Dying Iowa Voter Grills Candidates On Health Care

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I found this story absolutely heartbreaking. 56 year old mother of two, Kathy Stangl was diagnosed in April with lymphangioleiomyomatosis, also known as LAM, and was told she had only two months to live. According to the news report below, making the most of her gift of extra time on Earth, 56-year-old Stangl of Des Moines, Iowa, is on the campaign trail grilling presidential hopefuls. "I want to see what they said about health care, what they said about research," Stangl said. The report continues that Stangl has gone head-to-head with all but two presidential contenders and has attended nearly 70 campaign events as the candidates stumped across Iowa ahead of Thursday's caucuses. Here are more interesting excerpts from the story: Stangl says she's been disappointed by many of the Republican ideas on this issue. In fact, she says Rudy Guiliani and Mitt Romney "blew her off" when she approached them about it. "Guiliani said to me that health care is good, everybody likes good health and health care is good -- some variation of that I've played over and over again in my mind, without giving me any specifics," she told CNN. Stangl wants a universal health plan. She's decided to vote for Democratic Sen. Joe Biden, who plans to create a pool of private health plans similar to the ones federal workers have. "I know who my preference is," she says. "My preference is for Senator Biden and has been for a while. I feel like he's ready to take action on Iran and Pakistan, and he has specific things to say about health care." So while she continues her campaign, the candidates, especially the Democrats, continue to hash it out on health care. All Stangl wants is to be heard so she can make a difference. http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/01/03/dying.voter/index.html I'm especially disheartened to read the Romney and Guiliani "blew her off". I know many here will repeat their arguments against a universal health care plan, calling it "socialized medicine" and claiming it would raise taxes to give everyone "free" health care. A "pool of private health plans similar to the ones federal workers have" is neither free nor socialized medicine. I worked in the federal workforce for many years so I can attest to that! You get the choice so many are afraid they'd be losing and you do pay for it. However, with such a large pool it would be far more affordable than what most are dealing with now, IF they're lucky enough to have coverage! The article ends this way: Through tears, she said, "The legacy I want to leave is for my daughters -- that one person can make a difference; every decision you make in your life is important, every day you can make a difference, and I don't know how long I have, no one knows how long they have." If Stangl isn't here to hold candidates accountable for what they've promised, she hopes someone else will be. Can we discuss this with a name and face attached to the health care crisis we're in? Annie