[The Times, U.K.]
Der Tagesspiegel, Germany
Americans Demand 'Freedom' to Pay
More for Less
"At issue is one of the fundamental ideological differences
between the old world and the new: What freedoms and risks should society leave
to the individual, and when should the community step in to help."
By
Christoph von Marschall
Translated
By Jonathan Lobsien
August
19, 2009
Germany - Der Tagesspiegel - Original Article
(German)
Little
by little, the U.S. is turning Barack Obama himself, that
exceptional politician, into a proper American. And he will not get a majority
for the introduction of universal health insurance, even if he has approached the
subject more cleverly than the Clintons did 15 years ago.
At issue
is one of the fundamental ideological differences between the old world and the
new: What freedoms and risks should society leave to the individual, and when
should the community step in to help. On this point - the duties of the state -
Americans and Europeans have nearly opposite views. Americans tend to consider
it an evil. It is unfortunately necessary for the defense against enemies and their
way of life as well as a few organizational tasks, but otherwise it should stay
out of their lives. Europeans grant the state educational duties and
responsibilities, from social security to salvaging the environment and
climate. For the majority of Americans, this makes the hair on the back of
their necks stand on end.
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
Arguments
and examples from experience count for little in this quarrel. On many fronts,
America’s mistrust of the state is refreshing, but not on health policy. The
coverage of the average U.S. citizen against illness and its consequences is
worse than in Germany, even though they have to pay considerably more. But a
whole lot of Americans see the issue of freedom in the debate about health care
reform: the state has never prescribed whether someone should insure
themselves, or how. For most Europeans, that’s hard to relate to.
Now
Obama is giving in. He's willing to waive publicly-funded health insurance for
the millions of uninsured for whom premiums are too high or who have been
rejected by private insurers due to preexisting conditions. Previously, the president
tacitly gave in on another election promise - universal insurance.
The resistance comes from citizens who are genuinely
outraged at what they see as state interference and business groups that are
earning good money from the existing system. They are abusing the founding myth
for their own purposes. The U.S. was created as a "land of the free" against the
dictatorship of monarchies in Europe. Opponents of the reform are going so far
as to cite Thomas Jefferson: "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to
time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."
SEE ALSO ON THIS:
Le Figaro, France:
Health Care: Obama's 'Moment of Truth'
Le Quotidien d'Oran, Algeria:
Health Care Knocks Obama Off of His Cloud
The Independent, U.K.:
The Brutal Truth About American Health Care
Daily Mail, U.K.:
U.S. Debate on Health
Care 'Fit Only for Children's Ward'
Obama is realizing what his nation will and won't accept. There's
likely to be health reform in the end. But the overhaul that ultimately wins
majority backing won't resemble what he promised during the election campaign.
This
has long ceased to be about the uninsured. They comprise only 15 percent of the
citizenry and only 10 percent of voters. For those who are insured, the freedom
to choose now takes precedence. Part of that freedom, as Americans see it, also
includes the freedom to pay too much for health care which is inferior compared
to other systems.
CLICK HERE FOR GERMAN VERSION
[Posted by WORLDMEETS.US August 24, 6:55pm]
