Healthcare is a HUMAN RIGHT

[rollingrock]

at least that's how healthcare is treated in every civilized nation on the earth, including countries the US government disparages as the '3rd world'. Well if Mexico and China are the 3rd world, then what does that make the US? The 4th world? If democrats in the house, senate and WHITE HOUSE had any common sense, perception about these things, that is how they would be framing the healthcare debate -- that healthcare is a universal HUMAN RIGHT. That's how every civilized nation on the earth treats the issue of healthcare (for the record, I don't count the US as being among the civilized nations) - that it's a human right. And who could argue against healthcare being a HUMAN RIGHT without looking like a complete ass? Language, symantics are powerful, because the language you use can have a powerful effect on human emotions. I just wish someone in the democratic party would understand that. Or maybe the do understand it the psychology , but refuse to employ it because in reality, they're DINOs for the most part. I can't believe they're that stupid enough to not understand the importance of the language and framing. Hell, I figured it out with nothing more than a community college education.

But democrats in the US were never smart, and they are not progressive. They are hired to be the designated "opposition party" when in reality there's really no opposition party in this country to speak of. What we have in reality is little more than a one-party dictatorship.

[varelse]

1. recommended

We *can* afford this. We can't afford *not* to do it.

[timeforpeace]

2. Did the Founding Fathers miss this one? Seriously. Or is it enumerated in other terms?

[TexasObserver]

6. Yes, the guys who missed slavery, equal rights for women, equal rights for non property owners ...

... missed far more than this one.

We haven't had the constitution of 1787 since 1787. It was DOA, and had to have a Bill of Rights added before it could be passed. Why? Because a noisy group of radicals demanded that certain rights be protected, something your heralded Founding Fathers never once considered in that hot summer convention in Philly.

The meaning of the constitution evolves to meet the times, and always had. In summary, what the Founding Fathers wanted or intended is absolutely meaningless for determining what we want it to mean today.

The health and welfare of Americans is a constitutional right if Americans want it to be, and that time has come.

[TexasObserver]

3. Yes, it is. That's something a number of DUers simply fail to understand, too.

They think only in terms of "I deserve health care because my job provides it!"

If a person thinks health care should depend upon having a job that provides coverage, they really don't understand the progressive position on health care. Canadians and Brits think we're barbaric for not having universal health care, and they're right.

[imdjh]

13. We have universal health care. What we don't have is an efficient access system. nt

[TexasObserver]

15. No, we don't. We have health care that isn't available equally to most Americans.

Your definition is not the one used in America for Universal Health Care.

[imdjh]

16. I disagree with you.

If "universal health care" is defined as being able to see a doctor any time you want, then I don't have that either. However, if universal health care means being able to see a doctor when you are sick,, then we have universal health care.

[Wilms]

4. I don't think I agree with that.

I do think it's a civic responsibility.

:shrug:

[rollingrock]

9. So, if say you're 15-year old attending high school

and you get hit by a drunk driver, you should be responsible for payment of your $80,000 medical bill?

[Wilms]

21. I think I said that wrong.

I think a society such as ours has a responsibility (even for it's own sake) to provide it to everyone.

I just don't see it as a human right, per se.

Perhaps the difference isn't worth the mentioning.

[tilsammans]

5. Agree!

As if something is WRONG with the government helping to ensure the well-being of its citizenry.

:patriot:

[90-percent]

7. Constitution

The entire phrase: "We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

In my opinion, the current system denies us the pursuit of happiness if you can't get reasonably priced health care. Do we expect all the 50,000,000 uninsured to suddenly go out and find a job that affords them enough income to own a home and a car and all that other American Dream stuff, while paying out very approximaltely $1,000 a month just for adequate insurance?

For those that can't afford the high price of private health insurance, are they happy knowing they are one illness away from bankruptcy? Or having their wages garnished to pay back a $120,000 hospital bill?

Are those that thought they had good health insurance from their employer happy when their insurance company finds a loophole and drops them just when they need it most, like finding out they have cancer or got in to a car wreck or something?

It's pretty hard to pursue happiness when health insurance is eating up 50% of your disposable income just to carry it in the hopes it will actually cover you when you really need it.

Insurance is shared risk. The risks we share for health care should be shared in a pool that includes the ENTIRE POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES! For profit insurance is the antithesis of shared risk, because, in the pursuit of profit, the ins co's only want to insure people that do not need it. The less they pay in claims, the more profit they make. It's their corporate obligation to their share holders!

For Profit Corporate Health insurance is an obscene un-American perversion.

-90% jimmy

[dflprincess]

8. Not to be too picky, but you're quoting the opening line of the Declaration of Independence

though I appreciate the sentiment you express.

The Constitution starts with "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

It could be argued that health care would be included under "promoting the general welfare".

[90-percent]

23. Thanks

I sincerely appreciate the correction.

I am deeply offended by the outright BULLSHIT floating around out there today and I strive to be as factually accurate as possible.

The other side effectively uses COMPLETE BULLSHIT to their advantage, but I will never ever knowingly employ or advocate such tactics for "our side".

I happened to catch Noam Chomsky on Book TV last night. His point was that the sinister powered elite is getting so greedy they are literally ruining the entire world via global warming. The rest of the world is looking at the enormity of our "democracy's" dysfunction and are very concerned. They're collectively muttering; "What the fuck?"

I like what Chomsky has to say and we ignore him at our peril.

I guess my satisfaction will come when I'm 30 years older and get to say to all my righty buddies; "See, We told you global warming was real. Too bad you had kids. Enjoy thinking about the wrecked world you left them."

-90% Jimmy, denying my genetic material to the world for all eternity (My sister had kids, that's enough Jimmy related DNA for you all)

[TexasObserver]

10. promote the general Welfare

[Cruzan]

12. So good I made it my sig

[TexasObserver]

14. Cool. Establish Justice, too. Its beauty is its adaptability to an evolving nation.

[imdjh]

11. it would be better to call it a "critical system", not a "human right"

If you call it a human right then you are going to get bogged down in trying to defend your terminology, whereas no one could argue that health care is not a critical system.

[rollingrock]

17. A critical what?

sounds like some BS lawyer-speak nobody ever heard of,.

(except maybe some slimy lawyers, lol).

[imdjh]

19. It's a critical system, like power, water, sewer...

[Wilms]

22. Go easy on him.

That frame could help some people who are opposed to single-payer see the light.

Which is part of the job right now.

[BlueJazz]

18. If I had a Crystal Ball and knew that I would NEVER need any Insurance..

....I would still gladly pay into a national heath care system simply because it's the right thing to do for my Fellow and Sister Citizens.

[rollingrock]

20. Thank you!

for being a human being.