LIFE AND DEATH IN AMERICA

100 YEARS AFTER REPUBLICAN TEDDY ROOSEVELT CALLED FOR IT

CAN A REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT PRODUCE SAFE HEALTH CARE FOR ALL?

A BIPARTISAN AGENDA FOR ACTION

AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP

In the 2016 presidential race, President-Elect Donald Trump made a promise. He promised that he was not going to let people "die in the streets" from a lack of health care (MSNBC, 2-25-16). He said that he was "going to take care of everybody (60 Minutes, 9-27-2015)."

Today thousands of Americans are dying every year from a lack of health insurance. Before the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (or "Obamacare") 50 million Americans were not insured. 45,000 People died every year from a lack of health coverage (Harvard Gazette, 2009). Yet an estimated 30 million people still don't have coverage, even after the implementation of "Obamacare" (Census Bureau, 9-13-16).So this means that it's likely that somewhere around 27,000 people are still dying every year because of a lack of health insurance . Is that acceptable? We think not.

We are the only modern state that does not believe that health care is a right for all. We are the only modern state that does not ensure health insurance for all its citizens.

We believe that the life and death of the American people is not a political issue. It is not a Republican issue. It is not a Democratic issue. It is a moral issue.

This is also a very serious national security issue leaving us highly vulnerable to a disease epidemic or even a biological terrorist attack. Giving all our people health care will better protect the nation from the possibility of a mass pandemic.

While President Obama deserves great credit for helping millions to gain health insurance, "Obamacare," is a bureaucratic nightmare and is not a long term solution. Millions still lack insurance and thousands are still dying.

President Elect Donald Trump has assured the American people that he will replace "Obamacare" with something better that covers everybody. This is a solemn promise that must be kept.

We now have Republicans controlling all three branches of government for the years 2017 and 2018. But unfortunately, we do not see any coherent plan for health care reform. Some Republicans even want to toss millions of poor Americans into the streets to die with no health insurance. Yet while they are okay with tossing millions of poor Americans into the cold, many of these same Republicans seem hog wild for more tax cuts for the super rich. We believe that if there is money in the budget for the super rich — who really do not need government help — then there surely must be money to at least keep alive poor and middle class Americans who are literally being killed off by today's nonsensical health insurance system.

We understand from President-Elect Trump's press conference (January 11th, 2017) that he wants to get this problem solved quickly. We are certainly not opposed to fixing some problems here quickly, such as the lunatic rule that people can only buy health insurance during three months of the year. However, we are very skeptical that a complete replacement can be produced in a mere few weeks.

A BIPARTISAN COMMISSION

In order to tackle the problem, we suggest a bipartisan commission with a strict 6 month deadline bringing together government and business leaders. Perhaps it could be chaired by President Obama and former President Bush.

The solution may end up costing more than "Obamacare". We'll leave the details to the experts. However, we ask a basic question:

How much is the life and death of the American people worth?

2016 was a national revolt against business as usual in Washington. Did Washington get the message? The debate over health care in 2017 will reveal the truth.

President Teddy Roosevelt, a Republican, called for national heath insurance in 1912. Imperial Germany was able to provide national health insurance for all its citizens over 100 years ago. Today in the year 2017.... We are to believe that America cannot do the same?

President-Elect Trump, a Republican has stated “I believe in universal health care. I believe in whatever it takes to make people well and better.” This idea must become a reality in 2017.

National defense should mean that our government joins every other country in the developed world in protecting the lives of its citizens. If we cannot do that, what are we "defending"?

All Americans should have a right to life, a right to healthcare. This issue should be above politics.