Universal Health Care: Socialism or Humaniarianism

The national focus has finally turned to health care. True to his campaign promises, President Obama declared yesterday that “the stars are aligned” to develop a new universal health care policy. While that metaphor is somewhat hokey, with Congress sporting an overabundance of democrats and the Senate at a 60-40 democratic advantage, there may be no better time to pass such controversial legislation.

The reason for this change is apparent to every American not working on Wallstreet or on Capital Hill. Unemployment figures are at 8.9% with nearly 600,000 jobs lost last month alone. Members from both political parties acknowledge that this economy will continue to worsen.

Reports earlier in the week praised the fact that while hundreds of thousands of jobs were lost last month, the fact that the figure was relatively close to the month’s, it proved that the economy was rebounding. Maybe that’s true. It still does nothing to help those men and women losing their homes, cars, and fighting simply to feed their families dinner each night. When people are focused on basic necessities, they are more likely to forgo health care. This sacrifice is unacceptable and President Obama realizes this.

The Senate minority party argues that any form of universal health care is a socialist act and that government control over anything stiffles peoples’ rights. However all people have the right to live and be healthy. It is a basic human right.

Another argument is that by overhauling the health care system would go a long way in terms of worsening the federal deficit. This is a complete fabrication. The health care industry has been able to function without any kind of oversight, increasing costs of care while people’ incomes dwindle. While physicians would be subjected to slightly lower salaries, the majority of Americans will will have the opportunity to get health coverage, many of whom would not seek it otherwise.  In that way, the economy might actually benefit from such a change.

If Republicans choose to call helping people socialism, then so be it. But these politicians should consider that if their constituencies continue to fall below the poverty line (a gross income close to $21,000 for a family), their changes of reelection diminish. Unfortunately this is often what motivates politicians.

Democrats do not need much, if any Republican support to pass this health care measure, but not all democrats are on board either. President Obama needs to make a sound and simple explanation regarding his health care changes, calling upon economists and other not-for-profit organizations. Public perception is a powerful force when it comes to social change, a concept not lost on the President or his advisers.

While a public relations campaign should not be necessary to secure such a basic human right, the reality is that it is.

The exact universal health care plan has yet to be proposed, but it will be before August. Compromises will be made on both political lines. In the end, it comes down to preserving American lives. In that way this is no different than war. But a bullet will not solve this problem. Common sense will.