Hilbert Morales
EL OBSERVADOR
As the Trump Administration widens its legal assault on protections for people with pre-existing conditions and affordable health care, House and Senate Democrats held a press event on Tuesday, April 2, in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, spotlighting resolutions led by Congressman Colin Allred and Senator Jeanne Shaheen calling for the Department of Justice to reverse its position in the Texas v. U.S. lawsuit.
I note that Georgia’s Legislature adopted the most restrictive anti- abortion law which stipulates that any pregnant woman may not consider having an abortion if a fetal heart beat exists. Fetal heart beats begin happening five (5) weeks after the ovum is fertilized by a sperm. Many women do not even know that she conceived after having sexual relations with her significant other or husband.
I do not understand those who try to impose their beliefs and values about the human reproductive process using legislative edicts which deny a woman her right to choose the health care her personal body gets when necessary. Hopefully, a woman who has conceived will consult with her gynecologist, her mate, and her priest.
The nation’s interest must be limited to dealing with issues which a committed couple encounter. These are affordable housing; pre- natal care programs; adequate natal care; available delivery rooms and having a living income preferably earned by her mate so that enable the mother to nurse and nurture her child as a stay at home mom.
Human reproduction is essential to the replacement of a community’s population. All economies are rightfully concerned about having skilled workers available. So, incentives need to be used. Restrictive laws just criminalize those involved when and if an abortion is required to ensure the continued healthy life of the woman.
It is not appropriate nor reasonable to target the operating funds of organizations such as “Planned Parenthood Clinics which devote less than 2% of their operating budget to maintaining and sustaining abortion services. Understand that a complete continuum of care is not possible when a pregnancy must be terminated by having an abortion somewhere else. Our society does not need to create impediments of any kind to having the complete spectrum of gynecologic services available locally including abortion services.
Legislatures and U.S. Congress persons would be well advised to devote their energy and funds to issues dealing with Sexual Education services and capacity. There is a need for a continuing sex education programs which informs individuals, both male and female. Issues are to identify and accept your sexuality; the impulsive urges to merge caused by hormonal peaks within your own body; and most importantly, to learn the correct anatomical names of sexual organ parts so as to ably describe to authorities what happened when sexual abuse of any kind is experienced. Too many still learn sexual terms from their friends.
Recently the Trump Administration’s Department of Justice released a memo declaring their intent to pursue the repeal of the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA, aka “ObamaCare”).
Only one federal court judge in this entire nation ruled that ACA was unconstitutional, so that ruling will be used to take their case all the way to the Supreme Court. Note that Republican ultraconservatives have never made public any back-up plan. Their efforts seemed focused upon telling each of us, especially child bearing mothers, what to do rather than informing us to enable each of us to make better personal decisions in our own best interests.
Special interests are involved: The Medical Insurance Industry; Prescription Drug Industry; Hospitals and Clinics; Assisted Care facilities; Nursing homes; and many firms which manufacture durable health care devices (braces, beds, walkers, crutches, canes, respirators, dialysis devices, etc.).
Then there are the trained professionals such as doctors, nurses, clinical lab technicians, radiologists, pharmacists, rehabilitation therapists, nutritional specialists; medical record librarians; medical billing specialists, etc. In fact, 2,600 different careers exist today none of which may be shipped offshore to a cheaper labor pool. All this becomes 19% of the GNP (Gross National Product).
Representative Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon, 4th District) recent email presented a good public policy summary: “This Trump Administration wants to:
- Take health care away from more than 20 million Americans.
- Strip away protections for 113 million Americans with pre-existing conditions.
- Kick about 12 million low income Americans off Medicare.
Potentially raise premiums for more than 60 million people on Medicare. And they want to replace coverage for those people with NOTHING! This is not only wrong, it’s reckless and puts people’s lives and security at risk.
Repealing the ACA will impact people across the country and across the political spectrum. Working Americans who won’t be able to afford essential medication. Whose treatment will be capped and will have to choose between taking a child to the doctor and putting food on the table. Trump has absolutely no plan to help or support them.
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Defazio favors “a single payor health care plan that puts quality affordable health care within the reach of every American. He supports Medicare for All and universal health (insurance) coverage. With a not-for-profit health care plan, we can stop the insurance industry lobbyists from dictating who can and (who) cannot afford to go see their doctor.” Defazio guarantees he will continue to fight to defend the progressive Affordable Care Act and expand affordable health care for everyone in this country.”
The Health and Hospital System, County of Santa Clara will be adversely impacted by curtailment of the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare). Santa Clara Valley Medical Center and its 15 satellite community clinics were augmented recently by the Board of Supervisors (Joe Simitian, President) authorizing the purchase of O’Conner Hospital (San Jose) and St. Louise Hospital (Gilroy). Residents of this county need to support its Board of Supervisors by planning now to vote the Trump Administration out of office during the coming November 2020 election.
This county’s capacity to deliver affordable health care has been receiving full support of its Board of Supervisors. An ability to create a local health care system right here in this county is at stake. The gaps in the continuum of Care can be filled sooner. Imagine our jails without having to provide protractive custody care to patients waiting for empty psychiatric care; or juveniles having specialty units; or this county having a fourth ER/Trauma Center at Gilroy. Would it not be appropriate to create capacity for those few specialties whose patients end up going beyond this country’s borders for a license bed. Such an accomplishment would put an end to having family members travel beyond this country’s borders to visit a member of their family. Do not become complacent just because the economy is good today and employment is very high. Trump takes credit for everything good happening but note that he also creates crisis artificially and has authorized separation of children from their parents.
There is no need to wait for impeachment when we can tell him “You’re Fired” with our votes – but that will happen only when you deliver your vote. His is the one administration whose moral and ethical practices have actually been the lowest ever experienced by this nation. Just plan on voting in your own best interests.
Plan to vote for those elected officials who are progressive and who will deliver this American nation the Comprehensive Health Care legislation it needs. It is simply immoral and unethical to profit excessively from those who need heath care.
