Dueling Opinions: Health Care Reform

I could sit here and recite figures and statistics to show how we have one of the worst healthcare systems in the industrialized world, that we pay more for it than any other industrialized nation, and that insurance companies don't care about us.

But these sound bites are now cliché. Americans know what's at stake, and they know what it'll cost. Opponents of universal healthcare aren't concerned about their health: Most of them are already insured.

What they're concerned about is taxes. They're concerned about big government. They're concerned about the spectre of socialism.

It may be surprising then that socialized medicine has been alive and well in this country since the 1950's. Back then, legislation was passed that endowed a particular group of Americans with socialized healthcare, often for their entire lives. Studies released by the federal government in 1990 found that these Americans experienced half the death rate of other Americans.

Who are these Americans? They're members of the United States Armed Forces.

American troops and their families do not pay for their healthcare. They can even receive these kickbacks from civilian hospitals as well. That's right: Federal taxes already pay for 9 million Americans' free healthcare.

But don't our troops risk their lives to protect our country? Shouldn't they be rewarded for their service? Of course they should. And so should their families.

Civilians, however, fund the war effort. Civilian taxes purchase the medical equipment, food, clothing, intelligence, armor, ammunition and artillery that our troops use to defend us. Civilians tend to support the military's access to free healthcare because we depend on their well-being for our nation's safety.

The Armed Forces, on the other hand, depend on the well-being of civilians in order to keep the federal economy running. A healthy nation not only ensures a well-funded military, it also ensures that our next generation of soldiers is fit to fight.

"Socialism" should not be used as a bad word. Any tax-funded enterprise could be considered socialist. By this definition our military is inherently socialist. So are the police force, firefighters, teachers and politicians.

Are you receiving federal aid to attend school? That's also socialist, because taxes buffer the interest rates of student loans.

"Socialism" should not be confused with "tyranny." And please, don't take my word for it: Just ask any senior citizen who's on Medicare.