Hey, we know she would have been for it. Not even a question. I mean, Teddy Roosevelt was for it. Anyone with a brain is for it. Anyone who's ever had to deal with an insurance company and fight and fight and fight till their face turns blue is for it.
Anyone bankrupted by those same greedy insurance giants is for it. And most of the people who are against all this government interference will be for it too once they
see what it is. Another example of how our educational system fails us. Instead of having a reasonable argument people scream and yell and curse and insult each other and lie, they just outright lie.
As I posted on facebook,my mother began to work towards Universal Health Care as a medical student. She is now ninety six years old and it was a proud moment for me when I called her to thank her for her efforts. She's seen change, yes, not as much as I would have hoped. Not as much as many others have. Still, something. It does offer you a sliver of hope in what is often a grim landscape.
I think Amelia will be disappointed that the world in 1980 is so unchanged in some basic way. She's missed several wars. And though we've come through the sixties and there has been progress for women, other things are not so rosy. Ronald Reagan is president. The homeless lack adequate care and shelter. Class and race still matter far too much. Change is incremental. Still today I cheer for it. I think she would too.
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You'd think that after a century of debate over universal care, the question would have been settled by now. Golly, d'ya s'pose there could be some powerful corporate interests at stake? ;)
ReplyDeleteYou think?
ReplyDeleteIt must be sweet for your 96 yo mother, after having worked for Universal Health Care as a medical student, to see some hope of progress. It seems like a profit motive doesn't work too well when it comes to something as basic to our human dignity as our health and survival. Your mother sounds something like an Amelia Earhart in her own way- becoming a physician when few women did. I'm glad the Reagan days are behind us, I forgot he is the president when Amelia comes back- I bet she's shocked that a movie star has become president.
ReplyDeleteHer sister sure is, it's a line in my book actually. Shocked and appalled.
ReplyDelete