I have chosen this evening to talk about health care in this country.  It is a shame indeed that an endeavor so deeply rooted in the most fundamentally decent human instinct, the effort to alleviate suffering, should have deteriorated into a mechanism for the creation of wealth. That the wealth created accrues to only the very few could be excused if at the same time the citizens of this country could count on the most efficient and best medical care available. Sadly, very few commentators make such a claim.  As good as the treatment is for many Americans, it is surely not available to all on an equal basis, and its costs are close to twice what Canada spends on a per capita basis.  That such good treatment, where it exists, comes attached to an impenetrable bureaucracy of private health insurance companies simply underscores the critical nature of our situation. Continue reading →