The Steep Climb Upwards

Night and day we hear about the glories of the US for-profit medical system. Somehow, it sustains the virtues of democracy, thrift and competition. It is a bulwark to protect us from the contamination by European Socialism, Fascism and Communism. Furthermore, it shields us from the tentacles of the ever-expanding government bureaucratic monster.
This line of defense has delayed progress for over 100 years. It took a Great Depression to inspire the passage of Social Security. The assassination of JFK tweaked enough emotion to get Civil Rights and Medicare.
A proper single payer system is years away. Financial reform will take more time and the military/industrial Complex will probably outlast the country. Decline and decay are more comfortable than reform.