed by a few. The taxes were high in comparison to the amount of living made despite long hours of work. Was there any other return on their payments, oops, “taxes,” that is.
With a more educated public demands for a larger return for money taxed has gradually been one (tooth and nail efforts, but successful over time). Universal Health care has been a LONG time coming. Slowly, perhaps, but surely the United States is worshiping the profit margins of capitalism less, and embracing the “united” notion in democracy. Child labor laws to protect the youth and public education is an expectation the government not a privileged right for the wealthy few. Minimum wage to ensure general means for well-being with employment is now a given for the average citizen. Equal employment assurances are now in play for hiring qualified persons regardless of sex, race, or disability. A maximum number of hours a week a person can be worked by command of an employer and vacation guarantees by the government. Health care for the underprivileged and elderly are government provided. Social security for retirement and disability safe-guards are also government provided.
There are about 2 things left: equal pay for both sexes and guaranteed health care for all. On the 23rd of March the President signed his name on the latest version of the passed health care bill (watered down but a start) using 22 pens to hand out to the senators present most involved in helping the bill make it this far-a pen for the sweat of their brow.
One Pen
Theodore Roosevelt to Franklin D. Roosevelt, Truman, Carter, Clinton, and Obama after close to a century of fighting.
Two pens
Worst health care administration of any industrialized nation.
Three pens
Most spent on GDP of any industrialized nation.
Four Pens
Shortest lifespan of any industrialized nations.
Five Pens
Infant mortality rate highest of any industrialized nations.
Six Pens
Spend more than any other nation on healthcare.
Seven Pens
Pre-existing health clauses precluding those in need.
Eight Pens
Pregnancy as a preexisting condition when between carriers.
Nine Pens
86.7 million Uninsured Americans.
Ten Pens
Abortion falsely used to attack bill (the bill explicitly states no funding from this will go toward abortion).
Eleven Pens
“Socialized” Health care used as red herring.
Twelve Pens
Pressure on Employers to provide comprehensive health plans is deemed fine but pressure on the government…is not?
Thirteen Pens
Differing levels of care for differing insurance coverage.
Fourteen Pens
Incomplete procedures because Insurance benefits run out.
Fifteen Pens
People becoming homeless because of medical debt.
Sixteen Pens
Homeless in need of health care.
Seventeen Pens
Profits made on the stock market for drug companies.
Eighteen Pens
More expensive medication prescribed when cheaper ones work better; Medical Marijuana forbidden for therapeutic use & reserved for pain in few only in cases that do not benefit therapeutically.
Nineteen Pens
War Spending: Defense Department Cannot Account For 25% Of Funds — $2.3 Trillion spent in 2001.
“Education (teach to the test)” spending: $786.8 billion in 2006 the United States spends more per student on education than any other nation in the world.
Twenty Pens
$270 million annually from government funded grants fund abortions unrelated to the bill, that could be invested in general health instead.
Twenty-one Pens
Funds spent on NASA to explore off earth areas rather than funds to help people on earth (“Whitey on the Moon”).
Twenty-two Pens
There is no fine print on the “life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness” declaration excluding health.