The Sharpton Campaign congratulates Congressman Dick Gephardt for presenting a bold and practical plan to insure that every American is covered with health insurance. I believe the plan is a big step in the right direction. I also endorse his means of paying for it eliminating President Bush's deficit creating tax cuts. The plan will appeal to business because it reduces their health care costs. It will appeal to workers because of its potential to increase wages as a result of reduced business expenses. And it will appeal to consumers because of its universal reach.
While the Gephardt Plan would finally fulfill a several decades old Democratic goal of providing health coverage to every American, in one sense it is still putting the cart before the horse. I believe the more practical "how do we get there" legislation should flow from a new "human right to health care" being added to our Constitution as a new amendment. I look forward to seeing if Congressman Gephardt will follow his own universal health care logic and join me in supporting House Joint Resolution 30 by becoming a cosponsor of a new constitutional "right" to health care.
Reverend Al Sharpton