Good On Her

Isn't it long past time for people living in that great social experiment called the United States of America to be assured that they are each and every one of them as valuable to the state as the next one? Which is to say everyone has a vested interest in the quality of life in a country that prides itself on being the wealthiest, most influential, justice-ensured country on the globe. This is what Americans believe of themselves; their social and intellectual and values-driven superiority.

This is the American Dream, to be domiciled in a country that offers the opportunity to succeed, to advance one's own interests while similarly, or in the process, advancing that of the country as a whole. Americans are, without doubt, high achievers. They are innovative, creative, and capable. Which is why, the assets of national geography and primary resources aside, they are a great country. And with greatness comes responsibility.

America is a country of conscience. They express great empathy for others. While at the same time believing themselves to be a bastion of enterprise and capability, faith and intellectual probity. Which is why, in a sense, it is so surprising and disappointing that they still embrace the "I'm all right, Jack" individualism, that tendency to look after themselves while leaving the more unfortunate or deprived among them to look after themselves. Which they cannot effectively do, since they are deprived of theeconomic means to do so.

Hilary Clinton already attempted once to propose a plan for America that would ensure no family, no individual, would be without health coverage through a social system set up to embrace all Americans. The horror that greeted that attempt, with accusations that she was flirting with a socialist ideal to transform the American ideal of self-sufficiency is legendary. Now, as a presidential hopeful, not merely the president's wife, she is once again attempting to persuade Americans they have an obligation to self and to those unable to speak for themselves.

Over 47 million Americans have no health insurance. Health problems go unaddressed because people simply cannot afford to seek treatment, nor to pay for the pharmaceuticals that illness or disease require in a healing protocol of treatment. Why does it cause such a collective shudder of distaste when a political candidate for office offers a socially progressive alternative to the current situation which beggars the middle class and victimizes the poor?

Even the plan Mrs. Clinton espouses doesn't completely address the problem, since with it would come the need to advance insurance premiums. And those too poor to be enabled to adequately house themselves and purchase nutritional foods will be shut out of this system too, incapable of paying for health insurance premiums. Still, the plan is to make it mandatory for allAmericans to have health insurance. Of course, it's mandatory for all drivers to have accident insurance, and many don't. But it's a start.

Medicaid would be expanded, employers would have greater obligations to their employees in the provision of health insurance coverage. Insurance companies would not have the option of denying coverage to individuals withpre -existing medical conditions. "Here in America people are dying because they couldn't get the care they needed when they were sick", she observed. "We can no longer tolerate the injustice of a system that shuts out nearly one in six Americans".

And good on her. About time.