As most of you know, General Smedley Butler was an extraordinary soldier. He was awarded the Medal of Honor not once, but twice.
In 1935, after delivering a speech similarly entitled, he published War is a Racket.
As I read comments in the exceptional diary by Dallasdoc, One Every Twelve Minutes I was reminded of General Butler's assessment of war and that informs the next letter I will send to President Obama on 23 October 2009.
General Butler noted the following about war:
"War is a racket. It always has been. It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious. It is the only one international in scope. It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives. A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of the people. Only a small 'inside' group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few, at the expense of the very many. Out of war a few people make huge fortunes."
However, today, we have now witnessed the emergence of a challenger - the health insurance industry of America.
If General Butler were alive today he'd certainly recognize that he would have to adjust his assessment of war:
It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives.
From the perspective of the Harvard Study and, more importantly, from the perspective of an ethical society, I think General Butler would agree that today:
War and the American health insurance industry are the two enterprises in which profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives.
In one of the five letters I have written to President Obama, following the release of the Harvard Study and Congressman Grayson's stunning statements in the House of Representatives, I noted the following:
Legislative reform is needed and you are clearly striving for meaningful reform.
But, Mr. President, that does nothing for the people dying today, tomorrow, the next day and the next because they have no access to affordable care.
That eventual reform does nothing to sooth, to comfort, to alleviate pain, to provide dignity to those who are left to await their death with no hope - the ever expanding plight of millions of Americans. That's millions, Sir.
Mr President, please see it for what it is. You have a colossal National Emergency - it touches every State, every County, simply, it is everywhere in America. It kills more people in 30 days than died on 11 Sept 2001. It kills more people in 19 days than were killed by hurricane Katrina. It kills more people in 3 days than SARS did, internationally.
Please Mr President, you have every humanitarian justification, every ethical and national security reason to declare our health care catastrophe what it is and open all civilian resources of the HHS, Homeland Security and other Federal Agencies to provide care for the sick until a legislated structure exists that delivers care; a legislated system that does not further push more and more of America's middle class into poverty, while at the same time accelerating the impoverished into their grave.
In each letter I have provided various details regarding the practice of American President's declaring National Emergencies. In none of the domestic or potential international conflicts (e.g., Cuban Missile Crisis) that a Presidential Executive Order required either preparation for or implementation of relief to Americans did the cause of the Presidential Action even come close to the actual number of Americans whom have died because of the American Health Insurance Industry Racket and those in the White House and Congress whom have enabled that Racket.
So, yes, General Butler remains correct about that insidious nature of rackets:
A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of the people. Only a small 'inside' group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few, at the expense of the very many. Out of war a few people make huge fortunes.
Today, however, millions of us are clued to the scam. The American Health Insurance Industry and the tiny club of enablers have indeed reaped vast fortunes at the 'expense of the very many.'
While we await reform of that truly criminal enterprise, I urge the President to declare a National Emergency and began caring for the sick and those whom will die - one every 12 mins - with no hope, no comfort, no mercy, .... nothing.