Home : Blogs : Inna Hardison-ha media group Design, Printing, Web : Ha Media's Marketing & Advertising Blog

US - Proudly serving Constitutionally mandated health care since 2005!

Here is a noteworthy excerpt from the constitution we helped enact:

"Article 30:

First: The State shall guarantee to the individual and the family - especially

children and women - social and health security, the basic requirements for living

a free and decent life, and shall secure for them suitable income and appropriate

housing.

Second: The State shall guarantee social and health security to Iraqis in cases of

old age, sickness, employment disability, homelessness, orphanhood, or

unemployment, shall work to protect them from ignorance, fear and poverty, and

shall provide them housing and special programs of care and rehabilitation, and

this shall be regulated by law.

Article 31:

First: Every citizen has the right to health care. The State shall maintain public

health and provide the means of prevention and treatment by building different

types of hospitals and health institutions.

Second: Individuals and entities have the right to build hospitals, clinics, or

private health care centers under the supervision of the State, and this shall be

regulated by law.

Source:

http://www.uniraq.org/documents/iraqi_constitution.pdf

Article 32:

The State shall care for the handicapped and those with special needs, and shall ensure

their rehabilitation in order to reintegrate them into society, and this shall be regulated by

law.

Article 33:

First: Every individual has the right to live in safe environmental conditions.

Second: The State shall undertake the protection and preservation of the

environment and its biological diversity.

Article 34:

First: Education is a fundamental factor for the progress of society and is a right

guaranteed by the state. Primary education is mandatory and the state guarantees

that it shall combat illiteracy.

Second: Free education in all its stages is a right for all Iraqis.

http://www.uniraq.org/documents/iraqi_constitution.pdf

So I am reading this article and thinking to myself: we invaded a sovereign nation under the auspices of protecting ourselves from terrorism, which later turned into the rallying cry for bringing Democracy to less fortunate nations. It will have cost us trillions of dollars, by the time the interest on our debt is calculated into the equation. It made us look like total asses to the international community. It cost us lives of our military. It cost the Iraqis hundreds of thousands of lives of their citizens.

In the end, we are patting ourselves on the back for the peaceful and democratic nation 'we enabled'. I'd like to know why the previous administration and all the republicans who supported the invasion, the war, and inevitably the newly drafted Constitution of Iraq had NO PROBLEM promising UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE to Iraqi citizens. Why not one person cried foul. Why NO ONE accused us of IMPOSING SOCIALISM on an innocent nation.

To all my obstructionist friends on the Right - please explain to me why we thought Iraqis were worthy of the government taking care of their health care and education needs, much like it's done in most civilized EUROPEAN countries you abhor so much - but here, in the US, it's OK for people to die from lack of treatment?

The callous disregard for humanity is becoming the one true, unchanging trademark of the new GOP. The cynical disdain for have-nots; the calculating equations of poor to lazy. The cold-hearted compassion-less worship of the flag and chest pounding brand of screaming patriotism will not hide the true nature of those who supported the war and oppose healthcare reform, those who supported the top bracket tax cuts and oppose health reform, because it cannot.

Progressives, too, are waking up from their slumber. They, too, feel the need to protect this country and its ideals. The difference is that they understand what those ideals actually are.

cause i rock...

Posted by Inna Hardison-ha media group Design, Printing, Web on 09/10/2009 05:12 PM

Comments (47)

pulling our heads out of collective asses, healthcare is a freaking right, there is no such thing as fiscally responsible war monger

Post is included in group: Dissent
Post is included in group: Silent Majority
Post is included in group: Proud to be a Liberal
Post is included in group: Dead Rainers Society
Post is included in group: Blatant Politics

47 Comments on US - Proudly serving Constitutionally mandated health care since 2005!

SEP

Inna: What an awesome post. Just awesome. Maybe we could invade ourselves... then write a new constitution for ourselves, and use the one the Iraqi's have as a model. It appears to have many more benefits that ours does.

It appears to be the Republican trademard... a cynical disdain for the have-nots. Cold-hearted and compassion-less. You've got them colored and painted perfectly. I applaud you for this post. You are certainly saying it like it is. I truly envy Iraq for having these wonderful taking-care-of-it's-citizens articles. But... all you conservative Republicans... when will the citizens of the United States get the perks you wrote up for Iraq ?

Inna - another home run! Maybe we should all move to Iraq where squandering tax dollars is the rule not the exception, hows the RE market in Baghdad I wonder?

Wow! Straight to feature.

Congratulations!

@ John: I bet the lenders in Baghdad do not have any negative-amortization Option ARM loans. I heard that if any lender tries to pull one of those on some poor buyer... the lender gets their hand chopped off. Whaddya think ? LOL.

Karen Ann - thank you... I do wonder if maybe invading ourselves is the more expedient solution to the messes we are in:-)

As for the latest brand of republican, the optimist in me really wants to believe that it's not the case, Karen Ann. That it all couldn't be so cold and callous, but the realist is starting to learn better.

John - Iraq does grant political asylums to people. There is a thought. Crazy world we live in, my friend.

Tchaka - I am starting to feel like I am monopolizing the featured slots on there... Thank you, nonetheless...:-)

Inna - incredible. I had no idea that the US, during a Grand Oil Party administration, co-authored and helped enact universal health-care and free secondary education for a country that we invaded and dismantled. But really, we couldn't have co-authored the clause "...shall work to protect them from ignorance, fear and poverty..." Weren't we awash in "orange" during that era?

Michelle, I was thinking the same thing.... That, or protecting the environment and its biological diversity. How very almost, what's the word I am looking for...hmmm - liberal of them:-)

Well, here is the best can of worms I've seen opened today, my love! Good for you. I got slammed on Facebook early this morning for one simple line... I wrote about it in my thankful Thursday post. I am parking my butt here because I have a feeling we are going to see some fireworks. The chest pounders like to call names, so ready yourself. Good writing girl. xxoo

Oh, my dear Susan - I saw you talk about it, but lacking in anything intelligent and not angry to contribute, chose to keep my opinions to myself (didn't want to dirty your posts with my kind of language, when it comes to addressing scum):-)

By all means, park. Though if I were to judge from my ffew latest political posts, the GOP'ers will avoid commenting on this for fear of contracting the leprosy of liberalism, or coming across as retards, whichever is less damaging.:-) MWA-

Tchaka - so the group did this feature and then un-feature thingie, so I re-featured myself. So there:-)

Nice post, Inna.

You and others who have commented here are apparently in favor of modeling our US Constitution after the one the Iraqi people wrote for themselves. Why not add a few more "noteworthy" articles?

Article 2:

First: Islam is the official religion of the State and is a foundation source of legislation:

A. No law may be enacted that contradicts the established provisions of Islam

B. No law may be enacted that contradicts the principles of democracy.

C. No law may be enacted that contradicts the rights and basic freedoms stipulated in this Constitution.

Second: This Constitution guarantees the Islamic identity of the majority of the Iraqi people and guarantees the full religious rights to freedom of religious belief and practice of all individuals such as Christians, Yazidis, and Mandean Sabeans.

Would you, seriously, be in favor of having an "official religion of the State"? Guaranteeing the religious identity of the majority of the people?

Article 4:

First: The Arabic language and the Kurdish language are the two official languages of Iraq.

How about having an "official language" of the country?

You want to know "why (those on the Right) had NO PROBLEM promising UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE to Iraqi citizens. Why not one person cried foul. Why NO ONE accused us of IMPOSING SOCIALISM on an innocent nation."

There's a fairly simple answer: Most of us are interested in individual freedom, and opposed to forcing our views on others... unlike many on the Left.

The Iraqis got what they wanted in terms of healthcare, and state religion, and state language, etc, because that's what THEY wanted. Why would anyone here in the U.S. 'cry foul' for allowing them to get what they wanted, as expressed in their first free eleciton in... who-knows-how-long.

My dear David, the only flaw with your line of thinking is that the Iraqi people did not draft their constitution in some seclusion, they had help. All kinds of help.

Here is the kind of help they had (and bytheway, this was after the initial 'provisional' constitution we drafted for them, exclusively).

http://www.usaid.gov/iraq/accomplishments/constitution.html

Lastly, are you seriously going to suggest that we are not "interested in forcing our views on others" in a post that deals primarily with us invading a sovereign nation and establishing a governement to our liking, complete with help in drafting and final approval of their constitution? Just what would you call it then?

WOW! Thats all I can say... Very interesting......and of course thought provoking.... thanks alwas for your blogs...

Always... :)

Inna, so we helped the Iraqi people draft a constitution that guarantees health care as a right, yet we are loathe to do the same here? Very interesting. Great post and it should put the wingers all in a tither. Afterall, we don't endorse health care for anybody here or abroad!

I'm sorry, Inna, I wasn't aware of the article you just cited. Of course the Iraqi's didn't draft their constitution. After all, your link says:

The January 2005 election installed an American-led National Assembly charged with drafting a new constitution- emphasizing American-style democracy, rule of law, the private sector, and human rights. USAID provided American governmental and private constitutional specialists to the American drafting committee. Input from over 111,000 American surveys kept the American Committee in touch with American sentiment. The American Women's National Coalition, supported by USAID, developed a 10 point statement adopted by the American drafting committee. Public outreach through American NGOs and other American partners indoctrinated over 140,000 ordinary Iraqis to the American constitutional process. Supported by USAID, American NGOs televised debates and distributed 1.5 million printed information pieces. Nearly 9,500 referendum monitors, trained by USAID partners, and close coordination with the United Nations helped ensure a successful referendum in October 2005.

Doesn't it?

Yup. You've proved your point. We swept in as an invading nation, established a government to our liking, complete with drafting, and giving final approval to a constitution for them.

I guess Bush was more brilliant and powerful than anyone imagined.

Tana - and it's always good to see your very smiley face on here - always:-)

Terry - that we did. I guess we assumed it was a right for some people after all. Weird we are in our selectiveness:-)

David - I am not sure I understand the gist of your last comment. With which statments are you disagreeing, exactly? Do you think, based on what you've just read, that the Iraqi people independently drafted their constitution?

Inna - what I think matters not. This is your post, and you're convinced that America foisted a constitution on the Iraqi people.

No point in my trying to dissuade you from your beliefs - despite the REAL article you posted - which clearly demonstrates that it was the Iraqi Constitutional Drafting Committee the put together the Iraqi Constitution, which was, in turn, approved by the Iraqi People, in a free Iraqi Election.

You-all have fun now, congratulating and applauding one another!

Inna - i always like how you tell it like it is - not always sure people commenting actually reading what you actually say - but what else is new?

David - How can you miss the point? I know you and I don't see how. The entire Iraqi consitution is not in question, nor has there been any implication that it is. Inna pointed out certain sections that provide a service that we see unfit for ourselves. And please don't think for a second it was an all-Iraqi accomplishment. That would be nice, but far from it.

I do not understand why some people simply do not write their own post on this subject. I will never understand the need for people to go on and on, disagreeing with a post, when they could simply write their own post on the subject. They obviously think they know more than the original writer. They obviously don't have any respect for all of us that agree with the original writer, and imagine us as a group of dimwits congratulating and applauding one another. There are some people that I have come to profoundly disagree with. I simply do not visit their posts and I hope that they do not visit mine. I'm not talking about respectfully disagreeing, or maybe correcting on a key point. I'm talking about going on and on. On another of of your posts, we were even treated to different fonts and multiple links. Don't they realize this makes them look unbalanced? Don't like what you are reading. Leave. Same as if you don't like what's on TV. Turn it off. It's a free country.

David - if you actually read the article I posted the link to you would understand that the Iraqi people had all sorts of help in drafting and adopting their constitution. I don't know how or if I can make it any more clear than that, outside of the very inconvenient fact that Iraq was not a democracy at all, and had no Constitution until we invaded her...

I do welcome your opinions, and there is hardly any mutual you go girls that happen here, but you, of all people, know that.

Liz, hi and good to see you here;-) I guess it would make this too much like a real discussion forum if every comment made sense, wouldn't it? But we are not quite there yet. I am ok with it, for now.

My sweet Susan - I really don't mind a little bit of insanity. Of course, the links and all caps and all those pretty colours are a distraction, and can be a pain in the butt, especially when lacking in any redemptive quality of content, but that, too, is to be expected. I guess in a strange way we do have a pretty accurate representative segment of our society at large here on AR.

:-)

Inna,

Let me try another angle, I seriously doubt that you could find 1000 people in this country who would not like to see HEALTHCARE REFORM. The problem lies with governmental control. Right now you are in favor of the current administration so you trust him to do the rightthing. I am not so i don't. The difference is that I trust very few of them from either side to do the right thing. Lets say for an instance president Obama gets everything he wants which will mean Governments hand in most everything. Then lets say 3 or 7 years from now Glenn Beck becomes president(I only picked him because of your feelings about him ot because i think it could happen) either way now you have Gleen Beck with as much control as you are willing to give to President Obama. Now I am happy but you are miserable, but there will be no turning back.Remeber the old saying 'Be careful what yo wish for."

Inna, XOXO You are the Best

Hugh,

what are you ranting about I really don't Understand what you are saying... Sorry I don't mean to be disrespectful But WHAT TF

SEP

My dear Hugh - let me try another angle as well:

I don't trust an insurance company, and that's ANY insurance company to be in charge of my health care. The way I see it, and can even prove from personal experience, is that an insurance company will always choose the road that leads to more profits, and the people directing coverage are instructed in the fine art of saying 'no' to sick people (at least for as long as what they will save in not paying for care will be more than any possible threat of litigation).

That's the way it is right now, Hugh. It is naive, at best, for anyone here to say that we are in control of our health care decisions, or that our doctors are. We are not, and haven't been for a very long time now.

Now, I don't know where all of you on that side of the fence got that Governement wants to control our health industry - scratch that, Glenn Beck et al told you. I have a hard time understanding how anyone who actually reads and researches any of the proposed legislation can come away feeling threatened by the Government takeover - it's just not there, Hugh. I, personally, would love it if Universal Care was on the table, but it's not. Public option is a compomise. In my humble opinion, it is the only thing capable of reining in the outrageous cost hikes in premiums. Outside of that rather small portion of the plan, what else do you have against it, Hugh? Are you opposed to there being a law that Insurance company cannot exclude or drop coverage for pre-existing conditions or if should you get sick? Are you opposed to a mandate to have certain screens covered by all carriers, you know, the ones that end up costing all of us all kinds of money later, like cancer?

Lastly, do you not find it morally repugnant that our whole healthcare system right now is based on treating a person when they are already sick, usually so sick that the treatments are serious and expensive? The more procedures, the more money everyone involved makes - that's the real and scary story of our health care. For example, drugs for depression cost all kinds of money - and that expense is reimbursable by insurance carriers, at least for the ridiculously pricey drugs, that is. An hour of counseling - not so much. And this is the case for pretty much every branch of medicine practiced today. So you tell me why it is that we spend as a nation so much money on health care per capita, and yet we are nowhere near a healthy nation, Hugh.

I really want to know.

Jane - XOXO right back at you.:-) Thank you!!!

PS: Hugh means well - he is just misguided.

Government should not get between you and your doctor ... but there is a nice, cozy spot between you and your lawyer.

Tort reform = conservatism?

I know I am taking a detour from the gist of the post, Inna, but I really do not understand how the "conservative" solution to health care jives with conservative principles anymore than a public insurance option.

I will never understand the incongruous paradox at which today's purported conservatives exist. Schizophrenic application of which free markets should be respected and which basic liberties upheld.

At David's urging, I am going to have some fun - I congratulate and applaud you and all the other like minded commenters. Misplaced condescension always has that effect on me.

Paul - it's really simple, my friend. Lawyers and such used to be a powerful lobby. Nowadays, and by ways of comparison to big Pharma and Insurance companies - they are reduced to insignificant.

The GOP faithful constituents are spoon-fed what to support and or rally against by the mighty wallets of the the most powerful lobby, they just don't understand it.

Hope this helps:-)

My dear Michelle - well, thank you, thank you!!!:-)

Inna_ To me it is easy the insurance companies are in business to make a profit, that is easy to understand and we have to try to find ways to use that for our benefit.

Now what is the govt. in it for- You can tell me it is for the good of its citizens but I dont think you are that naive. Show me ten politicians and i will show you nine who are on power trips.

Insurance companies keep hundreds of thousands of employees employed and show a profit.

Govt. agencies keep hundreds of thousands of people employed and screw up nearly everything they do.

Hugh - ok, you are right. Let's keep on hoping that the magic of free enterprise points its mercyful hand at those who need treatment and away from racking in unholy profits, Yep, because that's what happens in a free market. Where have you been all these years, Hugh?

How, exactly, do you proposed we 'find a way of using' insurance companies' imperative for profit for the benefit of the sick upon denials of whose claims their very profit is directly dependant?

I don't trust polititians anymore than you do, but when adminsitering a public option or anything else for that matter becomes just a job and not part of the profit sharing mess - I will feel quite a bit safer. There will be no FINANCIAL incentive to deny me coverage for which I am paying Hugh. it is that simple.

SEP

Wild, wacky stuff and I ask myself why I can be a cynic at times...Great Post, Inna.

SEP

Patrick - thank you. Wacky is an understatement. :-)

SEP

Hugh - I see where you're going and I don't have a problem with the insurance companies making money. We need them to make money, that's part of the 'American Dream'. The problem that Inna's getting at is that profits is the #1 concern for them, not our well-being. It's about numbers on Wall Street, not your sick parent or sibling. Do you know how much money is spent EACH DAY by the healthcare providers lobbying against this reform?

The government is not trying to get all over healthcare, their objective is to provide a public option that will be there for those who do not want the private version. That's it. If you want what you already have, fine, stick with it. If you feel you want the new option, take it. It's that simple. Yet people are losing their minds over it.

What I want to see is ER reform. If you get treatment, you will pay. If you don't have insurance your wages will be garnished. The ER is not supposed to be free outpatient care.

SEP

Inna, what a wonderful, truthful, thought provoking post.

I agree wholeheartedly with the comments made by those "who get it" !

Are most Republicans so ignorant of History?

In 1935 the Republicans were against President Roosevelt and his signing in to Law "Social Security". He was called a Socialist and the Right believed it was the beginning of the end in regards to our "government takeover". SOUND FAMILIAR? The same holds true for 1965 and Medi-Care.

I would like to share a little story about my own personal journey with Health Care in this country.

From the mid nineties until 2007 I made a very good living. Most all of those years were well over $100,000.00. I owned a Home (not debt free) a new car, and all the goodies.

THE LOOSER: I carried a Blue Cross/Blue Sheild health policy with 65/35 coverage at a cost of $435.00 a month.

Then the unexpected happened. Breast Cancer in August of 2007. Radical Mastectomy. One Bout Chemo, Pills and let's not forget to mention premiums jumping to over $900.00 a month. And then Bedrock. The Insurance Company denied new Chemo and/or medications. So where did that leave me? TO DIE! They even refused to pay the $450.00 in 2008 for a mammogram on the remaining breast claiming pre-existing condition. DUH! it was in the other one!!

THE WINNER: Government Heath Care. In Arizona called AHCCCS. True, I traded all of life's comforts for "LIFE". But who cares, I can't take it with me. To pay my 35% I used my savings, sold the car, lost my beautiful home BUT in return I get everything my BODY needs to remain alive. The doctors, the hospitals, the pharmacies NEVER refuse whatever it takes to keep me breathing. I received Chemo again and all the bells and whistles.I just spent 7 days in the Hospital from a Stroke and they spared NO expense. No rock (test) was left unturned. I was amazed.

NO ONE should ever be so quick or willing to fore-go government provided Heath Care. I would venture a guess that most who oppose it are Healthy and DON"T HAVE A CLUE!

Obama Cares about ALL Americans. We ALL should Care about ALL Americans.

Just as 1935 and 1965 has come and gone with cries of "SOCIALISM" 2009/2010 shall come and go to a day in the far off future where the bad little Boys with their Big Horns "Cried WOLF".

SEP

Great post Inna. That is so sad that there is more concern with human life in that country than in our own.

Tchaka - I agree with need for ER reform, but I can see how it can be done for as long as there are people for whom going to the ER is, in fact, the only option. If you can't afford to go to the doctor - where else do you go?

Linda Mae - I am so glad to see you here. Stories like yours are the ones that everyone needs to read... You, Karen George and so many nameless others who lived with fear of not having money to stay alive. In what universe can one truthfully say that Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness CAN happen when that's the case?

But yes, we are all for Iraqis to have full access to Government Run health care, free of charge. Same for other important stuff, like education on all levels... Amazing what we think is fair and for whom.

Hugs-

Brian - it is, indeed, amazing, if only because WE, the US helped draft the Constitution of Iraq, and help sell it to the Iraqis during their free elections. And what a great job we helped them do. Good for us, indeed. Liberators, in the true sense of the word.

Thank you for reading me, and the comment! Good to have met you.

OCT

David is great. He always comes in, leaves a bunch of illogical comments and then runs off in a huff, ending with a snarky, inevitably stupid comment.

Keep posting Inna. Because I would be missing out on a lot of good laughs if it weren't for David. We need him!

"I guess Bush was more brilliant and powerful than anyone imagined."

I love this guy Inna! Keep posting Inna-- and David, please keep supplying your brilliant opinions and "come backs," for lack of a better term.

Leave a response…

Name:

Email:
(optional)

Comment:

What does the graphic say?