Hello John,   
      
    LL>> affordable healthcare being  the first of all human rights.   
      
   JM>BS.  Healthcare is a commodity not a right. You have no claim   
   JM>to free service that some one has to provide.  Kinda like A person   
   JM>has a right to music at their garden party, and the government   
   JM>forces you to play for them for free and if you don't the government   
   JM>will tax you.   
      
   Is access to affordable health care a human right?  According to the   
   most widely accepted international human rights treaties, it is.  For   
   example -   
      
   Article 25 of the U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)   
   reads quite clearly and emphatically:   
      
   Everyone has the right to A STANDARD OF LIVING ADEQUATE FOR THE HEALTH   
   AND WELL-BEING OF HIMSELF AND OF HIS FAMILY, including food, clothing,   
   housing and MEDICAL CARE and necessary social services, and the right to   
   security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood,   
   old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.   
      
   Do you know what that means?  THE WORLD OWES ME A LIVING!   
      
   I have said, many times, in this very forum, that President Obama   
   was going to make everything free.  He already gave us free cell phones.   
   Imagine that.  Not only free cell phones, but also 253 free minutes per   
   month.  Isn't that great?  Now he is giving us free health care.  Just   
   as he had promised.  And you are complaining?   
      
   I'm telling you, man.  With Obama, everything gonna be free.   
   And I'm not talking about just cell phones and food stamps.   
   I'm talking free medical care, free housing, free you name it.   
      
   Anyway, back to the main topic -   
      
   Article 12 of the U.N. International Covenant on Economic, Social, and   
   Cultural Rights (1966) also mentions access to quality healthcare as a   
   human right, plus a few other things.   
      
   The United States is a signatory to both treaties, as well as   
   several other international treaties dealing with human rights.   
   Therefore, access to quality healthcare is an accepted part of   
   the American understanding of human rights.   
      
   International human rights law is very clear on this matter, noting   
   that universal health care is a right, and the government MUST step   
   in and provide it if the private sector fails to do so.   
      
   If there are such things as human rights (of that there is no doubt),   
   under the international framework, then access to quality health care   
   is most definitely among them.   
      
   To further my point, consider what our fine President Bill Clinton   
   did on December 10, 1998.  He signed Executive Order 13107.  Do you   
   know what Executive Order 13107 is?  Implementation of Human Rights   
   Treaties.  IOW, all international human rights treaties that the US   
   is a signatory of is part of the SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND.   
      
   Article VI (especially Clause II) of the US Constitution is music   
   to my ears.  :)   
      
   "This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall   
   be made in Pursuance thereof, and all Treaties made, or which shall   
   be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the   
   SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND ... "   
      
   --Lee   
      
   --- MesNews/1.06.00.00-gb   
    * Origin: news://felten.yi.org (2:203/2)