In response to Bobbie Stump's letter "Source", Bobbie, you have a right to be curious about where I got my information.
One of the first things a writer is taught is to cite his/her sources, therefore, I apologize and I stand corrected. Consequently, throughout the healthcare debate I have watched many specials and documentaries on healthcare reform and have taken many notes, however, one of the most informative sites I have found is the one called SickForProfit.com, which is an online campaign sponsored by Brave New Films, which is paid for by contributions from ordinary citizens who just want to know.
Essentially, if you go to SickForProfit.com and click on the video titled "Stephen Hemsley CEO: United HealthCare", you will see the monetary figures which I was talking about in my letter, however, this is not the only location where I have seen these figures over the last year. I have also seen them on some of our major news media outlets. Nevertheless, I do not doubt the legitimacy of your sources, even though, they do not quite match up to mine, however, I have no reason to doubt mine either.
When I talk about universal health care, I am not talking about the watered-down gift just given to the insurance companies, which our congress just passed. I am talking about a government-run health care plan, minus the insurance companies, which would be paid for with the overhead, or administration waste of the insurance companies.
Bobbie, you made a very good point when you said million dollar bonuses from billion dollar companies are pocket change, you almost make it sound like it is just business as usual, nearly like you have become comfortably numb to the insanity. It seems the grandeur of their enterprise and the immensity of their success has thrown so glorious a veil over their crimes that even the victims march to their drums.
I will give an example of why I do not believe that a for-profit organization should be involved in our health care. Government student loans and the banking industry is a good example. Up until this year the government gave money to the banks who in turn loaned the money to students at a hefty interest, therefore the banks made money off this money. Why not just loan the money directly to the students? Why do the for-profit banks have to be involved?
The same is true with health care and the for-profit health insurance bandits. Why do the for-profit health insurance companies have to be involved with our health care? Why can't our government just directly supply health care to us? Why do the insurance companies have to be involved? The money saved by wasteful administration of the health insurance companies would pay for it all.
There are essential public interest and social domains which are too precious, vulnerable or morally sacred to be subject to corporate exploitation. Human health and survival should be placed beyond corporation's exploitative grasp.
