The fourth of July (which is a bit like cinqo de mayo, but for americans), a very hot one too. I walked out to the bike overpass just now to watch the fireworks in the distance, a lot of other people had the same idea though, as did a lot of flies, so I've come home. We did American things today, went to the big stores, with the big parking lots, and ate a big plate of food at chilis, I had a margarita (still confused about cinqo de mayo). And then we went to the movies. I'd seen Transformers yesterday - a huge Chevrolet advert, with some cool robot fights - and today we watched Sicko, Michael Moore's latest offering. Very very good, he brings up the almost hopeless situation the US finds itself in regarding healthcare - self-professed richest country in the world, yet will not give free healthcare to all, like the UK does, like France does, like Canada does - like Cuba does. The profit-making healthcare companies doing what they can to prevent people (who do have health insurance) from getting treatment, because it costs the companies money to actually treat people. If you have no health insurance in this country and you get ill or into an accident, forget it - you'll be paying massive medical bills for the rest of your life, and we mean massive. This film though was about those who do have healthcare - and how the big companies do what they can to shaft them. And you ask yourself, why can this country not offer universal free coverage? Cheap pharmaceuticals? I have a lot to say on this subject, and not the time nor space, but healthcare is an issue that burns strong inside me. I believe it should be the number one goal of this country, but there are large profit-making institutions, whose massive cash campaign donations have neutered the senate on this issue, who will stand in the way of that ever happening. Something positive for all the people. I have heard too many people complain that they don't want to pay, through tax, for other people to get healthcare, but I believe in being part of a society that cares about all of its members. Yes it's a very socialist view, and Americans are still scared of the word socialist. I often get the feeling that too many people here have been conditioned, over time, to believe that the very notion of free healthcare is a very bad thing, unamerican. I want to pay taxes so that everybody can have free healthcare, free education, free public services. This is a great country that can easily afford to do that. We're spending billions of tax dollars on illegal invasions of other countries and planting missile systems right on Russia's doorstep (what if they were to do that to us, would we allow it? oh hang on, Cuban Missile Crisis???). And we're spending it on holding people in Guantanamo Bay...and as Moore finds out in his film, all of those terr'rists and en'my combatt'nts interred at Gitmo receive complete and free healthcare. Well, gotta start somewhere, I suppose. Have a Happy 4th July...but make sure you don't get ill!
july the fourth be with you
5.7.07 06:51
powered by
20six.co.uk
