Taking care of those who can't take care of themselves

More than 30 million Americans are without health insurance of any kind.

We spend more per capita on health care than any country on earth.

The World Health Organization ranked the United States 37th in access/affordability/quality of health care among the nations of the world.

We spend 25 percent more per capita than the country ranked first.

Health care bills are the chief reason for personal bankruptcy in this country.

Many of the less than informed continue to point out that those without insurance can go to the emergency room. If you have no insurance and get cancer, you're going to die from cancer. The emergency room doesn't do chemotherapy. The emergency room won't help you if you have a chronic heart condition. If you have no insurance and have a child born with a serious illness, the nightmare in store won't be limited to the child's illness.

Health care in this country is a moral issue. We should all be ashamed that half of our citizens are so selfish. We should be ashamed that money and special-interest influence has a greater impact on lawmaking than taking care of human beings who are unable to take care of themselves.

Richard Westmoreland, Edmond