It is rather sobering to think that despite our outstanding natural and human resources, and our youthful optimism, our nation has won very few wars since its independence.

Surely, we won significant skirmishes against Mexico and Spain, and the legendary “greatest generation” won us WWII. We won the war against Native Americans, but are now ashamed to brag about it. We all lost in WWI, since peace after that war-to-end-all-wars was short-lived. So far, we are losing the wars on poverty and drugs, and as long as we continue foster gun violence by being the largest arm seller domestically and in the world, victory in the wars against home grown and global terrorism will remain elusive.

Yet the time to rally for another war is here and now: the war against health inequity. With our insured population compartmentalized as platinum, gold, silver, bronze (and rust) card-holders, our uninsured being treated like less than deserving, and our health care considered as but a commodity to be sold on Wall Street, quality health care is not affordable for everyone. Essential health benefits and financial security are denied to many Americans. Unequal access to health care is a form of social injustice. It also weakens our economic potentials and threatens our future. Universal health care is not public charity. It is a social investment.

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