Why the US healthcare protests are enough to make you despair

Despite all of his detractors and critics, Russell Brand made me laugh recently. Having already upset large swathes of the American public while hosting the MTV VMA Awards the year before by suggesting outgoing President Bush was a “retard cowboy”, he was at it again this time around.

Sticking with his political theme, one of Brand’s skits began by trying to explain the difference between the British and Americans. “Instead of saying truck we say lorry,” he quipped, “Instead of saying elevator we say lift.”

“And instead of letting people die in the street, we have a thing called free healthcare…”

Love him or hate him (I’ll leave the definition of the word “edgy” with you), it was a line that certainly struck a chord and ultimately summed up the current American healthcare bill debate better than any political commentary I’ve yet seen. In fact it was almost heroic.

Just under two weeks ago the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, announced that President Obama’s proposed healthcare bill had been passed, incredibly narrowly by 220 votes to 215. The Senate will shortly be determining their own version of the bill and should these two agree in principle, both chambers will vote whether or not to accept it. And there will be tens of millions of American citizens who will be desperately hoping that they do.

Obama’s plan, similar to the one Bill and Hilary Clinton tried and failed to implement in the 1990s, would mean that there would be an option for people to sign up for a government–run healthcare plan. At present it is estimated that approximately 47 million – about 1 in 6 - Americans have no health insurance cover, that is to say if they get ill they will not be entitled to be treated.

This is something that is actually quite hard to fathom for most Britons, or indeed Europeans. Perhaps we take for granted the fact that we can go and see our doctor at any time, pay for heavily subsidised drugs and receive free treatment. Even the much maligned waiting lists for operations are as low, about 16 weeks, as they have been for years. The National Health Service is so much a part of our society (it’s also the fourth largest employer is the world after the Chinese army, Wal-Mart and the Indian railways) that the whole nation leapt to its defence when the anti-health bill lobbyists attacked it as one of the “bad examples” of a government-funded system.

It may cost the taxpayer a lot, but to put this into context the USA spends £1.34 trillion on healthcare, about 16% of its GDP and this is nearly double what the average developed country spends.

So upon seeing the massive demonstrations and huge political backlash against the bill it is almost impossible to comprehend how people can object to helping the sick and needy. The basis for the counter-argument is that it will cost too much and prevent the health-insurance market from being ‘free’ and the government are going to completely takeover the healthcare system (as in Europe).

But it’s been the nature of the objections which have been truly scary. It’s true to say that the USA is polarised in its political views and for the most part, though not entirely, on healthcare the nation is split down party lines. For the most part Democrats support it, Republicans are against it.

Those opposed to the Obama administration have begun to mobilise themselves in Fox News supported “tea parties” to rally against their belief that the President is driving the country towards socialism. These have already descended into very bitter attacks, some of which have even likened Obama to Hitler.

It’s enough to make you despair.

The guy hasn’t even spent a year in office yet. He’s the first black President of the USA and some of his first priorities have been to try to potentially save the lives of millions too poor to be able to afford treatment. And these people are comparing him to the man who was responsible for the cold-blooded and clinical extermination of millions of innocent people from minority groups.

Sometimes it’s extremely difficult to see the good in the world.

But to use the words of the 44^th President, we’ve still got hope.