by Susan E. Carr

Created on: January 10, 2011

Health care in the United States has been an ongoing political issue over the years, regardless of goverment.  It is an issue of importance and should be viewed from every perspective by citizens who are concerned not only with their own well-being, but with those of the citizens at large who reside in the United States.

There are few (if any) developed countries in the world who do not offer health care in some form to their citizens.  There is a reason for this.  Most developed countries understand the need to look after their own.  They also understand that health care should not be considered a "business" but rather a societal obligation and that when governments act in favor of insuring good health care benefits to their citizens, there is a positive return for doing so.  People who are able to access quality health care have fewer sick days, will offset future health issues by reacting expediently to illness and tend to be proactive when it comes to their health, such as having regular check ups and dental appointments.

Currently, there is a congresswoman in the United States fighting for her life.  She is apparently in favor of health care reform.  Fortunately, she is someone who is able to receive excellent care by exceptional caregivers.  Many others are not - the reason why she has made herself available to speak with the communities she represents.  It is unnerving to view this issue as at least part of the reason she may today be fighting for her own life.  One can only wonder how something such as health care has elicited this kind of reaction - and to a lesser degree, other strong reactions across the United States. 

Perhaps the question also provides us with some of the answers.  When something has always been a certain way, it is difficult to perceive it any other way.  A different way of being and thinking can cause anxiety, suspicions, and of course, lobbying by special interest groups, who perhaps have made a lot of money on health care.  Health care, democracy and capitalism are not the same things and never have been.  Thinking of universal health care as "socialism", something to be avoided, may not be in the best interest of the majority of people.  While health care does carry with it the idea of social responsibility it is definitely not a direct threat to capitalism.  However, offering a health care system to the people may well be a threat to a way of life that is lucrative for some. 

President Obama has made a choice to ensure that the people of the United States, as in most other countries in world, are able to access adequate health care - this of course directly ties in with the mandate - OF THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE AND BY THE PEOPLE - doesn't it?|

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