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29 Sep, 2009 11:25

Fighting to the death for health care

President Barack Obama has once again called for progress on his health care reforms, but protests and debate have resumed.

Should there be a massive health care overhaul? It seems no one can agree, including those in charge.

On the one hand, there’s reform supporter Howard Dean – former leader of the Democratic Party and once potential opponent to George W. Bush for the presidency:

“The moral answer is very easy. We are the only industrialized democracy on the face of the earth that does not have universal health care. That is foolish.”

On the other hand, there’s outspoken congressman Ron Paul – a leader in the liberty movement and strong critic of the new bill:

“There’s morality involved. They have the moral high ground because they use immoral tactics. People who think they can get free stuff from the government, they’re kidding themselves.”

But apart from morals, there’s also the issue of cost.

“There’s no way the government can expand their role in medical care and accomplish it without having a bigger deficit,” Ron Paul is convinced. “I think that’s illegal under the constitution, I think it’s theft. That’s an authoritarian approach. They don’t believe in individual rights, they don’t believe in freedom, they don’t understand the market.”

Howard Dean is cautious and carefully chooses words to voice his stance:

“It’s not like we’re gonna spend all this money that we don’t have, it’s a transfer from other people that are spending it to the Federal government.”

Dean is sure he will win – “because the American people want it.”

However, many American people would say just the opposite. And as politicians debate day in, day out about what health care reform really means, the issue seems to be dividing the country. Some even say it’s only a matter of time until people get truly sick of all this health talk and start taking action on their own.

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