...I began to devote much of my attention to providing all Americans with the protection of good health insurance, but I have fallen short of my goals. I've failed to convince my colleagues that far-reaching health reforms are essential. We have made some gains, but we have not done enough. (Senator Edward M. Kennedy, America Back on Track p. 131)
"I've failed to convince my colleagues that far-reaching health reforms are essential."
This sentence has been echoing through my head all last night and today. "I've failed" , says Senator Kennedy. One of our best advocates, sometimes our only Senate advocate, for health care for everyone, and he says he's failed. "I've failed to convince my colleagues", he says.
As a citizen, I think I think the Senator is wrong. I think the failure belongs to his colleagues -- past and present -- who've failed to act. They've let year after year drift by while their own constituents drift into ill-health and bankruptcy for lack of comprehensive health coverage. Think about it, Presidential, Congressional and Senate candidates who aren't taking a powerful stand on the issue of universal health care are killing us. They are looking at their insuranceless constituents and saying -- "so what?"
They've had enough time. It's used up. How dare they use our tax money to pay for the best of health care and tell us they can't afford to consider it for us?
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