Poverty

There was a question about Healthcare, whether or not it was a privilege, right, or responsibility, in the second Presidential Debate on 10/07.  I will not tell you which way to vote, I have faith in you to guide this country.  I do want to highlight something Obama said, "I think it should be a right, for every American.  In a country as wealthy as ours, for us to have people who are going bankrupt because they can't pay their medical bills, (removed Obama's personal mother story), there's something fundamentally wrong about that."  Now there's an idea here and it relates intimately with poverty, in this country and ultimately, around the world.  It's "raising the bare minimum" and what we believe is acceptable.

Here, in the United States, we use our Declaration of Independence to define what we all are entitled to.  "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" is what that document states, and in its vague terms we understand universal truths.  Every American must have a chance to live these ideals, our laws and rights are built to ensure that.  Programs like Medicare, Medicaid and Wealthfare promise that we will not stand ideally by--while others struggle to live.  Healthcare (prevention, treatment, and management of illness) must be included, because everyone deserves a fair chance; without it, citizens cannot pursue their dreams or breathe their lives.   You've heard the cliche "we are only as strong as our weakest link," if its true then America isn't as strong as we once assumed.

That document also states "all men are created equal;" in that, regardless of what state flag one pledges allegiance to, s/he is entitled to a number of things because they are human.  It is a little known idea that America likes to spread its idea of democracy.  And lately, to say the least, it's put us in a little bit of trouble around the globe.  But the people protected by the border of the United States aren't inherently different than any other in the world.  If they are "created equal" and entitled to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness", than the rest of the human race deserves the same.

It isn't a question of means because we found out what we were capable of during 1942, it is a question of whether or not we choose to act.