I know what I’m about to write is controversial. However, it is true and the facts bear it out. During and after the pandemic, the U.S. like a lot of countries went through very difficult times. Over a million Americans died due to COVID and many more were ill and now face what has become known as long COVID. The rate for COVID-related deaths was the highest on a per-capita basis among industrialized countries. Although a vaccine existed, a large number of Americans refused to get immunized and even prevented their children from being protected against this horrific disease. Now, corporate giants are buying up primary care practices at a rapid pace in order to institute what is now referred to as corporate medicine. In order to take advantage of the growing privatization of Medicare and an aging population, deals are being made which will risk shifting the balance in health care from quality treatment to profits. Today, nearly seven in ten of all American doctors are either employed by a hospital or a corporation, with primary care doctors increasing simply becoming employees. It’s all tied to billing. As for Medicaid coverage, as pandemic protection expires, states are again determining which people are eligible for the health insurance program. Millions could potentially lose access to their current coverage.
Then there is the issue of abortion. More and more states have placed either greater restrictions on legal abortions or have effectively banned abortions within their states. Anti-abortion factions have even initiated lawsuits aimed at questioning the safety of medication abortion, the method used in more than half of abortions in the U.S. They are trying to block legal access to mifepristone, a drug approved years ago by the Food and Drug Administration (F.D.A.) as being safe. The Justice Department strongly disputed the claims in these lawsuits The F.D.A.’s rigorous reviews of mifepristone over the years repeatedly reaffirmed its decision to approve mifepristone, which blocks a hormone that allows a pregnancy to develop. In addition, where states have placed strict prohibitions on abortions, doctors are complaining that the health of pregnant women can be seriously endangered due to their inability to perform an abortion for medical reasons, resulting in needless suffering.
Then there is the record number of mass shootings so far this year in the U.S. To date, there have been 22 mass killings in 2023, defined as four or more people killed, not including the perpetrator. According to the Gun Violence Archive, a non-profit publicly sourced database, there have also been at least 202 mass shootings in the U.S. so far this year, leaving 792 victims injured and 276 dead. The archive defines a mass shooting as at least four victims struck by gunfire. Military-styled assault weapons, used in most of these shooting are everywhere, and apparently easily purchased by anyone without stringent background checks. As usual, Republicans and gun owners offer their condolences and prayers, often alluding to some form of mental illness as the primary cause. While mental illness is a concern, studies have shown that the majority of the shooters acted because of other motivations, including hate and anger directed at particular groups and individuals. There appears to be no end to these tragedies in sight.
Then there are the growing actions by certain states over transgender youth. Over the past three years, Republican state lawmakers have put forward a barrage of bills to regulate the lives of transgender youths, restricting the sports teams they can play on, bathrooms they can use and medical care they can receive. The people pushing these laws include Christian conservatives — among them some of the same figures who fought the legalization of gay marriage. Medical groups have overwhelmingly rejected arguments by conservative activists emphasizing parental control and child protection and calling transition care harmful. They note that transgender people have higher rates of depression and suicide. Research shows that transition care — which can involve puberty blockers, hormones or surgery, though minors rarely receive surgery — can improve mental health.
Over all, the list goes on and on and on. I have not even touched on issues related to climate change which several state governments continue to ignore and disavow. I used to look up to the U.S., but no more. Its policies now represent the elements of one very sick society.
FROLITICKS 
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