Universal Healthcare could be America's most important accomplishment of the 21st Century

The debate over Universal Healthcare has been pretty hot recently in the media and Washington. It was a popular topic during the elections, but now we have a President in the White House who has promised to cover everyone in America. Universal Healthcare means not having to worry if your newborn has a triple-digit fever. Not having to think twice before you call an ambulance when your husband collapses. To me, it doesn't matter what kind of political talking points you pull out in this debate, what it comes down to is money and lives. And whenever money comes before lives, the system is hugely off kilter.

Canada has Universal Healthcare, and it works. Regardless of the rumors, it does not take months to see a doctor in Canada. Their medical instruments are not ancient. They are the same as the ones we have here in America.

France has Universal Healthcare, and it works.
The United Kingdom has Universal Healthcare.

This is a system that exists, and it saves lives. See this chart of life expectancy between countries with Universal Healthcare and the US.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3491/3766458679_41410950dd_o.jpg

Now, let's talk about money. Would taxes be raised? Yes. Would it be raised for you? Unless you make more than a million dollars a year, then no, it would not. And even if somehow, it does end up costing us a bit more, think about all of the money you pay to your health insurance company every month. You will end up saving money, but more importantly, you will end up saving lives.

I don't understand the recent wave of popularity that Ayn Rand has received. The entire theory of "individuality" is, in my opinion, sad and unrealistic. The system that currently exists lays a huge burden on those who cannot afford it, but cannot afford to not have it even more. America is a hugely wealthy nation and there is no reason why someone can have billions of dollars, and a hard-working single mother with 2 jobs can't pay for a medical bill. What happened to humanity? If you considering yourself patriotic, yet you don't feel it is your responsibility to help other Americans in need, then what do you feel patriotic about? The government? The actual physical land we stand on? The United States is nothing if not its people.

There was a fantastic interview with Bill Kistol (a conservative political analyst) on The Daily Show last night. He said something in it that I think puts this whole issue in a nutshell. In the interview, he says that American Soldiers receive health care from the government, the best health care available (according to him). And that the American people do not deserve that same health care. That comment amazes me. I agree that soldiers of all countries deserve the best health care along with psychiatric care after they have returned from duty, but Kristol is saying that the people these soldiers are fighting and dying to protect aren't worth the same care? How can anyone put two human beings side by side and decide who deserve to be cared for and who doesn't?
Here's the interview: http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-july-27-2009/bill-kristol-extended-interview

Finally, there was an interview posted online of an insurance company executive, and he breaks down what happens inside the world of health insurance. It's scary. It's truly depressing. So much so that this guy quit his job because he couldn't take it anymore. This interview really brings to light how broken this system is, and how many people are falling through every single day.
The interview video is here: http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07102009/watch2.html