DEAR EDITOR:

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness … let those words sink in.

We argue about health care in this country like it is some sort of extra, some sort of commodity that is an exception, only for those that have earned it. Life is one of the “unalienable rights” set forth in the Declaration of Independence. Our founding fathers chose to put life first and foremost in their declaration. Yet today many people ignore that fact. We treat health care as a privilege and not a right.

In present day America, good or decent health care is given to only the well-off and the very poor. The working class either has no coverage or substandard coverage. A serious illness can bankrupt an American citizen faster than any other life crises in a matter of months to years.

Why?

The truth is it is all about the almighty dollar and not human life.

I’m not going to go into details about the villainy or evils of big corporations, but I simply will ask one question.

If every other advanced country with a sustainable economy can offer its citizens health care, why can’t the richest and most powerful country on the planet do the same?

Life — our country was founded on it.

JAMES B. LESTER

Leavittsburg