Oregon Public Broadcasting

After hearing this news story, I had to comment about the statement at the end, regarding the failure of the cigarette tax and my contribution to that failure. This was a tough decision to make when the ballots came around, because I support universal healthcare and I think a cigarette tax is a fair way to fund it, but in the end, my conscience demanded a no vote. This was because the popular American sentiment has been such that if children have health coverage, there is no need to extend state coverage to all. The last bill would have paid only for children's health coverage, making me fearful that any future attempts to give healthcare to all Oregonians would be shot down under the logic that if the employed adults have coverage, and all children have coverage, then why must we cover those adults who "choose" to not be employed? Being sick of this line of reasoning that treats unemployment as a choice - it isn't for the vast majority of unemployed persons - and that treats children as being more important than the rest of us, I had to vote no in the hopes that a better bill would come up. Children are valued members of our community, with all the promise that youth holds, and they deserve health coverage, but no more so than a homeless person down on his luck, or a single mother who can just barely make ends meet but can't afford to pay for her own healthcare. Let's make a better bill that covers all Oregonians. Such a bill might pass the popular vote. At least, it would get my vote.

— Posted by CKHersey