IS AMERICA REALLY THE DEFINITION OF GREAT?

Have you ever really taken a good look at our nation? Have you ever thought about our health care system, or our educational system, or even other countries that are supposed to be our enemies? Like why don't we have universal health care like the other neighboring countries? Why does it cost us so much to go to college? Why is it that we hate other countries? All these questions are very vague indeed, but the answers may shock you. It may even make you question the people we elect into office.

Today I finished watching a documentary called "Sicko" that was produced by Michael Moore. This documentary covered things like the cost of living in America and the cost of health care in the U. S. verses every place else. Michael Moore basically dug up evidence that goes to prove that America, is no longer as great as we are told to believe. His main focus was on health care. Moore wanted to find out why it was, that we Americans are without health coverage in our elderly ages. Moore became interested in this topic when he had become aware of several tragic cases of ordinary citizens whose lives have been drastically changed by refusal of health payments and treatments. He goes on to find that the health care systems in America are the worst. Moore proceeds to go to places such as Canada, France, and the United Kingdom to find out how their health care programs are ran. I won't give away the whole story but the moral of it, is that we Americans are being cheated of things that are supposed to be the most important. Our health, and our will to live.

Watching that documentary made me realize that the cost of living in America is overpriced. We pay so much for health care but sometimes get so little. I can't be the only one who has gone to the hospital because something is wrong, only to come out without a diagnosis. I can't be the only one who has showed up 10 to 15 minutes early for an appointment and ended up having to wait almost half an hour to 45 minutes just to go in. Further more, having to wait an additional 15 to 20 minutes just for the doctor to come and see me. I can't be the only one to have gone to the hospital and have had a doctor not know what is wrong with me only to go back to the hospital in an even worst condition only for the doctors to finally find out what's wrong. If that doesn't sound like carelessness, then I don't know what it is. My parents pay good money for complete medical coverage. So why is it, that the service sucks? Why is it that I, along with many other paying individuals, get treated so terribly when it comes to health care? Do you ever just think about why doctors get paid so much for doing so little?

Don't get me wrong, being a doctor is a very difficult job. But sometimes, they abuse their power. In the documentary "Sicko" Michael Moore travels to France and speaks with multiple doctors in different hospitals. In France, they have universal health care. That means the people there, pay higher taxes to get free medical. It doesn't matter if you're rich, poor, homeless, upper, lower, or even middle class. Every working person in France, pays higher taxes, so the next guy doesn't have to pay for a thing when it comes to medical. Doesn't that sound amazing? The idea of going to the hospital and not having to look forward to a huge bill in the mail a few weeks after you've been discharged? Let's say you don't have medical coverage for what ever reason it may be, and you get into an accident that requires you to be transported by the ambulance. How do you pay for the ride to the hospital? How do you pay the doctors that had to see you and diagnose you? What about a surgery? How do you pay for the medical procedures? Or the medication? With a surgery, calls for pain killers? How do you pay for them? Now, because you don't have medical coverage, you're left with a $7,000 bill. And how do you pay for it? You're a middle class person and you already have a hard time paying for the basic things in life, now you have to worry about your health. Why should you have to worry about something so important such as health care? And why is it so expensive if it's a must have?

I guess my point is, America is no longer America. America stopped being great, the minute money became the center of attention. America stoped being "the land of the free" when the politicians couldn't be trusted. America stopped being great the minute it started being more about saving money and trying to get rich rather than being about the people and keeping the people happy. America stopped being a superior when education costed more than the cost of living. America stopped being America when the morals stopped being instilled in the youth. America stopped being worth it when the people started to put wealth as their first priority. America stopped being a superior when the people stopped being the center of attention. America stopped being worth living in when the politicians stopped caring for the people who got them into office. America, just isn't America anymore. Which means America is no longer great.