Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Health Care: A Right or a Privilege?

There has been a lot of discussion on the Thom Hartman program on Air America about whether health care is a right the way education is in our country. Every child has the right to go to a public school. But does every American have the right to see a doctor?

This debate rages as the liberals and the conservatives take generally different views. The liberals generally argue that access to health care is a right while the conservatives say that there is no guarentee to health care.

I have a small problem with the conservatives hypocracy on this one.

A couple of years ago, George Bush told an audience in Cleveland that all American's had access to health care, they just needed to go to the emergency room. Now the reason that any American can go to the emergency room is because of a little thing called the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act. It basically says that the emergency room has to at least see you and stablize you.

My point is this, if I have a right to this under the law, how can health care be a priviledge?

2 comments:

EXSENO said...

My view on this subject has always been the same. I believe that every human being has the right to health care and I'm not just talking about running to the emergency room.

If other countries have it, and some do. Then why can't we provide it for our people here in the US.

Martini said...

If you are a crack addict who refuses treatment, do you still have the right to healthcare? Maybe, if it's unrelated. Maybe not, if it's related to your addiction. I think it's a moral debate that can't be easily decided.

An easy decision is saying yes to delicious cookies.