Health care vote

The country did not die when the British burned Washington to the ground. It did not fade into the pages of history when the slaves were freed. It did not weaken when women were granted their right to vote. It did not waver when the fate of the world was at stake. It did not crumble in the face of preventing a third world scorching war. It did not end an era when Medicare was passed. This vote on heath care is not what we wanted but it is better than doing nothing! More people will now get the chance to FIGHT for their right to live and their right to make that fight without losing everything in the process.

To those who oppose the idea of health reform I again ask this question. If government health care is good enough for seniors AND our military why not for the rest of us? If it is so bad why have they not fought tooth and nail to get rid of veteran benefits and Medicare? Could it be that they know private insurance companies would only ensure such high risk people over their company’s dead body?

Also keep this in mind when you fight against public health care. Many of our greatest medical triumphs have been funded BY THE GOVERNMENT. How many universities and research institutes have received government grants for medical research? Probably more than 50% I would bet.

This is a small step, and I hope that the idea of total health coverage remains a strong beacon to achieve.

After all, when this country declared itself independent, it shouted to the world that in America everyone has the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of property.” We have the right to live our lives, the right to be free, AND the right of ownership.