This morning in the US Senate health care legislation was approved by a filibuster proof vote of 60 to 39. All democrats voted "aye" and every Republican voted "nay" (except Sen. Bunning who did not vote). This followed a House vote that passed their legislation 220-215 that included 20 Democrat's voting Nay and all but one Republican voting "nay" also. Clearly, the Republicans in both the Senate and House were and still are opposed to legislation that will provide insurance to virtually every citizen regardless of their ability to pay. Although far from a single payer plan that was opposed by many Democrats as well as well as all Republicans, our country will soon underwrite health care for all of our citizens and adequate health care will be provided to all citizens for the first time in our nation's history. I personally consider this a step in the morally correct direction. Adequate health care for all is in my opinion a human right that will hopefully be attained in the future.
Medicare currently provides substantial medical care for about 35 to 40 million citizens (mainly for those 65 and older) through a single-payer government run-program. Medicaid, an individual state and federally aided program assist in providing some medical care for about 50 million men, women and children in our country but care is spotty and limited and quite different being administered differently from state to state. Medicaid was approved in 1965 as part of Medicare legislation when enacted. S-CHIP is another Medicaid type of government fund that provides medical aid to about 10 million children who otherwise would have no health care.
Social Security was enacted in 1935 for the purpose of providing a base, but barely livable income, for retirees who contributed to the Social Security fund while being employed. Approximately 44 million of our citizens receive some income monthly from this fund that is regularly employed by our government for other purposes and supported by government IOU's (but that is another matter for another time).
Today these two (Medicare and Medicaid are included as one program) social programs are aiding approximately 80 to 100 million of our citizens to some extent. However despite the Medicare and Medicaid related programs we still have about 30 to 40 million of our 307 million citizens without any health care at all except for possible spotty emergency care. The present legislation that was passed by the House and Senate when finally reconciled in the Senate-House Conference and signed by the President will help provide medical care to all those without any access or very limited aid. This legislation will avail about 15% of our citizens health care that they are denied (because of cost/price) today.A serious and unacceptable moral wrong will be righted as for Social Security and Medicare in the past.
Historically, since 1935 the Democratic Party in both the Senate and House and Democratic Presidents were in control when Social Security and Medicare were enacted and coverages expanded. Republican leadership invariably opposed these social programs in the past as they do now. However in the past at least some Republicans saw merit in Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid whereas today virtually every Republican in the Senate and House have voted against the current health care legislation that will provide health care for all citizens.Clearly the partisan divide is now chasm that separates the two main parties as never before in our history on these social issues.
In 1935 under President Roosevelt the Senate voted 60 to 17 for passage of Social Security, including 16 Republicans, and only 4 of the 12 nay votes were cast by Republicans. In the House in 1935 the vote was 365 to 33 in favor with 81 Republicans casting aye votes and a mere 15 opposed. Despite the strong political party differences the support of this very significant social program bridged the partisan gap and displayed the moral commonality of both parties.
Similarly in 1965 when Medicare was enacted under President Johnson the vote cast in the Senate was 70 ayes to 24 nays with 13 Republicans voting aye and 17 voting nay while two did not vote. Seven Democrats also voted nay. In the House the vote was 237 Democrats aye, 70 Republicans aye while 48 Democrats and 68 Republicans voted nay. The overall vote was 307 for and 140 against. Once again our country exhibited a high level of bi-partisanship for the benefit of our citizens.
Today we have a virtually insurmountable barrier dividing the Republican and Democratic Parties that is unlike anything that we have seen during the last 80 years. We hear vitriolic and evil statements made my the far right Republicans, even those who you would expect some civility from those who are members of the Senate and House. Whereas once not many years ago strong differences prevailed between the two parties there did also exist a sense of morality that included members of both parties regarding significant social issues. That sense of morality has all but vanished from today's Republican Party. For the sake of our country let us all hope that moral balance is regained and that we can differ without hate and hostility as we pursue governance that is beneficial for all our people.
May the spiritual morality return to our country in 2010 for the sake of all of us.
Do constructive activities to restore the sense of morality and decency we seem to have lost in the political milieu that exists.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all.
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