Sicko Trailer, See it June 29th

I have first hand experience with the atrocious U.S. health care system. Not long ago I was one of the 47 million people without health care. That is right, I was on the George Bush Health Plan for over a year. Now I am one of 50 million people who are under insured. Furthermore, I was a social worker at a non-profit mental health hospital where I provided assistance for children who were living without basic needs and who were suffering from mental health problems. The hardest part of the job was denying assistance to several impoverished children because they did not have health care insurance. They were denied Medicaid, because their parents made too much money. Often, the household income, provide by two working parents, put the family below the poverty line. Yet, they had too much money to qualify for health insurance assistance for their children.

The United States of America is the richest nation in the world, yet nearly 1 out of every 5 child is born into poverty. These children are deprived basic needs, such as health care, affordable housing, and adequate schools, all while the war machine is well funded. A bumper sticker reads, "It'll be a great day when schools have all the money they need and the Air Force has to have a bake sale to buy a bomber."

The United States spends $2.1 trillion on health care, twice the money per capita then the next country does, yet our health care system is ranked 37th in the world. We have a system based on profit, not people. The Pharmaceutical industry, along with health insurance companies, rack in billions of dollars for their CEO’s and shareholders, while the poor go uninsured or under-insured. It is a crime to be sick in this country.

We do not need to raise taxes to pay for health insurance for all citizens. All we have to do is prioritize money away from the colossal war budget and give it back to the American people. Instead of stealing money from people in order to pay for failed war overseas, lets use the money for real national security–health care, schools, tuition loans, retirement plans, affordable housing, etc.

I do not need to see a documentary about the U.S. health care system to know it is horrible. I have my own personal experiences to show for the truth. But I will see this movie and so should you.

Blackwater, Worldwide

In all, the United States has over 700 military installations throughout the world, and over 310,000 military personnel are stationed in 120 countries. Every branch of the military, along with sixteen intelligence agencies, make up the military industrial cartel, at an extreme price. For 2008, President Bush has requested $600-700 billion, including money for the War on Terror in Afghanistan and Iraq. This is more than the rest of the world combined. Included in war budgets is money for private mercenary armies, such as Blackwater, USA.
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