[Oregon] Measure 111: Its Time Has Come

Once upon a time, medicine was a bad joke, so the Founders didn't even cover it in version one-dot-oh of the Big Contract. Nowadays, if you're talkin' unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness, you ARE talking about a certain basic standard of health care with dignity. No begging in quadruplicate to drug companies and waiting months so you can get a little plastic card for a munificent discount on their drugs, drugs which have become vitally significant elements of healthcare.

There's simple stuff which doesn't require an MRI on every block would significantly improve longevity as well as make for a healthy American workforce. Heck, if Cut Off, Louisiana can do it, Oregon sure can.

Heck, we might even get below No. 47 in national longevity. Yep. We're fourty-seventh! We're fourty-seventh!

This ballot measure tells the Oregon Lege to improve things.. sure, they won't get it right the first time, but with the US longevity rate lower than 46 other countries (see list below), hadn't we better get serious about extending the world's best health care system to Americans?


Campaign organizers for Measure 111, the Healthy Oregon Plan, will distributing signature sheet packets on Saturday Feb. 11th from 9AM-11AM at 537 NE 29th Ave, very close to Tri-Met's 19 and 12 bus lines. Click here for Trimet's Trip Planner. A more general meeting will follow on Saturday the 18th, time & location TBA.


And, who's got us beat? Countries with longer life expectancy than the U.S., as per the CIA: Andorra, Macau, San Marino, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Sweden, Australia, Switzerland, Guernsey, Iceland, Canada, Cayman Islands, Italy, Gibraltar, France, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Spain, Norway, Israel, Jersey, Faroe Islands, Aruba, Greece, Martinique, Austria, Virgin Islands, Malta, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Montserrat, New Zealand, Germany, Belgium, Saint Pierre et Miquelon, Guam, United Kingdom, Finland, the Isle of Man, Puerto Rico, Jordan, Guadeloupe, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bermuda and Saint Helena.

What have they got that we don't? Answers are welcomed. Step right up.