Publicly support public health care

To the Editor:

One of the main arguments against publicly funded health care is you lose control over your care; government will control it.

If you think that, do you not understand most people have little control over their care now? Health insurance companies do though. They tell you what hospital you can go to and what doctors they will pay for, and, if you get a chronic illness, they just might say, “no mas.”

Health insurance companies even control the job you seek or keep. Most jobs taken depend on what kind of health care you get. Lose your job and you find yourself without insurance at all. You get sick and tough it out, hoping it doesn’t get worse because you cannot afford to go to the hospital — but knowing you just might end up there anyway.

This is not a secure position for millions of Americans to be in.

Many in Congress are terribly worried about your security, because they never bat an eye in spending for this “War on Terror,” yet they think the average American is more apt to be harmed by a terrorist than to get cancer, have an auto accident, fall off a ladder or some other common ailment we hear of every day to people close to us.

Yes, Americans want security, but what are they doing about acquiring security for everyday events — virtually nothing. They vote every two years, hoping politicians will get their act together and think that is enough.

It is not enough. Each and every one of you needs to do more.

Don’t you find it ironic the loud right-wing voices in Congress pushed President Obama the hardest to encourage the Iranians to demonstrate en mass for democracy yet these same people discourage democracy here at home?

Over 70 percent of Americans want public health care options. Americans need to get out onto the streets like the Iranians did to get what they want and deserve.

If a public health care plan that works does not pass, then we Americans must surely begin to realize just how predatory our society is and how immoral this government is.

Bill Habedank

Red Wing

Tags: health care, opinion, letters