Lack of Universal Healthcare Killed Deamonte DriverTommi Avicolli Meccabyline‚ Mar. 05‚ 2007Sixty years ago, President Harry Truman was a man ahead of his times. According to Jill Quadagno’s “One Nation, Uninsured,” he wanted to give all Americans universal healthcare. Truman had the solid support of 75% of the country. Despite that, Truman’s effort was thwarted by the American Medical Association and by bigoted southern legislators who feared it would eliminate segregated medical facilities. The lack of universal healthcare is one of the great shames of this country. It marks us as the only Western industrialized nation not to guarantee health benefits to its citizens. That distinction has its consequences, most recently demonstrated by the death of a 12-year-old homeless Maryland boy from an infection caused by an abscessed tooth. Deamonte Driver’s all-too-preventable death should have been a wakeup call to politicians that the lack of universal healthcare is a serious matter. |