Healthcare is a right, not a privilege (only the soulless will disagree)

Drug/insurance company lackey (Hilary Clinton) claims universal healthcare is wishful thinking. As for Bernie Sanders, he has much in common with the Western world in promoting coverage for all, even many conservative leaders globally maintain this stance. (The man is a centrist, could even pass as center right in the UK - still a long way before he can lay claim to being a revolutionary). As for the Republican field, they are incensed that Medicare should be available to all. This would deal a blow to their dreams of following Reagan's love affair of raising taxes to fund the Military-industrial complex. Let's not even mention George W. Bush's "expert" handling of washing 1.7 trillion dollars down the drain over conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. After all this, the phrase "small government" is still tossed around, must be a covert way of expressing the opposite.

I get it, the U.S. puts consumerism before life when it comes to medicine, that explains the outrageous prices for prescription medicines (highest in the advanced world). Not to mention spending more per capita than any other OECD country (17% of GDP) yet failing the underprivileged, or as the elitist crowd refer to: 'the great unwashed consisting of some 32 million uninsured'. (It was a colossal 48 million before the introduction of ObamaCare). Reminding those who cry wolf that the U.S. has a big population, just remember that many countries with large populations do very nicely in providing world-class universal coverage (see footnote).

When something is not working you seek advice from others. Example: Argentina took the lead from Australia and introduced a gun amnesty. The result was a decrease in gun related deaths from accidents, homicides and suicides. Note: it was a conservative Australian Prime Minister that initiated the amnesty in 1996. What do you know, Australians are 11 times as less likely to die at the hands of guns than Americans.

As for health, refer to the countless countries (France consistently tops the list for best healthcare, and their government spends half of what the U.S. does per capita) spending less of taxpayers dollars on healthcare yet looking after their populace, especially those too frail or disadvantaged to care for themselves. This is what happens when you emphasize life over pandering to medical cartels. Time to really annoy insular folk...There's a "little" country with 47 million inhabitants that straddles Africa and Europe, commonly referred to as Spain. These Spaniards are so generous that they provide universal coverage for tourists and illegal immigrants. Some will say as a Catholic nation they must look after all, but Americans pride themselves on being more devout than any one European nation - simply mind-boggling!

As Americans head to the polls, some will vote out of religious conviction, others due to personal morals, anger, idealism or fiscal responsibility. By supporting those who accept healthcare is a right, not only do we help provide comfort to our fellow human, but we also sleep easy knowing we are not being contradictory to our beliefs. Come November, Americans might not get a choice of candidates that put health above war, which will be a travesty for we the people, not so much for the faceless oligarchy influencing Capitol Hill.

Footnote: ten best healthcare systems (according to the World Health Organization): 1. France 2. Italy 
3. San Marino 4. Andorra 5. Malta 6. Singapore 7. Spain 8. Oman 9. Austria 10. Japan. (U.S. ranks 37th).

Crucial vote for the forgotten people

The 14th of February is a big day (and I am not taking about the celebration of Saint Valentine), it's when the Central African Republic (CAR) elects a new President. Anicet-Georges Dologuélé and Faustin-Archange Touadéra ("household names") came out on top after the first round of voting on December 30, 2015. Incidentally, a total of 30 candidates ran for the Presidency (many of them independents), which instills some confidence in a nation ravaged by a shocking sectarian civil war.

For two years Central Africans have been embroiled in a conflict between Christian and Muslim militias. It might have gained the English-speaking world's attention, if it had an actual coastline littered with oil refineries. France has come to the rescue giving it much-needed air time, but that is mostly done through having guilt from its colonial ruling days over the CAR. It's a minor miracle that the CAR is about to elect its 13th regime since gaining independence from France in 1960.

As we get bogged down in our petty lives, let's take a moment on Sunday to think about our human family in the CAR. Let's all hope the new President can actually broker reconciliation and string together a harmonious society. The gruesome stories of religious in-fighting are endless, you would think after hearing about examples of mass exodus the word would act. Two years have passed since the capital Bangui went from having 150,000 Muslims to less than a thousand, as people fled for their lives and were systematically slaughtered by Christian militias (in some instances, decapitated heads were used for sporting purposes). 

Imagine the superficial media coverage if a blue-eyed person (of Caucasian descent) were to be kidnapped by "strange-looking" African folk, it would be like a KKK meeting (or what is commonly referred to by Americans as a Donald J. Trump rally). Even when Christians fell victim's to Muslim militias, those boasting warmonger credentials never offered to send war planes to assist their brethren in the CAR. Where you are placed on the map matters, no one cares about a landlocked country with little resources for wealthy nations to pillage - it's simply not sexy!

The world came together to instill peace among the many Bosnians who were ravaged by sectarian tragedy (granted, they looked more appealing to the Western media's camera lenses), but we can also do the same for the CAR. If these elections cannot harbor stability for the CAR, then our good friends in Dayton, Ohio should be called upon to host another peace summit.

My name is America, I am in my mid 200's and seeking a forward-looking benevolent President

"I am motivated by a vision which exists in all of the great religions — in Christianity, in Judaism, in Islam, Buddhism and other religions — and which is so beautifully and clearly stated in Matthew 7:12." It states: ‘So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the law and the prophets.' 

The above is a quote from a presidential candidate, any guess as to who? Drum-roll...Bernard "Bernie" Sanders (you know, that weird character who puts universal healthcare above military spending). Shock-horror: the only secular running for President is the most pious - only in America! A soon to be 75-year-old is the most modern thinker in the race, that about tells you the sad state of affairs. I would prefer if Sanders was a little less lustful over gun companies (perhaps a pitiful way of courting southern Democrats), but at least he is risking political ambition on outing the comedic drivel, that is using religious hype for political gain.

Like Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln, the U.S. needs a leader that doesn't use religion as a tool to portray themselves as compassionate. Cause after hearing what the candidates stand for, they are anything but willing to treat others like they want to be treated. Whether it's Hillary Clinton talking about her Methodist faith whilst supporting the death penalty, Rubio showing 'compassion' through warmongering rhetoric or Messrs Cruz and Trump bashing foreigners like a piñata. We know exactly what someone with piety would do: they would not act as evil as an evil doer, nor close their door on people fleeing for a better life. If candidates are going to quote scripture they better be prepared to act upon it. Social justice means walking in the shoes of the disadvantaged, not simply ranting about God's word to brainwash voters into supporting your malice.

If gold medals were handed out for contradiction, then every candidate would struggle to walk from all the weight around their neck. You might be familiar with the following, goes a little something like this: I prayed for all humanity at the church/mosque/temple/synagogue today, but then demanded illegal aliens be deported by force. Or the old chestnut: what's with all these minorities taking our jobs (forgetting that Native Americans are the only true inhabitants, the rest of us are merely products of the global human tide).

Let's hope for a miracle and get awarded with a Sanders/Paul contest, at least that would be a somewhat discerning battle that befits a modern democracy. Fingers crossed that my piece from October 27, 2015 (Time to elect a President, not a bigot or backroom dealer) is not a prelude to a duel between those robotic creations, in Clinton and Rubio.

280 more days till we find out what we already know: the 45th President will be more about wondering how their biography will look in the next edition of the World Book Encyclopedia, than being the people's true representative in the pursuit of happiness (for all and not just a chosen few).

Lethal weapon lunacy

Mr. President, I hear the The NRA want to debate you - I urge you to take them to the cleaners, once and for all. Forget all the talk about more restrictions that clearly don't go far enough. The temptation is playing it safe to avoid death-threats, but now is the time to enhance your legacy by making monumental change towards abolishing guns. Blood shedding propagandists proponents and their slaughter machines need to be put into the dustbin of history. Que all those lining up to say this is a pipe-dream. If you can put a man on the moon, have an African-American in the White House and allow two women to marry in Alabama, then anything is possible.

You know the world has gone bonkers when religious folk cling to their bullets. Maybe it's their way of distancing themselves from that great humanitarian, Jesus (after all he was a socialist). The First Baptist Church of Arlington, Texas is allowing worshipers to openly carry handguns. (So that's what R.E.M. meant when they sang: It's The End Of The World). Maybe they are fearing an influx of refugees asking for compassion, stroking a gun will no doubt scare them away. Whatever you do gun admirers, please stay away from maternity wards - babies can be noisy and I know how much that can offend your sensitivities. 

There is however a glimmer of hope, as evidenced by documentaries such as 'The Armor of Light'. Some in the religious community are denouncing the absurdity, that is preaching goodwill on earth whilst being pro-gun. When an Evangelical agrees with Obama, you know America is a-changing...

PS. I have a dream: to visit the Barack H. Obama Presidential library (coming to the University of Chicago in 2020) and see a room dedicated to Americans overcoming their addiction to firearm extermination.

366 days of mind-numbing hyperbole has commenced

Welcome to 2016 (5776, 2059, 1437 for those using the Hebrew, Buddhist, Islamic calendars respectively) my fellow earthlings. Looking forward to providing more off-tangent commentary. If I manage to educate/enrage you along the way, then I will have achieved my goal of brain nourishment/raising blood pressure! 

We all know what the start of the year means: hearing about senseless loss of life on a daily basis, whilst simultaneously being shocked like it has never happened before. Mainstream media is a meaningless tool that is all about smoke and mirrors. They have no clues about preventing craziness, they just want to be the first to break news. Now with social media, the world is going off the cliff of human consciousness. It's already day one and people are peaking at their phones for updates on news so they can add their own two cents to. Get ready to witness the famous online commentary: "Hey friends, I was the first to like an article about death of innocence". If only every 'like' went towards saving a life.

Every country will face its perils, of course events will be witnessed through rose-tinted glasses. For example, here in the U.S. it's a dead-set certainty celebrity misdemeanors will get more coverage than innocent children being bombed to death half a world away, by so-called civilized nations trying to boost their humanitarian credentials. Then there's the elephant in the room: panic over terror. The media machine will drum up the horror show, whilst overlooking that a five-figure amount of lives will be lost on home soil to guns in 2016. Note: this past year loss of life by firearms matched automobile accidents as the number 1 non-medical cause of death, as opposed to 50 by acts of terror - you do the math...

In August, the world will come together for the Olympics, cause we humans can't be bothered to be respectful to each other at any other time. Once it's over, we'll all be freed to wreak havoc for another 4 years gill we have to go through the harmony on earth routine. Then comes November, where the U.S. will advertise its crony capitalism for the world to see. Nothing like an election with record spending to buy votes, which is why democracy is going nowhere fast. However, faceless lobbyists brainwashing the public via puppet Presidents and elected officials is on the up and up. 

My prescription for the upcoming year: calculate how much you spend being consumed by white noise, if this exceeds the time spent living in reality then you must immediately undertake a detox program. Failure to do so will lead to another year lost to agony, which will come back to haunt you.