Health Care Reform Celebrates a Victory for American Democracy

The big divide between the two American political parties is truly evident by watching the Republicans’ last attempts to block legislation which will eventually endow the richest country in the world with a system of universal health care. This reformed health care plan will integrate 36 million uninsured Americans into its health care system.

Their last efforts tried to exploit the integration of abortion into the health care system as a means of derailing the legislation. Specifically, a Republican vocally accused a Democratic colleague of being a “baby killer,” shocking even the conservatives and leaving everyone speechless. The motion was defeated.

It’s a Victory for American Democracy.

This legislation declares victory over the health insurance companies, who for years opposed this legislation in order to protect their monopoly. The declarations emanating from these companies’ leaders were pure lies. This year, one of them dared to raise health care premiums by 30 percent without any justification, and as a result is now a target of pursuit. On average, the cost of health insurance for an American is double that of the cost for a European national.

Victory was obtained over the lobbyists with monetary influence: a multitude of lobbyists have spent hundreds of millions of dollars buying the Republican and even some Democratic votes. This mass of capital couldn’t stop the passage of this legislation.

Victory was obtained over the cynicism of the conservative forces who didn’t hesitate to make accusations at the president of the United States as if he were Hitler, making everyone acutely aware of the racism in these accusations. The president had to accept a deal that abortions wouldn’t be included in the health care plan in order to get it passed in the House.

Victory was obtained for the American people: They have needed and will continue to need Barack Obama’s strength of conviction and courage for managing to pass rights that the nations of Europe have granted to their citizens for a long time now. This European system is a system which refuses to aggravate the situation of the unemployed. There is an endless account of dramatic stories of the uninsured and how this powerlessness is affecting them and their family.

Even if the president of the United States doesn’t want to make this a personal affair, it’s clearly a symbolic victory. Imagine the commentaries that would have accompanied this campaign if this legislation would have failed. He still has gigantic problems ahead: immigration, environment, budget reform and two wars which are further increasing American debt. This was a big step in an exceptionally cumbersome agenda.

Leadership is the ability to bring to reality the objectives planned in advance. For all the negative comments in regards to Barack Obama, this historic step makes him the first president to succeed in a fundamental reform of the essential social security of this country. It has taken 100 years to pass the principle of universal health care. “This legislation brings a dream to reality for dozens of million Americans,” he said following a vote during a solemn statement at the White House. This momentous step for American democracy made it a memorable and emotional evening.