We do not need terrorists to destroy America. We are doing a fine job ourselves. The right-wing fringe thinks it is acceptable to demonize the President of the United States of America, portraying him as the evil villain the Joker or depicting him dressed in clothing with swastikas and associating him with Nazism.
The debate on health care reform is being disrupted by shouting, booing and jeering. They lack manners, civility and respect for the views of others. Their agenda is to drown the voice of reason and promote fear and confusion. They wish to ram their agenda down the throat of America without public debate.
They have gone mad with their propaganda, deception, and scare tactics to the point that they believe their own lies and have become scared and confused themselves.
Right Wing Conservatives are now promoting the blatant falsehoods that the health care reform bill will lead to euthanasia and death panels will deny health care to seniors. These are not mere misrepresentations. These are bold faced lies. The health care reform bills do not promote euthanasia. There are no death panels.
These Americans should allow the democratic system of civil debate. They do not want to debate the merits of universal health care because after all their whining and complainiing they do not offer any reasonable alternatives. Where is their plan for health care? They do not have one. Transparency is their biggest threat.
A few years ago the overwhelming majority of Republicans voted against a government program that would have provided health care to children. Why would these good Christians vote against health care for children? Their explanation was that it would be a socialized government run program. Perhaps these Christians have not been reading their bible as it concerns children and the poor.
Medicare is a socialized government run program. The majority of seniors are satisfied with this socialized government run program. Recipients of the monthly Social Security checks have no problem with this socialized government run program either. I do not hear the millions of Americans complaining about socialism as they cash their Social Security checks. If anything, they should be grateful to this great nation that provides for their needs.
One example of a successful public health care system is in Denmark, where 90 percent of Danes are satisfied with their health care. In 1999 total expenditure on health care in Denmark accounted for 8.4 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Health care this year will cost Americans about $2.4 trillion which is about 18 percent of GDP.
The average annual premium for family coverage obtained through an employer was $11,941 in 2006. The Council of Economic Advisers estimates family coverage will cost at least $25,200 a year by 2025 if cost increases are not slowed.
Special interest groups, private insurance companies, and big pharmaceuticals are content with the status quo. They are currently reaping trillions of dollars from American citizens.
Universal health care reform will allow us to improve our health care system by promoting efficiency and controlling rising health care costs which will directly benefit millions of American families.
Ordinary, honest, decent Americans should display the greatest form of patriotism and spend some time in prayer for our great nation and pray that our leaders will do the right thing and provide health care for the 47 million uninsured Americans, for our children, for the needy and all Americans.
Adriano Valdez is a Canjilon resident.