By James Turnage, author of “Four More Years”

“It’s socialism.” “You’ll be put on a waiting list.” “You won’t get to choose your own doctor.” “It’s not affordable.”

The former are some of the fallacious arguments offered by the healthcare industry and today’s right-wing politicians who call themselves ‘Republicans.’ When an issue this important is under discussion, always follow the money. The truth is that hospitals, surgeons, big pharma and others are afraid of a decrease in the bloated profits they enjoy by overcharging for life-saving healthcare.

The first truth I want you to know is that healthcare in America is the most costly system in the world but also the least effective.

The Affordable Care Act; commonly known as ‘Obamacare,’ was just a beginning. However, millions of Americans continue to live without sufficient medical care, or none at all. Medicare for all is no more ‘socialist’ than Social Security or Medicare. Our elected officials in Washington receive subsidized healthcare, paid for by taxpayers. This is socialism, but only for the privileged.

From research we know it’s a lie to claim that Medicare for all is ‘not affordable.’ The system today is complicated. Many agencies involved are duplicated; sometimes frequently. There is a better way, and a ‘single-payer’ system would be more cost effective.

My cousin lives in Canada. She says she will never live in the United States again, and the primary reason is healthcare. She and her husband are able to access the best doctors available at no cost. Her husband developed a rare form of cancer. The treatment he received would have cost millions of dollars in America.

As for a wait list for care, there is some truth, but it’s not as important as the right-wing would want you to believe. Life threatening issues are priority number one, but no one is ignored. This is one of the reasons Canada is ranked first in the world in “quality of life;” America is 17^th.

Over the last three decades two issues have become the property of the wealthy in America. Several areas of the medical care system are not accessible to one-half of all Americans; impoverished and low-income Americans. Higher education is not affordable for more than one-half of all our nation’s citizens. The U.S. is losing some of its greatest minds for a single reason. America places profits ahead of people. This must change, and it will never happen with the current Republicans in name only in control of Washington.

The right-wing is owned by and in the control of special interests. Let’s be completely clear; lobbyists are unconstitutional. The Constitution requires “equal protection under the law.” Until the working class has lobbyists in Washington, no one else can.

Finally, the truth; no one should die because they can’t afford medical care or life-saving drugs. This is not America.

“The truth lives here.”

Op-ed by James Turnage

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