Hilbert Morales
EL OBSERVADOR
EO’s ‘Certificate of Appreciation’ will be mailed to those three REPUBLICAN SENATORS ‘WHO DID WHAT IS RIGHT FOR ALL OF US’ when all three voted NAY to the proposed legislation which would begin to establish an undefined ‘TrumpCare’ program projected to deny basic health care services to 32 million Americans while continuing to grant more tax benefits to those already ultra-wealthy.
Just to remind everyone, when the Senate Majority Leader placed that TrumpCare legislation up for its up or down vote in the U.S. Senate last Thursday (07.27.17), 51 votes were required to pass that proposed legislation. All 48 Democratic Senators voted against the legislation whose main purpose was to ‘repeal and replace’ the 2010 Affordable Care Act (also known as ObamaCare). This ACA legislation was enacted during 2010 following public debate and hearings and with America’s first African-American President seated in the White House’s Oval Office as CEO/CIC. Since the ACA became the ‘law of the land’, Republicans have been focused upon limiting former President Obama to one term (they failed because “We, The People” re-elected him) AND vowed to REPEAL AND REPLACE OBAMACARE (and they failed again!…despite having ‘control’ of the White House, the House of Representatives, and THE SENATE!!!).
All because three stalwart members of the Republican Party decided to DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR ALL OF US!
Those three (3) Republican ‘NAY’ votes are: Susan Collins, R-Maine; Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and John McCain, R-Arizona. These three elected officials, did what the Founding Fathers projected when they developed the system of ‘CHECKS AND BALANCES’ which is embedded into the U.S. Constitution when endorsed on July 4, 1776.
The basic human trait they counted upon was that individuals are basically logical, sympathetic, compassionate, and responsible in Doing unto others what you would have them do unto you. These three principled individuals examined their basic values and decided to do the right thing for all of us.
These three Senators understood that they became elected officials because they wanted to craft public policy which did the greatest good for the greatest number. Their supportive constituents must ensure that they all become re-elected because the ‘forces of self-interest’ will organize their DARK MONEY funded efforts to oppose their re-election.
It is the massive number of ‘silent majority voters’ who must ensure that they become involved, engaged and committed to putting an end to the forces of the influential powers who use DARK MONEY to achieve their mercenary goals.
Unfortunately, since 1975 union membership has declined and their collective bargaining rights curtailed. Also, automation has increased productivity while employment levels remained level (static). Health care insurance coverage must become independent of employment. Already too many folks have three or four part-time jobs which enables the employer to not have to provide health insurance coverage as a benefit.
The answer is what Senator Bernie Sanders calls “Medicare-for-all”. He plans to introduce legislation whose goal is to guide this nation towards comprehensive health care coverage of all residents of America.
Many, who currently have profitable positions and entitlements, are very much against any changes. These include ‘Big Pharma’ (prescription drug industry); durable medical equipment; Hospital Chains; Nursing Homes; and many more.
We, The People must internalize the reality that through public financing of government agencies such as the National Science Foundation; National Institutes of Health, and the Center for Communicable Diseases, many developmental investments have been underwritten with our tax revenues.
An unfortunate myth is that the private sector has made investments leading to the development of the world’s best medical care & services delivery system. Not so…and this becomes very evident when the subsidies, tax credits, shortened depreciation tax write-offs, and tax avoidance efforts which take advantage of loopholes. All of these corporate welfare items need to be curtailed or subjected to ‘sunset periods’.
The main opponents to the Medicare-for-All approach are all those who receives subsidies now. These include the Health Insurance industry which receives federal funds to underwrite those insurance policies provided to the low income or impoverished clients. Hospitals have been subsidized (Hill-Burton Act) to encourage building facilities in rural underserved areas (which has not happened). Big Pharma charges more for their prescription drugs sold domestically which is why those who are near the Mexican or Canadian borders, cross the border to purchase the identical drugs at lower prices.
The American taxpayer, following his/her Christian values, practice being a Good Samaritan. They have been generous when supporting the medical research which initiated many developments which the private sector has monetized to their benefit.
If a “Universal health care system, single payer system” is established, then many of these ‘private sector firms’ will have to accept lower profit margins.
A goal is to lower the expenditure of $10,000 per year per person for health care services down to a much lower level which is reasonable and sustainable.
Those ‘Nay’ votes by Senators Susan Collins, R-Maine; Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and John McCain, R-Arizona, have forced continued public policy discussions that special interests do not want at all.
Senator Bernie Sanders (email dated 07.31.17) correctly anticipates “Our goal is to create a rational, cost-effective health care system. Today in the United States, we are spending almost $10,000 a year per person on health care. This is absurd and unsustainable.”
“Our goal is to put health care dollars into disease prevention and the provision of health care, not insurance company profits, not outrageous salaries for health industry CEOs, not advertising, not billing, not lobbying or campaign contributions.”
“Our goal is to move this country to a Medicare-for-all, single-payer system.”
“Let me be clear. This will be an enormously difficult and prolonged struggle, and one which will require the efforts of tens of millions of Americans in every state in this country. It will, in fact, require a political revolution in which the American people participate in the political process in a way that we have not seen in the recent history of our democracy.”
“In order to pass a Medicare-for-all, single payer system we will be taking on the most powerful special interests in the country: Wall Street, the insurance companies, the drug companies, the corporate media, the Republican Party and the establishment wing of the Democratic Party. In opposition to our efforts there will be a never-ending barrage of TV ads, editorials, political attacks and lies.”
“If we are going to be successful in this struggle, we have got to be smart – very smart. Not only do we need strong legislation (which I will be offering shortly and an outline of which I will be sending to you), but we need an unprecedented organizing and educational campaign.”
It behooves “We, The People” to become fully involved, engaged, and committed since DARK MONEY cannot buy us all off. Let’s become INDEPENDENT in our own best interests. Like those three Senators, let’s do the right thing for all of us.∆
