Donna Smith (of SiCKO): From Coast to Coast: Health Care Not Wealth Care?

[marmar]

Published on Wednesday, October 1, 2008 by CommonDreams.org
From Coast to Coast: Health Care Not Wealth Care?
by Donna Smith


CHICAGO - Last week, I heard a lot about healthcare reform as I traveled from Washington, DC, to Boston and on to San Francisco. In just five days, I spoke to literally hundreds of people who believe as I do that if we have the money to provide wealth-care for the nation then we surely have the money to provide health care too. The problem is, those who want the wealth-care through bail-outs are also those who would deny us health care - especially now.

But this week I am back home in Chicago and as the full blush of the economic drama unfolds, I find myself madder than I thought I'd be.

I called my senators yesterday before the failed House vote on the bail-out and told them I am fed up with the mess on Wall Street, fed up with the bail-out of the big boys, fed up with the wealthy ruling the rest of us. Enough is enough doesn't touch my rage.

Senator Barack Obama's office politely logged my comments and took down my address. Sen. Dick Durbin's office did not - they argued with me about the benefits for me of the bail-out. They argued with me - asked me if I wanted to see more people suffer if there was no bail out. Oh my God. They argued with me.

Four years ago, my husband Larry and I declared bankruptcy because even with health and disability insurance and a healthcare savings account, we went belly up when our bills and expenses surged well past our ability to cover them - Larry has chronic health issues; I had cancer. There was no way for us to hang on despite our efforts to borrow and plead to stay afloat. We lost our house and most of our furniture and most everything we worked to achieve. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2008/10/01-11