In a world full of dictators and monarchs, the United States was initially founded as a country of the people, by the people, and for the people. At conception, the idea of the government was both progressive and unprecedented. However, there is no doubt this risk paid off. For the greater part of a century, America has been arguably the most influential country in the world, both politically and economically. After the Civil War, the concept of the fundamental rights to life, liberty, and property sat at the forefront of this influence, at least on paper.
Unfortunately, these three rights outlined in the Fourteenth Amendment seem to be more of a marketing statement rather than a commitment in recent years. Though there are arguments to be made for the rights to life and property, I would like to dive into the idea of liberty and what that means in 2023. Cornell University defines the Constitutional meaning as the freedom from arbitrary and unreasonable restraint upon an individual, both physically and from acting according to one’s free will. Given this basis, it is not much of a stretch to interpret this simply as the Right to Choose.
I would wager that both “sides” of voters, left and right, would agree that this right is essential in preserving the freedom of the American people. Regardless, the political class has all but ruined the idea of a right to choose. In expert fashion, an idea that once was intended to unify the people has been twisted into a statement that seemingly throws you into a box. For those that live under a rock, I am referring to the issue of abortion. In today’s debate, either you are pro-choice or pro-life in a debate that has made absolutely zero progress since 1973. Beyond that, the side you choose will now dictate not only how you vote, but the stance you have regarding gun control, taxes, immigration, and environmental regulations. From what is portrayed in the media, this is the unfortunate reality of America’s political environment.
For me, the idea of abortion is a no-brainer regardless of which stance you take. For those who say it’s either a mother’s right, I would say this ignores the father. For those who claim it’s a sin in the eyes of God, I would push that this is overly zealous. Fundamentally, I believe it is the right of the individual to choose what to do in their specific circumstance. If that means they are going to Hell, so be it, but that is not a reason to act as their pastor and restrict access. That being said, many people who identify as pro-choice are no more than pretenders when it comes to broader and more nuanced issues, especially politicians. Before I move on to other issues, I would like you as a voter to take a break and think. If Democratic politicians like Joe Biden are really fighting for a woman’s right to choose, why is this still an issue? Though he has been in office since 1972, it seems that the same political problems Democrats campaign on seem to persist.
Looking deeper at the pro-choice party, I believe it is important to mention their actions regarding healthcare. Even with the Affordable Care Act, many Americans do not have the same choices regarding healthcare as their wealthy neighbors. Put simply, more advanced medical procedures and medications are blocked behind a paywall, leading many Americans to pay out of pocket for treatment if they can afford it. Consequently, prescription drugs in the USA are 2.4 times more expensive than in European nations (Peterson Foundation, 2022). Given this price, I believe the Affordable Care Act was intentionally ineffective at controlling these prices. Outlined in the bill, people would receive a tax credit for medical expenses. In other words, they would get more back on their refund if they overpaid their taxes rather than paying less for medicine. This not only encourages Americans to pay these inflated prices, but incentivizes them when looking towards their tax return.
However, what does this have to do with a choice? To understand these prices, you must first understand that drugs do not fall out of the sky, rather pharmacies order from major pharmaceutical distributors and then sell them to you. Here, the waters become murky. Three of these drug dealers make up roughly 90% of the pharmaceutical supply, McKesson, AmerisourceBergen, and Cardinal Health (Stoller, 2023). Due to their size, many pharmaceutical companies are forced to purchase from them to get a diverse supply of medication for their patients. However, business with these companies often comes with a predatory and monopolistic contract that restricts a pharmacy from purchasing a certain percentage of drugs from small manufacturers of generic drugs. Consequently, this contract can force a pharmacy into unfavorable terms to buy at unfavorable prices for the sake of maintaining the well-being of the American people. The lack of a pharmacy’s right to choose suppliers has created a current shortage of many prescription drugs. After a $21 billion settlement these three companies had with state litigators for their role in the opioid crisis, the suppliers began to cut off and blackball pharmacies that they deemed to be handing out too many controlled substances (Stoller, 2023). To make a long story short, pharmacies are too scared to prescribe necessary medications due to the fear of the majority of their business being cut off overnight with no warning. Since the pharmacies would still be under contract, they could not just go and purchase from smaller manufacturers without risking legal repercussions.
Unfortunately, politicians do not care. Even during a period in time when opiates destroyed communities in Massachusetts, almost nothing was done by the federal government. Due to the $372 million poured into lobbying efforts by pharmaceutical companies annually (Sayki, 2023), representatives make far too much money from these organizations to do much more than talk about these issues. While I commend the Democrats for at least addressing these issues, it is important to note that they know who are setting the drug prices and why they are doing it. Implementing a tax credit for medical expenses is a great positioning statement; fooling voters into believing in your progress while at the same time protecting the bottom line of drug dealers and manufacturers.
Now more than ever, I think that the American people have to take a step back from their political gang affiliation and realize that Democrats and Republicans are two sides of the same coin. Neither party wants to make too much progress because of how much they benefit from the problems, both politically and financially. The way I see it, I could agree with at least one thing with any person I meet on a day-to-day basis while opposing representatives have proven they can’t agree on anything over the course of their terms. Overall, I think there should be a push to uphold the principles of life, liberty, and property as they have more holes than a pack of Swiss cheese as of 2023.
With the upcoming election, I would like to throw out my one pitch for a candidate. Though I would doubt he would ever run, I think the country needs Drake as our president during times like these. Though it might seem foolish, a young, optimistic leader who is rich enough to deny political contributions is exactly what this country is missing. Resembling the late John F. Kennedy, Drake’s charisma and charm would prove to bring many young voters out to the polls and restore some of the much-needed trust we need in our government, at least temporarily. Most importantly, I believe that he would be one of the only people who could stand to run as an Independent and actually gain traction. Even though he is young, the 36-year-old rapper has proved to be both versatile and quick to adapt to current trends and turbulence in his industry. Throughout his career, he has shown his generosity towards his fans and willingness to give back to his community, a kindness that is much needed in today’s political ecosystem. Overall, there is no doubt in my mind that a complete outsider like Drake would take more steps to unify the nation than the two current options that we have.
Interestingly, I believe that Drake would qualify as a natural-born citizen. Though I obviously do not know his specific documentation and records, I am aware he was born in Canada. That being said, his father grew up in Memphis and is indeed an American citizen. According to the U.S. Code Title 8 § 1401 section (g), any person born outside of the US’ jurisdiction must have one parent who was physically present in and a citizen of the United States for at least five years. Though reliable information on Drake’s father is difficult to find, I believe that he would fulfill these requirements.
Drake 2024.
References
Cornell Law, (2023). 8 U.S. Code § 1401 – nationals and citizens of United States at birth. Legal Information Institute. Retrieved April 23, 2023, from https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/1401
National Archives, (2023). The constitution of the United States: A transcription. National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved April 23, 2023, from https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript
Peterson Foundation, P. G. (2022). How much does the United States spend on prescription drugs compared to other countries? Peter G. Peterson Foundation. Retrieved April 23, 2023, from https://www.pgpf.org/blog/2022/11/how-much-does-the-united-states-spend-on-prescription-drugs-compared-to-other-countries#:~:text=According%20to%20a%202021%20study,Switzerland%20and%20the%20United%20Kingdom).
Roe v. Wade. (n.d.). Oyez. Retrieved April 23, 2023, from https://www.oyez.org/cases/1971/70-18
Sayki, I. (2023). Despite record federal lobbying spending, the pharmaceutical and Health Product Industry lost their biggest legislative bet in 2022. OpenSecrets News. Retrieved April 23, 2023, from https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/02/despite-record-federal-lobbying-spending-the-pharmaceutical-and-health-product-industry-lost-their-biggest-legislative-bet-in-2022/#:~:text=Pharmaceutical%20and%20health%20product%20companies,recent%20federal%20disclosure%20filings%20revealed .
Stoller, M. (2023). The monopolies behind the Adderall shortage. The Monopolies Behind the Adderall Shortage. Retrieved April 23, 2023, from https://mattstoller.substack.com/p/the-monopolies-behind-the-adderall