Surprise!! It is Americans only true system of "socialized medicine." The department of Veterans
Affairs Health System. They have shorter wait times, better health outcomes, better information technology, and cutting edge technology and research, its less expensive . . . and it is run by bureaucrats. And they are not trying to kill anyone's grandparents.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1376238,00.html
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Confessions of a pro-life liberal.
I am pro life. Like most of my conservative friends and family members, I am opposed to elective abortions and I believe that it is morally abhorrent to take the life of human being even if that person is still in development. I believe that policy should make abortion more rare and support abstinence, birth control, and adoption rather than taking a human life. I am pro-life because I believe that life is a sacred gift from our creator and that no one can take a human life but god. But being pro-life means so much more to me than the abortion issue. I'm also pro-life after birth. I am strongly opposed to the death penalty. I disagree with euthanasia. I oppose any form of offensive or preemptive war.
Being pro-life, I strongly support universal health care. According to the Institute of Medicine, lack of health insurance causes roughly 18,000 unnecessary deaths every year in the United States. If a terrorist attack or a natural disaster killed everyone residing in the town the size of Brigham City, Utah we wouldn't stop talking about it. We would to do something. It would have been the worst attack on US soil or the worst natural disaster in US history. This happens every year at the hands of our private health care system. Many of these deaths are children. A new study, which was conducted by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, concluded that children without health insurance are twice as likely to die from injuries as insured children. I believe that life is too sacred to leave in the hands of corporate profits.
I can already hear the argument. "But Keith, what about all of the people in countries with socialized medicine who die waiting for life saving medical care." This is a myth sold by people making a fortune in private health care. The numbers actually show that we wait as long or longer for health care than any other industrialized country. Business Week, no great fan of a national healthcare system, reported in late June that "as several surveys and numerous anecdotes show, waiting times in the U.S. are often as bad or worse as those in other industrialized nations -- despite the fact that the U.S. spends considerably more per capita on health care than any other country." A study of six highly industrialized countries, the U.S., and five nations with national health systems, Britain, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, found waiting times were worse in the U.S. than in all the other countries except Canada. Our life expectancy and highest infant mortality rates are worse than most other industrial nations.
One of government's roles is to protect the lives of the people. That's why we have a military. That's why we have a national guard. That's why we have the FDA. How is health care so different? We need health care reform. I challenge anyone who calls themselves pro-life to stand behind universal health care. Lets come together and take one more step in supporting and defending the sanctity and value of every human life.
Being pro-life, I strongly support universal health care. According to the Institute of Medicine, lack of health insurance causes roughly 18,000 unnecessary deaths every year in the United States. If a terrorist attack or a natural disaster killed everyone residing in the town the size of Brigham City, Utah we wouldn't stop talking about it. We would to do something. It would have been the worst attack on US soil or the worst natural disaster in US history. This happens every year at the hands of our private health care system. Many of these deaths are children. A new study, which was conducted by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, concluded that children without health insurance are twice as likely to die from injuries as insured children. I believe that life is too sacred to leave in the hands of corporate profits.
I can already hear the argument. "But Keith, what about all of the people in countries with socialized medicine who die waiting for life saving medical care." This is a myth sold by people making a fortune in private health care. The numbers actually show that we wait as long or longer for health care than any other industrialized country. Business Week, no great fan of a national healthcare system, reported in late June that "as several surveys and numerous anecdotes show, waiting times in the U.S. are often as bad or worse as those in other industrialized nations -- despite the fact that the U.S. spends considerably more per capita on health care than any other country." A study of six highly industrialized countries, the U.S., and five nations with national health systems, Britain, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, found waiting times were worse in the U.S. than in all the other countries except Canada. Our life expectancy and highest infant mortality rates are worse than most other industrial nations.
One of government's roles is to protect the lives of the people. That's why we have a military. That's why we have a national guard. That's why we have the FDA. How is health care so different? We need health care reform. I challenge anyone who calls themselves pro-life to stand behind universal health care. Lets come together and take one more step in supporting and defending the sanctity and value of every human life.
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