Third Party Candidates on Health Care
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Health care is understandably on of the hottest topics in the 2008 Presidential Election. Everyone needs and deserves to know what the two main party candidates believe will be the best health care system to suit this country’s needs, but then again, not everyone is planning on voting for one of the Big Two. Some believe that the third parties need more attention and focus, and regardless of your party affiliation, it is always good to have a firm understanding of what every candidate in this election thinks about health care.
The Green Party on Health Care
Cynthia McKinney and the Green Party may have the most radical changes to our current health care system of any party in the election, but radical does not equal bad news. The Green Party wants to introduce a “single-payer,” universal healthcare system. This would be given to every single person living in the United States. Single-payer is a term used to describe a type of financing system. It refers to one entity acting as administrator, or “payer.” In the case of health care, a single-payer system would be setup such that one entity—a government run organization—would collect all health care fees, and pay out all health care costs. All Americans would have all of their healthcare needs covered, regardless of pre-existing conditions, status, employment, income, housing or age. They also encourage expanded care by public clinics as well as the practice of traditional and alternative medicine.
The Libertarian Party on Health Care
photo credit: Bob Barr for President
Vastly different from the Green Party’s approach, Bob Barr and the Libertarian Party favor a free market health care system. Under a free market health care system, the government would have no involvement. Libertarians believe this would enable patients to choose what level of health insurance they want, what level of health care they are seeking, which care provider they want to use, what medicines and treatments to use in their health care and even if they want to be able to end their own life. Medicine would be completely separated from the state and would only step in to enforce contracts when necessary.
The Constitution Party on Health Care
photo credit: jakemohan
Chuck Baldwin and his Constitution Party must not feel too strongly about health care here in the United States, because it is difficult to find more than a couple sentences on what they believe is the best course of action. Their health care platform sounds similar to that of the Libertarian party, endorsing a health care system not tied to the government. They believe that there should be no governmentalization and bureaucratization of American medicine, and that government regulation creates a threat to the quality and availability of patient-centric health care. That said, they also sound a little bit like the Green Party in saying that doctors and hospital should only be accountable to the patients, not to HMO’s, politicians and insurance bigwigs.
The New American Independent Party on Health Care
photo credit: markhillary
Frank McEnulty and the New American Independent Party think that the middle class is getting the short end of the stick when it comes to health care. The New American Independent Party believes that the priority should be making health care more affordable for the middle class. They believe that health care is accessible and affordable for the rich, and while not entirely affordable, more available to the poor. They believe that the middle class is being left out in the cold. They believe that there is too much money being spent battling medical lawsuits and dealing with illegal “aliens” resulting in a loss of money to assist the middle class with their health care needs.
The Independent Party on Health Care
photo credit: ajagendorf25
Ralph Nader and the Independent Party must have been listening in on some of the Green Party’s speeches (or just recalling his own political viewpoints from when he was a green Party candidate himself). While most other candidates oppose single-payer health care, the Independent Party and Nader are all for that kind of system. However, unlike the Green Party’s universal health care angle, the Independent Party thinks that while the government should finance the health care, that the delivery should be left up to private nonprofits.
The Socialism and Liberation Party on Health Care
It comes up again: Universal Health Care. Despite neither main candidate endorsing as bold a system as this, one can’t help but wonder it it wouldn’t be the right choice for United States, following in Canadian and European footsteps. Gloria La Riva and the Socialism and Liberation Party are all for a system of universal health care, and La Riva has been heard saying that “all of the major candidates are stooges for corporations.” You have to give respect to that degree of going against the grain.
The Socialist Party on Health Care
photo credit: zugaldia
Brian Moore and the Socialist Party are big proponents of a national health care system. This may seem synonymous with a universal health care system, but the two are actually quite different. While a national health care system is a single-payer system, universal health care is health care for all.
Whether you are voting for one of the two main party candidates or a third party candidates, you can now rest easy knowing you can make a fully educated decision. Health care is an crucial issue for every voter to think hard on and consider. Your body is the only one you are going to get-vote for the candidate who is going to help you treat it right.
