Editor, Gazette-Journal:

Every other western democracy provides universal, affordable, quality health care to its citizens. We claim to be the richest nation on earth, yet we cannot agree that universal health care is an essential public good!

Our current legislators are failing the vast majority of our citizens who are poor through no fault of their own.

In no other western democracy are personal and family health care costs the largest cause of personal bankruptcy.

I repeat, universal, affordable health care is not a privilege or a right, it is an essential public good necessary for a just and productive society.

John C. Partin, M.D.

Gloucester, Va. ...