Dear Friends--
It's been a tough few weeks - the toughest since I got back on the road in April. Just before leaving
Dubuque, I contracted a bad variant of COVID-19 and was the sickest I've been in 50 years. What an ordeal! I experienced everything many of you have already experienced, with high temps, extreme sore throat, extensive congestion and exhaustion.
I'd banked some extra miles and had some flex in the schedule, so I got myself to the University of Wisconsin-Madison's medical center emergency room. With some expert medical help at UW, plus rest, I'm back on my feet and walking my 10+ miles per day, thank goodness.
What If I Didn't Have Good Healthcare?
What if I didn't have insurance, as 27.1 Million Americans don't? Or was part of the 69 milllion more of all working age Americans who have insurance coverage so inadequate that if we get really sick, we'd face bankruptcy. Together, that's almost 1/3 of us.
Every elected representative at the federal level takes an oath to support our US Constitution which sets forth their job in its Preamble in pertinent part as "promote the general Welfare" of us all.
Doesn't this mean providing everyone with good quality healthcare at the least system-wide total cost in a sustainable manner? The Congressional Budget Office 4 years ago calculated we could accomplish all this in 2030 for an increase in national health expenditures of less than 1/10th of one percent of total projected Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2030.
Yet a majority of those we elect to represent our interests nationally don't even try to accomplish this job they took an oath to do.
The structure of our elections contributes to this. Huge contributions from a tiny fraction of the wealthiest, elect politicians who prioritize their donors interests while ignoring the general welfare of their constituents.
It's more profitable for corporations and special interests to get a candidate elected to do their bidding to block structuring a healthcare system which most efficiently serves everyone. And insurance companies and middle men lobby to keep the system the way it is. There are democracy reform solutions like open primaries and small-donor funded elections to solve it, but we must just muster the will to accomplish it.
Rally & Media Coverage at the Wisconsin Capitol
August 10th, I was invited to speak in support of "top-five" open primary elections plus ranked choice voting for all federal candidates at a rally organized by Voters First Wisconsin and others at the impressive State Capitol
building in Madison. The talk took advantage of a built-in crowd from a huge farmers market held each Saturday, and resulted in press coverage as well. Wisconsin Public Radio did a short audio story and a longer written version, plus there was a great story by Madison's ABC affiliate, WKOW.
Milwaukee and Chicago Next
I'm headed to Milwaukee this week, then on to Chicago, where I hope to connect with Illinois democracy groups. If I'm ahead of schedule, I may drive into Chicago for a day during the Democratic National Convention to take advantage of the media presence, now that I'm feeling better.
Until Next Time
Thanks for all your love and support! And take it from me: Keep yourself healthy!
Rick
Rick Hubbard
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