Portland observer., May 18, 1994, Page 2, Image 2

M ay 18, 1994 • T he P ortland O bserver
P age A2
V a n t a g e
P o i n t
The Crucial Battle Over Health Care Reform
J
l
o r the last several m onths
the issue o f health care re-
fo rm has been a d o m in a n t
issue o n th e A m e ric a n a g e n d a .
C O A L IT IO N
Clinton: In Search Of A
Foreign Policy For Haiti
th e m to H a it i w ith o u t due p r o ­
cess, a v io la t io n o f in te r n a tio n a l
andall R obinson was ad­
o w n p e o p le - a s lo n g as th e y w e re
m itte d lo P rovidence H os­
p ita l in W a s h in g to n , DC
this w eek afte r n e a rly a m o n th -lo n g
fast protesting w h a t he c a lls P resi­
s ta u n c h ly a n ti- c o m m u n is t. T h e
H a itia n c r is is is 100 ye a rs o ld .
O rg a n iz e d o p p o s itio n fo rc e s
d ro v e o u t th e D u v a lie r s in the
dent C lin to n ’ s ra cist p o lic ie s to w a rd
H a iti. A c o m b in a tio n o f fa c to rs -th e
’ 8 0 s , b u t n o t the c o r r u p t s y s te m .
H o w e v e r, i t w a s f in a l ly fo rc e d to
m oral p o w e r o f M r. R o b in s o n ’ s fast,
increased p u b lic c ritic is m by th e C B C
h o ld d e m o c ra tic e le c tio n s o n D e ­
a s s u m in g o ffic e , C lin to n a d o p te d
B u s h ’ s p o lic y , g o in g to th e S u ­
c e m b e r 16, 1 9 9 0 . T h e B u sh a d ­
m in is t r a t io n s u p p o rte d the sta tu s
q u o c a n d id a te , b u t th e p o o r r a l­
lie d
a ro u n d
J e a n -B e rtra n d
p re m e C o u rt to d e fe n d it .
A r is tid e c a lle d f o r th e im ­
m e d ia te r e p la c e m e n t o f th e
A r m y H ig h C o m m a n d , L ie u te n ­
o f th e
A r is tid e , g iv in g h im 67 p e rc e n t
A d m in is tra tio n ’ s special e n vo y fo r
o f th e ir v o te . P u b lic ly , the B u s h
H a iti. La w re n ce P ezzullo; is leading
a d m in is tra tio n ga ve lip - s e r v ic e to
d e m o c ra c y a n d A r is t id e ’ s re tu rn .
P r iv a t e ly , B u s h used th e U .S .
a n t G e n e ra l R a o u l C e d ra s ; the
P o r t- A u - P r in c e C h ie f o f P o lic e ,
M ic h e l F ra n c o is ; h is im m e d ia te
and others in C ongress, and reports
o f renew ed te rro r against the H a itia n
people by th e ir m ilita r y rulers--has
le d to
th e r e s ig n a tio n
to stronger U N sanctions; and has
even in vo ke d the threat o f m ilita ry
fo rce to restore Father A ris tid e to
pow er. The N R C urges yo u r c o n tin ­
health care crisis in A m e ric a is real.
The cru cia l question is how to solve
sands o f insurance com panies.
W h ile P re sid e n t C lin to n and
any o th e r health care proposal in
C o n g re ss. In a d d itio n to C o n g .
the crisis. On th is question there are
some fundam ental differences o f ap­
H illa ry C lin to n occasional attack the
insurance com panies fo r th e ir greed
C onyers, m ost o f the mem bers o f the
proach w h ic h B la ck people, people o f
and lack o f support fo r the C lin to n
Rev. Jesse Jackson support the health
c o lo r and p o o r and w o rk in g people
pla n , they have never reached the
care fo r people p rin c ip le as reflected
need to assess very ca re fu lly.
F rom m y vantage p o in t the heart
o f the question is about w h a t p rin ­
ciples and values should guide p u b lic
p o lic y in the U n ite d States in to the
lo g ica l co n clu sio n that health care
should be fo r people and n o t fo r p r o f it
in the single payer con ce p t and the
M c D e r m o tt- C o n y e r s B i l l , A n d ,
The C lin to n s have steadfastly refused
to support proposals that w o u ld e lim i­
nate the insurance com panies fro m
though single payer has been sub­
jected to a v irtu a l media w h ite o u t, the
leading budgetary agencies w ith in the
C ongress have in d ica ted that single
21st C e n tu ry. S hould health care be
fo r people, a basic hum an rig h t g u a r­
anteed to a ll hum an beings in th is
society on an equitable basis irrespec­
tive o f race, gender, class o r d is a b il­
ity? O r should health care be fo r
p ro fit, a p riv ile g e w h ic h society feels
the m ilit a r y g o v e rn m e n t b y m a k ­
question w h ic h o rd in a ry A m ericans
in g
m ust answ er in term s o f the outcom e
o f health care re fo rm and the future
A r is t id e ’ s p o p u la r le a d e rs h ip and
h is e c o n o m ic p ro g ra m to ra is e the
m in im u m w a g e . A r i s t i d e w a s
H a itia n p o lic y . L e t’ s re vie w the his­
o v e r th r o w n in a m ilit a r y c o u p on
to ry o f U .S. in v o lv e m e n t in H a iti as
reported b y JaxFax, V o l. I, Issue 17.
H a it ia n s w e r e th e o n l y
S e p te m b e r 3 0 , 1991.
o u r W a r f o r In d e p e n d e n c e . H a it i,
C onyers B ill has m ore sponsors that
A g e n c y f o r In te r n a tio n a l D e v e l­
T h e U N a n d U .S . re s p o n d e d
w it h an in e ffe c tiv e e c o n o m ic b o y ­
c o tt th a t h u r t o n ly th e p o o r. O il
s t i l l flo w e d , assets o f th e ric h
e q u a l p la y e rs
w it h
A r is tid e d u r in g n e g o tia tio n s . In
th e G o v e r n o r ’ s I s la n d , N Y ,
a g re e m e n t, s ig n e d b y A r is tid e
u n d e r d u re ss o n J u ly 3 , 1 9 9 3 ,
corporate A m e rica , the P resident and
the p o litic a l leadership o f b oth p a r­
ties, there is a b ill before the C ongress
the paperw ork and a d m in istra tive co st
required to process cla im s w ith th o u ­
opm ent
th e m
the “ business” o f health care. V a rio u s
have estim ated that 25% o f health
There should be no d o u b t that the
20 m illio n are inadequately covered.
care fo r p r o fit issue is the cru c ia l
u n d e r m in e
h a vin g thousands o f insurance c o m ­
panies (m u ltip le payers) engaged in
w h ic h is g e n e ra tin g co n sid e ra b le
T h e O A S - U N - U .S . le g itim iz e d
to
system.
T ho u g h this con ce p t has v ir tu ­
a lly been dism issed as im p ra c tic a l by
grassroots support. The M c D e rm o tt-
re tu rn ; a n d th e a n n u lm e n t o f th e
fr a u d u le n t 1992 senate e le c tio n s .
(A ID )
system m odeled a fte r the C anadian
care cost in the U .S. are a ttrib u ta b le to
no health care coverage and another
o b lig e d to p ro vid e as long as the
interests and status o f the co rp o ra ­
tions and the w e a lth y are protected?
The health care fo r people o r health
ued prayers fo r R andall R obinson
and y o u r co n tin u e d pressure on the
C lin to n a d m in is tra tio n to change its
p e o p le to sand w it h th e U .S . in
la w . C a n d id a te C lin to n c r i t i ­
c iz e d B u s h fo r th is p o lic y , c a l l ­
in g i t im m o r a l, c a llo u s , c ru e l
a n d u n la w f u l. A w e e k b e fo re
A m e ric a has the m o s t e xp e n sive
health care system in the west, yet by
someestimates 37 m illio n people have
fa ils to deal w ith the biggest single
problem c rip p lin g the health care sys­
tem in the U .S.: the enorm ous cost o f
d ire c tio n o f the nation.
the health care system altogether.
Instead they have proposed a “ free
C ongressional B la ck Caucus and the
payer w o u ld be the least co stly o f a ll
m arket” fo r p ro fit system that w o u ld
p ro vid e d iffe re n t levels and q u a lity o f
the c u rre n t p ro p o sa ls, sa vin g the
health care based on econom ic status
and a b ility to pay. P oor and w o rk in g
in reduced health care cost. The ke y to
this cost savings is the e lim in a tio n o f
people w o u ld be guaranteed a “ bare
bones” package o f benefits w h ile the
w ealthy w o u ld s till be able to p u r­
the health care p ro fite e rs - the in s u r­
ance com panies. A s is the case w ith
A m e rica n taxpayer b illio n s o f d o lla rs
chase the best health care that m oney
M edicare, a n o n -p ro fit g o ve rn m en t
agency w o u ld be the sole/single payer
co u ld buy.
The a lte rn a tive v is io n is a health
necessary overhead/administrative co st
care system that places the needs o f
people firs t; a system that is equitable
A s o f th is w ritin g the co n ve n ­
tio n a l w isd o m is that the insurance
(treats everyone the same in term s o f
lo b b y is too p o w e rfu l fo r single payer
to have a chance o f passing Congress.
benefits irrespective o f incom e/sta-
thereby saving billions o f dollars in un­
a pledge to make health care re fo rm a
term s o f doctors, hospitals, c lin ic s
In the fin a l analysis, h o w e ver, the
p o w e r o f the people can be greater
the m ilit a r y , p o lic e a n d senate
r e m a in e d in p la c e , s a n c tio n s
w e re l if t e d , and th e s ta tu s q u o o f
key cornerstone o f his presidency. He
etc. and saves the taxpayers and the
nation m oney by re d u cin g the o ve ra ll
than any lo b b y . T o that end an o rg a ­
n iza tio n o f grassroots a ctivists fro m
cost o f health care. O f equal im p o r­
aro u n d the c o u n try , S in g le Payer
p o w e r w as m a in ta in e d in H a it i.
C lin to n , in a m anner s im ila r to the
tance, such a system should advance
A cross the N a tio n (S P A N , 216-241-
8558) is determ ined to m ake a d e c i­
President C lin to n cam paigned on
has indeed ke p t fa ith w ith that p ro m ­
ise. The p ro b le m is that P resident
tus), p rovides fo r m a xim u m choice in
re m a in e d a v a ila b le , and th e y w e re
a b le to tr a v e l a b ro a d . C o n d itio n s
T h e U n ite d S tates h e lp e d to
N o rth A m e rica n Free T rade A g re e ­
c re a te th e d is o rd e r in H a it i. T h e
m ent (N A F T A ) in itia tiv e , is p ro m o t­
the p rin c ip le that people are m ore
im p o rta n t than p r o fit and that the
fre e d o m in 1 7 9 1 . Y e t w ee b e ­
tra y e d th e c o u n tr y , in te rv e n e d ,
o c c u p ie d a n d e x p lo ite d H a it i —
o f p o v e rty a n d b r u t a lity w o rs e n e d
f o r th e p o o r. T h o u s a n d s ris k e d
C li n t o n a d m in is t r a t io n m u s t
d e v e lo p th e B a c k b o n e to a p p ly
in g and advancing a concept w h ic h
guarantee o f basic hum an rig h ts i.e.,
sive d iffe re n ce on the c ritic a l ques­
tio n o f health care fo r people o r health
firs t and forem ost preserves and p ro ­
jo b s, h o u sin g , health care, education,
care fo r p ro fit. I b e lie ve i t is a ques-
d r o w n in g a t sea in r ic k e ty b o a ts
its s o u n d p r in c ip le s , P re s id e n t
tects the interests o f the big business
clean e n viro n m e n t w il l m ake fo r a
tion/issue w h ic h each o f us m ust de­
its p e o p le a n d n a tu ra l re s o u rc e s .
A f t e r W o r ld W a r I I , th e U .S .
r a th e r th a n e n d u re m o re h a rd s h ip
C lin to n m a d e a c o m m itm e n t to
- in th is instance the b ig insurance
m uch m ore healthy and hum ane so ci­
cid e and act on in term s o f the health
in H a it i.
In D e c e m b e r, 1 9 9 1 , B u s h es­
re s to re o rd e r and d e m o c ra c y to
H a it i. I t m u s t be u p h e ld . T h e
com panies. H is h ig h ly p u b lic iz e d
concept o f “ managed c o m p e titio n ”
ety. T h is v is io n is captured in the
concept o f a single payer health care
and w e ll be in g o f th is n a tio n in to the
W e a rm e d a n d fu n d e d a c o r r u p t
b u s in e s s a n d m ilit a r y e lit e , s u p ­
ta b lis h e d a p o lic y o f in te rc e p tin g
H a itia n m ilit a r y m u s t be to ld ,
H a itia n s a t sea and d e c la re d th e m
“ T h is s h a ll n o t s ta n d .” A c o m ­
p o rte d th e g o v e rn m e n ts o f b o th
P apa a n d B a b y D o c D u v a lie r —
“ e c o n o m ic ” ra th e r th a n “ p o l i t i ­
c a l” re fu g e e s —w h ic h d e n ie d them
p le te b lo c k a d e o f H a it i m u s t be
p u t in p la c e , a n d m ilit a r y in t e r ­
eve n th o u g h th e y b ru ta liz e d th e ir
te m p o ra ry a s y lu m a n d re tu rn e d
v e n tio n m u s t n o t be ru le d o u t.
th e w o r ld ’ s f i r s t in d e p e n d e n t
B la c k r e p u b lic , g a in e d its o w n
used H a it i as a C o ld W a r p a w n .
Mandela’s Inaugural
o u r majesties, y o u r royal
highnesses, distinguished
w ere ou tla w s not so lo n g ago, have
today been g ive n the rare p riv ile g e to
g uests, c o m ra d e s an d
be host to the nations o f the w o rld on
o u r ow n soil.
friends:
T o d a y, a ll o f us do, by o u r pres­
ence here, and by o u r celebrations in
W e thank a ll o u r distin g uish e d
in te rn a tio n a l guests fo r h a vin g com e
to take possession w ith the people o f
o u r co u n try o f w hat is, a fte r a ll, a
com m on v ic to ry fo r ju stice , fo r peace,
both b lack and w h ite , w ill be able to
w a lk ta ll, w ith o u t any fear in th e ir
hearts, assured o f the in a lienable
rig h t to hum an d ig n ity - a R a in b o w
na tio n at peace w ith its e lf and the
W e trust that you w ill continue to
w o rld .
A s a token o fits c o m m itm e n t to
the renew al o f o u r co u n try, the new
in te rim G o v e rn m e n t o f N a tio n a l
U n ity w ill, as a m atter o f urgency,
address the issue o f am nesty fo r
o f w h ic h a ll h u m a n ity w ill be proud.
stand by us as w e tackle the chal­
lenges o f b u ild in g peace, prosperity,
various categories o f our people w h o
are c u rre n tly serving term s o f im ­
O u r d a ily deeds as o rd in a ry
nonsexism , n o n ra cia lism and dem oc­
South A fric a n s m ust produce an ac­
tu a l South A fric a n re a lity that w ill
racy.
W e deeply appreciate the role
p riso n m e n t.
W e dedicate this day to a ll the
re in fo rce h u m a n ity ’ s b e lie f in ju s ­
tice , strengthen its c o n fid e n ce in the
that the masses o f o u r people and their
and the rest o f the w o rld w h o sacri­
d em ocratic, re lig io u s , w om en, youth,
business, tra d itio n a l and other lead­
ers have played to b rin g about this
fic e d in m any w ays and surrendered
th e ir live s so that we co u ld be free.
co n clu sio n . N o t least among them is
a lity . Freedom is th e ir rew ard.
W e are both hum bled and e l­
evated by the honor and p riv ile g e
o th e r parts o f o u r c o u n try and the
w o rld , co n fe r g lo ry and hope to n ew ­
born lib e rty .
O u t o f the experience o f an e x ­
tra o rd in a ry hu m a n d is a s te r th a t
lasted to o long m ust be b o m a society
n o b ility o f the human soul and sus­
tain a ll o u r hopes fo r a g lo rio u s life
fo r a ll.
A ll this w e o w e b oth to o u r­
selves and to the peoples o f the w o rld
fo r hum an d ig n ity .
m y Second D e p u ty President, the
H onorable F .W . de K le rk .
W e w o u ld also lik e to pay trib u te
heroes and heroines in th is co u n try
T h e ir dreams have become re ­
today.
T o m y co m p a trio ts, I have no
hesitation in saying that each one o f
to o u r se cu rity forces, in a ll th e ir
that you, the people o f South A fric a ,
have bestowed on us, as the firs t
ranks, fo r the distin g uish e d role they
have played in securing o u r firs t demo­
P resident o f a united, dem ocratic,
no n ra cia l and nonsexist South A f ­
us is as in tim a te ly attached to the so il
c ra tic elections and the tra n sitio n to
ric a , to lead o u r co u n try o u t o f the
o f th is b e a u tifu l c o u n try as are the
fam ous jacaranda trees o f P retoria
dem ocracy, fro m b lo o d th irsty forces
w h ic h s till refuse to see the lig h t.
v a lle y o f darkness.
and the m im osa tre e s o f the bush veld.
Each tim e one o f us touches the
so il o f th is land, w e feel a sense o f
T he tim e fo r the healing o f the
w h o are so w e ll represented here
w ounds has come.
W e understand it s till that there
is no easy road to freedom .
W e kn o w it w e ll that none o f us
The m om ent to bridge the chasms
that d iv id e has com e.
a cting alone can achieve success.
W e m ust therefore act together
as a united people, fo r national rec­
o n c ilia tio n , fo r nation b u ild in g , fo r
and e xh ila ra tio n w hen the grass turns
The tim e to b u ild is upon us.
W e have, at last achieved our
p o litic a l em ancipations. W e pledge
green and the flo w e rs b lo o m .
T h a t s p iritu a l and p h ysica l one­
ourselves to liberate a ll o u r people
fro m the c o n tin u in g bondage o f p o v ­
ness w e a ll share w ith th is com m on
hom eland e xp la in s the depth o f the
e rty, d e p riv a tio n , s u ffe rin g , gender
pain we a ll ca rrie d in o u r hearts as
we spum ed, o u tla w e d and isolated
W e succeeded to take o u r last
steps to freedom in co n d itio n s o f rela­
by the peoples o f the w o rld , precisely
because it has become the universal
tiv e peace. W e c o m m it ourselves to
the co nstruction o f a com plete, ju s t
been freed to f u lf ill themselves.
N ever, never and never again
base o f the p ernicious id e o lo g y and
and lasting peace.
practice o f racism and ra c ia l oppres­
W e have triu m p h e d in the e ffo rt
to im p la n t hope in the breasts o f the
shall it be that oppression o f one by
another and s u ffe r the in d ig n ity o f
being the skunk o f the w o rld .
W e, the people o f South A fric a ,
m illio n s o f o u r people. W e enter in to
The sun shall never set on so
fee, fu lfille d that h u m a n ity has taken
a covenant that we shall b u ild the
g lo rio u s a human achievem ent! Let
us back in to its bosom , that w e, w ho
society in w h ic h a ll South A fric a n s ,
freedom reign. G od Bless A fric a !
personal renew al. The national m ood
changes as the seasons change.
W e are m oved to a sense o f jo y
sion.
and o th e r d is c rim in a tio n .
the b irth o f a new w o rld .
L e t there be ju s tic e fo r a ll.
L e t there be peace fo r a ll.
L e t there be w o rk , bread, w ater
and salt fo r a ll.
L e t each kn o w that fo r each the
b o d y, the m in d and the soul have
21st C entury.
Civil Rights Journal
We Need A Health Care Revolution
by
B ernice P owell J ackson
fe w m onths ago I was in the
em ergency room o f a C le ve ­
land h o spital w a itin g fo r a
frie n d . W h ile I sat there a m o th e r w ith
tw o sm a ll ch ild re n came in seeking
m edical care. H e r children ’ seyes were
red and sw o lle n ; c le a rly they w ere
s u ffe rin g fro m w h a t is c o m m o n ly
called p in k eye, a h ig h ly contagious
c o n d itio n w h ic h ch ild re n o fte n get.
W hat was just as clear was that
w hile this condition must be treated, it
was not really an emergency room case.
Yet fo r many poor mothers, the emer­
gency room is the only medical treat-
m entfacility w hich they know. For some,
it is the only treatment center anywhere
near where they live.
There’s something wrong w ith the
health care system in America. Stories
like the one above prove that. Statistics
even w ith all the talk about health care
reform in the country today, little is
being said about the unique needs o f our
comm unity w ith health care problems
more closely parallel to those o f Third
W o rld countries than those o f white
America.
Take, fo r instance, the need fo r
than 20 percent o f A fric a n A m e ri­
cans receive th e ir health care fro m
A fric a n A m e ric a n physicians.
T h a t is n o t to say that w h ite
physicians cannot g iv e q u a lity health
care to A fric a n A m e ric a n patients.
B u t they have n o t liv e d m any o f the
c o m m u n ity experiences and c u ltu ra l
health care p ro vid e rs to be members
se n sitivitie s that someone fro m o u r
o f the c o m m u n ity they serve. A gen­
eration ago the m a jo rity o f A fric a n
c o m m u n ity has.
T he c iv il rig h ts leader Fannie
A m e rica n s re ce ive d th e ir m e dical
L o u H am er once said, “ I am sick and
treatm ent fro m A fric a n A m e rica n
doctors. W hen I was g ro w in g up in
tire d o f be in g sick and tire d .” She
W a sh in g to n , D .C . in the 1950’ s and
6 0 ’ s fo r exam ple, I never saw a w h ite
p h ysicia n u n til I was an adult. M y
d o cto r and the doctors o f a ll m y fa m ­
ily members were A fric a n A m e ri­
cans. T oday, it is estim ated that less
w a sn ’ t ta lk in g about health care then,
b u t I c o u ld n ’ t agree w ith her m ore.
(N ote; W rite to yo u r Congress-
person at the House o f Representa­
tives, W ash in g to n , D .C . 20515. W rite
to y o u r Senators at the U .S. Senate,
W a sh in g to n , D . C . 20 5 1 0 .)
also prove thaL Statistics show that w hile
white Americans are livin g longer, A fr i­
® Ije ^Jnrtianh (©bserrier
can Americans are liv in g shorter lives.
(USPS 9 59-680)
For example, A frican American ba­
bies are more than twice as like ly as
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white babies to die before they celebrate
Uieir first birthday. The rate o f A ID S
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among African Americans is more than
triple that o f whites. Young A frican
T h e P O R T L A N D O B S E R V E R Ls located at
American males experience
ahom icide rate more than 700 times
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face high rates o f alcoholism and drug
addiction. A frican American children
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are more like ly to have high levels o f lead
poisoning. Indeed, A frican Americans
face disproportionately higher m ortality
rales from cancer, heart disease and
stroke, cirrhosis, and diabetes.
There’ s something wrong w ith a
health system in the wealthiest country
in the w o rld w hich allows these dispari­
ties to exist and even to grow. There’ s
something wrong w ith a health system
that does not address these issues head-
on w ith an single payer, culturally-sensi-
tive, community-based health treatment
and education program for everyone,
especially for the “ least o f these.”
W hat we need in the communities
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