Prioritize health care
To the editor:
Long ago, while traveling in Moscow, Russia, I dropped my glasses, which shattered in sharp slivers of glass. I panicked, but quickly realized that all I needed was an optometrist who would make me a new pair. While I waited I realized that this small mishap may cost me a pretty penny to my small tourist funds. Within an hour a new pair of glasses were ready. holding tight to my wallet, I asked how much I owed, the optometrist said “no charge.” I thought I did not understand, and he further explained that since I was a tourist, a visitor, it was free. He added that all Russian citizens were entitled to free healthcare which extended to all tourists as well, one of the benefits of the socialist society.
My Bolivian family of two adults six brothers and three sisters whom I left to study in the U.S. had few medical needs, except dentists, who were partly paid by the social health service and mostly free to the entire population, with the proper credentials. The majority of the population in urban cities of greater than 5,000 people receive medical services, free, or paying a small fee. The doctors, were competent, graduates of local universities and medical students. Social health care is provided to all legal citizens free of charge. Patients who can afford to pay find specialists, and pay for immediate attention as well.
One unhappy country in the Western Hemisphere is Cuba, which has a socialist government for more than 50 years, a distressing malnutrition caused by the economic strangulation of the United States. Even today Cuban citizens are provided with free health care, furthermore, the Cuban government exports medical services to many needy countries in Central America and even some countries in Africa. All Americans know that Canada has a universal health care services amenable to most citizens. It is also known that many Canadians cross the borders when in search for quicker and specialized care.
I worked in Japan for the U.S. Civil Service where our health care was paid by our employer, supplemented by my insurance. The Japanese society enjoys the benefits of a universal health care of which most Japanese are satisfied. More affluent people requiring specialized professionals and prompter service is also available locally. I also worked in Thailand where our medical care was paid by the U.S. Civil Service and my personal insurance. We had three local employees who told us that their medical needs were paid.
Political candidates in search of giveaways promised a universal health care that would entitle all American citizens to full benefits by simply increasing taxes especially to those with higher income, who naturally rebelled, bursting the hopes of the poor.
We are told our country is broke and only a few years ago the U.S. was the most advanced nation on earth, with millions of dollars dedicated to research and development paid by the American industry and our taxes, while ambitious and aggressive leaders initiated the invasion of foreign countries in the name of Democracy and in the process destroying the economy of our country in futile wars of destruction of Third World countries, which continue to the present day. From the most powerful nation in the world we are now a nation on unemployed and underemployed with a debtor economy running into trillions of dollars. We exported our excess production together with our own factories to other nations around the world.
In Iraq we lost direction and control, our Armed Forces have lost not used, billions of dollars and the responsible parties have not been charged for over a year.
President Barack Obama, Americans are ready to bring our troops back from wars which are only bleeding our economy, sacrificing and maiming our soldiers. You made a promise, to ensure your election, and Americans believed in you. The trillions of dollars wasted in Iraq and Afghanistan will pay for these new benefits. Be faithful to your promise before our country ends in total destruction. American citizens are entitled to the benefits of not only a good health care, but also a comprehensive educational opportunities for all, safety in our homes in our streets in our schools. Only a total renunciation to the wars will insure our safety and our future.
Manual O. Mercado
Cape Coral