Former State Representative Ed Vaughan of Detroit, Michigan issued
the following statement:
I certainly want to congratulate Congressman John Conyers for
calling the meeting in Washington on the issue of the "The National
Public Hospital Safety Net in Crisis: D. C. General Hospital in
Focus."
I think it is terrible that there is contemplation of closing the
hospital. It should not be closed. We have to remember that
health care should be for the people and not for profit and that
whatever it takes to run the hospital should be provided, because
the people in the district need sufficient health care. This is
the nation's capitol, and the whole world is looking at America.
For America to close the only general hospital it has in the
District of Columbia is a terrible affront to mankind.
Therefore, I certainly urge the Congressional delegation from
Michigan and the rest of the Congressmen and women around the
country to stand up and fight the closing of D. C. General
Hospital. I commend the efforts of the LaRouche organization and
the others in Washington, D. C. in fighting for this issue which
effects us all, nationwide.
We have many of the same problems in Michigan. Fortunately in
Detroit we have the Detroit Medical Center and we have a large
Veterans hospital in Detroit but we still have a crisis in health
care here. It is much worse in other areas, but the issue is still
here and of course some of the hospitals that are not doing as well
as they should -- and I am thinking about some of the hospitals in
the Detroit Medical Center, and I am thinking about some of the
hospitals which are overcrowded with people who do not have health
care, and cannot afford health care.
Health care has gotten out of hand in this country. Ironically,
many small countries in the world have better health care systems
than America. I think we need to go back to Hill-Burton Standards
to insure that health care is for everyone. A nation this large
has no reason to not provide health care for all of its citizens.
So I urge the adoption of Hill Burton standards, and I urge this
nation to give health care to the people. Health care should be
for the people once again and not for profit. It will benefit us
all if D. C. General Hospital stays open, and we finally bring this
question to the fore. Will we or will we not operate in the
interest of the General Welfare of our citizens - in health, as
well as in all issues confronting us today.