An Inalienable Right

There are many issues that are constantly on the table when debating about should we or shouldn’t we have universal healthcare. It seems ridiculous to me that people would be opposed to it since having healthcare has never seemed like a bad thing to me. This is a topic I feel very strongly about, and although I am fully aware of the cons, the pros always outweigh each. My views were strengthened even more after reading Guinier’s, “The Tyranny of The Majority”.

I like Guinier’s turn taking philosophy. It allows the majority to rule some of the time and the minority to rule some of the time. In fact, I would even dare to take it a step further and want to appease both sides simultaneously. For the most part, private insurers and drug companies are a part of the bureaucracy, and the only word I can associate with bureaucracy fittingly is capitalist. To me, this means that most of these providers are only out for the buck. According to insurance.ca.gov, “Yes, Insurance companies usually look at your height and weight when they decide to offer insurance. They may offer you insurance at a higher premium rate or refuse to insure you if you are overweight or obese.” How can that possibly be a good thing?

There is only one logical answer. It is the implementation of a universal healthcare system. People often throw out there the cons of the universal healthcare in places like Europe and Canada, but why would we directly make the same mistakes they have made. Our goal should be to learn from their mistakes and try to be better. If what we have is obviously not the answer, than what could be so wrong with trying a new system that has and still is working in other parts of the world? A universal healthcare system would bridge that gap that divides the country with something that is supposed to be an “inalienable right”; the right to life, and not to mention the pursuit of happiness. Who has ever been happy being unhealthy?