Keep open mind on health care

I would like to respond to Mr. Russell Brown’s letter of July 26. He mentions dictators as supporters of government-sponsored medicine, but neglects the fact that among the wealthy, industrialized nations, America is the only country that does not have universal health care.

Certainly one would not make the claim that the governments of Britain, France and Germany are in any sense tyrannical.

Furthermore, Mr. Brown’s claim that national health care is unconstitutional is off base. First, the general welfare clause found in Article I, Section 8 of our Constitution states that the federal government has the power “to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States.” If health care doesn’t fall under general welfare, I don’t know what does.

Second, Mr. Brown’s view of the Constitution is based on a strict constructionist view that has long since been abandoned even by conservative justices today, including Chief Justice John Roberts.

I hope that American citizens can keep an open mind on this issue and avoid ideological arguments for and against it. This is one of the most important issues of our time.

Charles Du

Spokane