We often brag that we are the most powerful nation on earth. But are we also the most selfish and uncaring when it comes to our own citizens? Why is it apparently acceptable by some if our next door neighbor dies for something as trivial as a lack of healthcare or more specifically as in this case, dental care?
According to NBC affiliate WLWT, Kyle Willis‘ wisdom tooth started hurting two weeks ago. When dentists told him it needed to be pulled, he decided to forgo the procedure, because he was unemployed and had no health insurance.
When his face started swelling and his head began to ache, Willis went to the emergency room, where he received prescriptions for antibiotics and pain medications. Willis couldn’t afford both, so he chose the pain medications.
The tooth infection spread, causing his brain to swell. He died Tuesday.
We must be better than this.
We send our troops overseas to “free” other nations, and to teach these nations how “civilized” people should live. We want those nations to be able to live like us. We ask international governments to provide for their people by building schools, roads and hospitals among other things, and we expect the leaders of these nations to do these things, because in our minds, these are the basic and necessary needs of any citizenry.
But when it comes to our own there’s obviously a different standard, as our own citizens without healthcare die because they can’t afford pain medication and antibiotics.
Meanwhile, Republicans are still promising to repeal what they call, “Obamacare” – President Obama’s healthcare reform plan which would offer basic healthcare coverage to over 30 million Americans who presently have none. To congressional Republicans, this is a terrible thing for the leader of our nation to do. What would these Republicans have to say to Kyle Willis’ family? Oh, never-mind that question, Republicans consider Kyle’s death as the natural order of things, you know, eliminating the weak. Only the strong survives!
We must be better than this…
2 replies on “Man Dies From Toothache. Thanks G.O.P.!”
If the poor are already being asked to sacrifice more by giving up benefits and paying more in taxes, why cant we ask the same of the rich? Why can't we close some of the loopholes that allow multi-billion dollar corporations like Bank Of America to pay zero in taxes?
Their are things we can do to "pay" for health care, but we can't get pass the Republican block party.
To blame the GOP for a man dying of a toothache is ridiculous! It's very unfortunate that he passed away from this incident and my condolence goe out to him and his family. But to blame the GOP for this is almost laughable. Healthcare for everyone is a great Idea, but how are we going to pay for it without putting the country further in debt. The country is already 14 and a half trillion dollars in debt and growing by the minute. Obamacare is suppose to save money on the cost of healthcare. I have very strong doubts about that claim. But that remains to be seen. Healthcare is a complicated issue and it definitely needed reform. Will Obamacare improve the situation? I doubt it but only time will tell.