This past Thursday the Concord Monitor ran an article outlining the positions of Former Arkansas Governer and 2008 GOP candidate Mike Huckabee. It was quite an eye-opening read. What I found most surprising was his views on health care...
According to the Governor, America's healthcare system is fundamentall backwards (which it is). Huckabee however does not endorse the same type of universal healthcare plan called for by democratic candidates. His plan would reward those who live cautious, healthy lifestyles and elimate subsidies for smokers and those less fortunate. In his mind people will be more "economical" about their healthcare needs if they are forced to pay for them out-of-pocket. Huckabee goes on to explain that this will eliminate frivolous and expensive medical tests. I'm sorry, Mr. Governor but in this age where early diagnosis can be the difference between life and death we must encourage routine tests, not shun them just to save the government money. Apparently if individuals are responsible for themselves they will work harder to keep in shape. I don't want to be the one to tell the single mother of two who can't afford a doctor that she should just pack her kids an apple a day. Leaving people to fend for themselves in no way to motivate society to become more physically fit. Huckabee (along with many other conservatives), seem to agree that health care is a personal matter and the government shouldn't be held accountable to provide it. If he wants to complain about a system that is backwards he should take a look in the mirror. We cannot afford to treat our healtcare system like a field experiment in natural selection. This is America and we owe reasonably prices, quality healthcare to all our citizens. Society should not be such that you can only see a doctor if you are healthy enough to begin with. Don't just leave our weakest members to suffer. I don't care if you smoke or never wear your seatbelt. I'll certainly ask you to stop, but I'm not going to deny you the medical attention you deserve.
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