Political
Courage: Healthcare for Every Child in America
By
Leroy Jones, Jr.
Political Commentator & Columnist
Who could
have a problem with universal healthcare for children and
pregnant women? Working folks and their children, should not
be denied basic healthcare benefits because they don't have
the resources to pay the high cost of healthcare. In a society
with so much technology and wealth, we cannot and should not
refuse to help those in need, in this case children and pregnant
women.
Even the
most fiscal conservative member of Congress, regardless of
party or affiliation, would have to be willing to accept that
universal healthcare for children and pregnant women, is a
worthwhile and achievable goal. It would be a great sight,
Conservative and Progressive members of Congress agreeing
on an issue, and using their collective strength to make it
happen. Finding common ground. Or do they still use that other
“b” word in Washington, “bi-partisanship”?
In
America, folks have always stepped up to the plate and
committed to taking care of those who cannot take care
of themselves. It is a moral obligation of a community,
village, city, state or nation to take care of them.
It is the American Way to help and give back to those
less fortunate. Americans are a caring and strong people,
and they care about children and pregnant women.
Clearly,
it is not time to get caught up in finger pointing or
blaming anyone for past transgressions. The time to
act is now. As grown folks, we know there are issues
and problems that we may never agree on. However, I
think that when it comes to the issues of children and
pregnant women, we can all agree that their healthcare
is of the utmost importance.
On
Capitol Hill, Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va), a member of the
Congressional Black Caucus, who has fought passionately
on issues concerning children and pregnant women for
over 20 years both in the Virginia State Legislature
and U.S. Congress, has introduced legislation to address
this crisis in our nation. His bill, H.R. 1688, the
“All Healthy Children Act”, would "provide
health insurance coverage for children and pregnant
women throughout the United States, by expanding benefits
provided for them under Medicaid and State Children's
Health Insurance Programs". It provides members
with a good starting point to create meaningful and
thoughtful health care legislation.
There
will great debate on how to make the bill workable.
This is the American way, and the purest form of our
democratic process. There will be tremendous pressure
placed on Congress to address this issue.
Regardless
of all the outside pressure sure to be placed on the
appropriate committees and members concerning this bill,
there is one big event overshadowing everything happening
in D.C . . . Election 2008. If this bill or any other
legislation like it is not signed into law by the end
of 2007, then the likelihood of any legislative action
during the 2008 Election season is almost totally non-existent.
Let’s
hope that in 2007, Congress and the Bush Administration
have the heart and courage to look out for children
and pregnant women, to do anything less would be a disgrace.
Leroy
Jones, Jr., creator of PoliticalJones.com is a Political
Commentator and Government Affairs Consultant based
in Washington, D.C. He is the host of "The PoliticalJones
Report with Leroy Jones, Jr." on WIGO-1570
AM (Atlanta). Mr. Jones is also a regularly scheduled
guest on “The
Right Side with Shelley Wynter" daily radio
show on WAOK-1380 AM (Atlanta/CBS), XM Satellite Radio,
Blacknews.com and various other media outlets.
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