August 4: Congress Has Universal Health Insurance. Why Shouldn't the Rest of America?

By Sylvia Gurinsky

It's a simple question, and has been since a woman asked it of Senator Robert Dole during one of the 1996 presidential debates: Why shouldn't all Americans have the health insurance coverage you have in Congress?

Dole agreed, as do many members of Congress when they're pressured at public forums on this issue.

But they won't put federal money where their mouths are - at least when it comes to the rest of the country.

Here's a link to a Chicago Tribune/Los Angeles Times article with details of the health insurance members of Congress get, at taxpayers' expense:

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-congress-benefits2-2009aug02,0,7524121.story?page=1

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-congress-benefits-chart2-2009aug02,0,7635564.story?track=rss

Why doesn't someone do a political ad asking the question, "Why don't Americans get what members of Congress get?"

The disparity between federal health insurance and the average American's health insurance (or lack of it) isn't getting enough attention. President Barack Obama tried to shine a light on it during his press conference, but it was overshadowed by the controversy over his response to the Henry Louis Gates arrest. Too bad. It was a missed opportunity - not by Obama, but by the press.

Funny how universal health coverage seems to work so well for the highest levels of American government. Yet, so many in those highest levels don't want it for the rest of the country.

If Congress doesn't approve a health insurance plan that Obama can sign into law, how about a new campaign - to withdraw Congress' own health coverage?

Maybe then, they'd see the light.