“You cannot put a price on saving lives.” That seems to be the overwhelming sentiment
of people with families to raise, children with devastating illnesses, the
non-terminally ill elderly, everyone except those that harbor a contrary view of
“I don’t care.”

What might that view be: “Let ’em remain sick; let ’em die!” That doesn’t seem very
neighborly, Christian, Jewish, Islamic or religiously mainstream. Perhaps they
simply do not want to take on the mantel of being “my brother’s helper.”

Decades ago, recognizing that a healthy nation was a more productive and stable nation,
this country’s Congress passed and the president signed the Medicare/Medicaid
Act. Unfortunately, it did not provide health insurance or a health care system
for all of our citizens. Perhaps now that the economy is robust this America
First administration will actually put America’s families and their health
first!

Are there any elected or appointed government officials at any level or branch of
government who do not have government, taxpayer-subsidized health insurance or
health care? No.

It is hypocritical for the government to vehemently deny the same to us all.

We have the funds to make America healthy rather than to continue the higher cost
of a sick America. The issue is whether we and our congress can muster the
courage required to get the income to make it happen.

Healthcare must be universal. It could be single-payer, like Medicare, or socialized, like
the VA, or a two-payer system, like Medicaid. It must cover pre-existing
conditions.

Stop demonizing government assistance; we already have it and it works better than
not having it for both the wealthy and not so wealthy.

We bend over backward to make our corporate families healthy. Some of us declare
that regulations designed to protect the health of American families are an
anathema to financially healthy corporations. Many of us, especially major
shareholders, seem to care less about the health of the neighbor kid, than the
Wall Street corporations.

Whenever an exigency arises we respond without an immediate thought or concern for the
cost. If we need school resource officers or the weather causes mass destruction
we roll up our sleeves and do whatever it takes!

Isn’t our failing national health system an emergency? Don’t we need to move heaven
and earth in order to ensure our people are healthy? Don’t we need to assure our
people need not declare financial bankruptcy for the inability to pay medical
bills? Doesn’t a Great America envision everyone being prosperous? How can one
be prosperous if unhealthy or unable to overcome illness due to inadequate
health care or health insurance?

I admire and certainly appreciate those of us who by our intellect, work, vision,
belief, and commitment have achieved financial success. Using the American
infrastructure, including roadways, airports, seaports, communications and
trained workers, they have made very profitable businesses and achieved an
enviable standard of living. They can contribute more of their income to keep
the nation healthy. There are also those who have profited by their crime,
skulduggery, cheating, exploitation and complete disregard for anyone but
themselves.

And there are the also non-contributors. Should we abandon them? Is that a human
value? Is that the American Way? What would Jesus do?

If life is sacred, as many of us have espoused, them we must choose healthy people
and principle over profits. President Two Corinthians misuses religion as an
inducement for his base, but merely pays lip service to the notion himself. His
base doesn’t object to aid to Venezuela so that Venezuelans can have access to
health care and food; why not Americans also?

More than any other country, aren’t we the people worth it?

Choice
Edwards