Why isn't HEALTH CARE compared to the MILITARY? Both are defenses against our enemies...

[AnArmyVeteran]

The bottom line is we pay taxes to support a military to protect us from guns and bombs. Why can't people understand that paying taxes to protect us from germs and diseases is just another form of defense against an enemy. Why can't those on the right consider viruses and diseases to be a bigger threat than any foreign enemy? Why can't they see the invasion already among us, and taking people's lives by the moment? Defense is defense.

Why can't the most powerful country on earth have both a military army to defend us from physical threats, but also a medical army to protect and save us from physical assaults from a much smaller enemy? We are granted life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, so aren't both military and medical armies necessary to fulfill our founder's visions of a more perfect union?

Look at it this way,
How many have died because of small 'terrorists' called viruses or diseases compared the small amount who die in battle? Shouldn't we have a priority to life and the living, rather than on weapons to destroy & kill? I choose to have my tax dollars go to help the living and to improve people's lives...

[KG]

1. ssems many people happily pay taxes to support death and destruction.

health and happiness are another matter entirely...

[hippywife]

2. The right is always pretty slow in coming around

on ideas like this. Some of them are just now catching up on the environmental issues a wee bit. Besides, they don't mind seeing poor brown people die.

But you definitely have a good approach there since they don't seem to get my "we all do well - when we ALL do well.

:hi:

[AnArmyVeteran]

3. If you paint anything as an 'enemy' then even a right winger can understand. They love conflict...

[kimi]

4. Interesting idea

makes sense to me. :)

[AnArmyVeteran]

7. It's an idea to drive home the importance of health care for all Americans...

We don't have a military for just some Americans. It's not a military where only the rich are entitled to its use to protect them. The military is to defend ALL Americans, regardless of their ability to pay. So why isn't health care considered equally as the military to defend us ALL against the enemy of disease or accident? I don't know why no one is using this basic argument in defense of health care for all.

The military isn't a 'privilege' and neither should health care. They are basic human rights.

[MrScorpio]

5. Just a side note

Since you've came onboard, I've really enjoyed your point of view

I really would have loved meeting you when I was in the Air Force, especially right around the time Junior invaded Iraq.

[AnArmyVeteran]

Thanks Mr. Scorpio... I respect and admire your service to your country...

I respect your service while you were in the military and now the service you are performing with your pen. I'm glad I discovered DU and it's been refreshing to read other like-minded people's opinions and ideas. I've also enjoyed getting to know fellow DUers and hope to broaden my circle of progressive-minded friends. Ideas to solve our nation's problems come from everywhere, but almost always from the bottom up. Rarely has a leader come up with life-changing ideas. They start with us, the people and those who truly care about the direction our country is headed.

All the best to you in your efforts to make our country a more perfect union...

[AnArmyVeteran]

6. We need to think about bettering the lives of the living, not dream up new ways to kill...

Conservatives seem fixated on military strength and love to use it even when we aren't threatened, as in Bush's Iraq War. If we used our limited resources to heal the sick rather than bomb the innocent just think how much better our county and world would be...

[Captain Hilts]

8. Because our military has single payer health care. You want healthcare join the military!

Welcome to DU!

Capt. Hilts, Navy 'junior'.

[Flaxbee]

9. I have thought this for a long time, AnArmyVeteran...

and I agree completely.

We'd have a much more productive society, too, if health care were available to all. A much stronger economy. I'd think appealing to greed (strong economy) would be a good argument for health care for all, too...