Thursday, July 17, 2008

US health care trounced in yet another global study

US health care trounced in yet another global study
If there were signs of serious progress, that would be one thing, but there's not. It has been in trouble for years and the GOP thought it was hysterical when they shot down the Clinton health care plan in the '90s. After that victory - and what a victory as we now see in the millionth study panning the state of health care in the US - they continued propping up their special interest friends in industry. What continues to jump out in these studies is that the US spends the most money in the world yet receives so little. Gosh, folks, who sees a problem here? Just like the GOP friends in other industries, they're doing just fine while the population gets so little in return.

In a real free market system - which we don't have despite what the GOP says - shouldn't buyers be getting more for their money? And again, McCain thinks a silly tax credit will help? Seriously. Worse still, he wants a similar program for our retirement plans though all with the guidance of Wall Street. Oh to live in the Ivory Tower of nine or ten houses. Meanwhile, WE'RE #42! WE'RE #42!
The United States of America is becoming less united by the day. A 30-year gap now exists in the average life expectancy between Mississippi, in the Deep South, and Connecticut, in prosperous New England. Huge disparities have also opened up in income, health and education depending on where people live in the US, according to a report published yesterday.

The American Human Development Index has applied to the US an aid agency approach to measuring well-being – more familiar to observers of the Third World – with shocking results. The US finds itself ranked 42nd in global life expectancy and 34th in survival of infants to age. Suicide and murder are among the top 15 causes of death and although the US is home to just 5 per cent of the global population it accounts for 24 per cent of the world's prisoners.

Despite an almost cult-like devotion to the belief that unfettered free enterprise is the best way to lift Americans out of poverty, the report points to a rigged system that does little to lessen inequalities.

"The report shows that although America is one of the richest nations in the world, it is woefully behind when it comes to providing opportunity and choices to all Americans to build a better life," the authors said.

Some of its more shocking findings reveal that, in parts of Texas, the percentage of adults who pass through high school has not improved since the 1970s.

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